Behavioural Economic Interventions to Promote Health and Wellness on a Canadian Mobile Health Application

Behavioural economics demonstrates that people consistently behave in irrational ways that lead to poorer health outcomes. Yet the way in which people behave irrationally is predictable, which governments and organizations around the world have used to design “nudges” to “[alter] people’s behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding any options” (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008). Carrot […]

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A mass balance modelling framework for chemicals and their primary metabolites for ecological and human health assessment

Chemicals manufactured and used in society degrade through physical and biological processes (e.g., photolysis, biotransformation) into break-down products (e.g., metabolites). Most “parent” chemicals can breakdown relatively quickly so that they are not persistent or bioaccumulative; however, some metabolites formed during the degradation processes can persist in the environment thus requiring consideration for ecological and human […]

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A mass balance modelling framework for chemicals and their primary metabolites for ecological and human health assessment – Year two

Chemicals manufactured and used in society degrade through physical and biological processes (e.g., photolysis, biotransformation) into break-down products (e.g., metabolites). Most “parent” chemicals can breakdown relatively quickly so that they are not persistent or bioaccumulative; however, some metabolites formed during the degradation processes can persist in the environment thus requiring consideration for ecological and human […]

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Development of a novel IPM strategy for brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) using RNA interference (RNAi) technology

Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) (Halyomorpha halys (Stål)) is an invasive pest with a large host range that includes many economically important fruits, vegetables, and row crops. Native to Asia, BMSB was first detected in North America in 1998 and since has become established in British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario; and 44 American states. In […]

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Development of a novel IPM strategy for brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) using RNA interference (RNAi) technology – Year two

Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) (Halyomorpha halys (Stål)) is an invasive pest with a large host range that includes many economically important fruits, vegetables, and row crops. Native to Asia, BMSB was first detected in North America in 1998 and since has become established in British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario; and 44 American states. In […]

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Land-based learning: Facilitating reconciliation & advancing the integration of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) (2015) report calls for the integration of Indigenous knowledge and teaching methods into educational curriculum. Critical to decolonizing education is reinserting people into relationships with the land as a mode of education, referred to as ‘land-based learning’. This proposed research project will establish best practices for the establishment of […]

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Quantifying the value and risk of restoring wetland habitats in agricultural landscapes

Wetlands provide critical habitat and valuable ecosystem services. Land use conversion in Ontario, however, has led to substantial wetland loss. The restoration of wetlands on agricultural properties has the potential to offset wetland loss, yet these wetlands are also susceptible to contamination by pesticides. Our research will therefore establish: (1) to what degree restored wetlands […]

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Effectiveness of vegetation and habitat characteristics as predictors of insect parasitoid populations

Climate change, land development, invasive species, and other disturbances can alter the composition, structure, and functions of native vegetation across landscapes. These disturbances also impact insect parasitoids, which are a key, and often overlooked, component of biodiversity. By their ability to control other insect populations, they are integral for fostering resilient and functional forests. Understanding […]

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Effectiveness of vegetation and habitat characteristics as predictors of insect parasitoid populations – Year two

Climate change, land development, invasive species, and other disturbances can alter the composition, structure, and functions of native vegetation across landscapes. These disturbances also impact insect parasitoids, which are a key, and often overlooked, component of biodiversity. By their ability to control other insect populations, they are integral for fostering resilient and functional forests. Understanding […]

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Forced Air Ozone Reactor and Advanced Oxidative Process as an Alternative to Post-harvest Washing for Decontaminating Fresh Produce

The project will develop aqueous-free systems for decontaminating (i.e. inactivation of human pathogens and spoilage microbes) fresh produce that can be applied individually or sequentially. The first intervention is based on a forced-air ozone reactor that introduces the antimicrobial gas through the bed of produced at a controlled flow rate. The advantage of the method […]

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Forced Air Ozone Reactor and Advanced Oxidative Process as an Alternative to Post-harvest Washing for Decontaminating Fresh Produce – Year two

The project will develop aqueous-free systems for decontaminating (i.e. inactivation of human pathogens and spoilage microbes) fresh produce that can be applied individually or sequentially. The first intervention is based on a forced-air ozone reactor that introduces the antimicrobial gas through the bed of produced at a controlled flow rate. The advantage of the method […]

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