My project aims to understand cetacean habitat use in remote areas along Canada’s coast. Using acoustic data from an array of permanently recording hydrophones, I am developing software to automatically detect, classify, and localize different species of whales that use the area . The acoustic network is located deep in the Great Bear Rainforest in […]

Several fish species produce species-specific sounds that can be identified in the wild using Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) (i.e. dataloggers configured with underwater microphones). Our project will use existing and new PAM recordings to monitor the distribution of several fish species in the western Canadian Arctic, with particular focus on a keystone Arctic species, the […]

Several fish species produce species-specific sounds that can be identified in the wild using Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) (i.e. dataloggers configured with underwater microphones). Our project will use existing and new PAM recordings to monitor the distribution of several fish species in the western Canadian Arctic, with particular focus on a keystone Arctic species, the […]

Marine microalgae are currently used as a source of high value polyunsaturated lipids such as DHA and EPA. The focus of this research is to isolate a strain of marine microalgae that can produce commercially viable amounts of squalene. Squalene is a high value hydrocarbon that is predominately extracted from the liver of deep sea […]

The visualization/decision support work encompassed by this application addresses key elements of the upgrade path for that strategic part of IBM Canada’s smarter cities product and service portfolio– as urban transport systems evolve, their escalating complexity requires more advanced visualization tools and practices. The specific project proposed for development within the MITACS brief is:• development […]

Biofilms, surface-adherent microbial populations with enhanced tolerance to antibiotics and disinfectants, are widely-known contamination sources in environmental, industrial and medical settings. Novel approaches for the prevention and remediation of biofilms using nontoxic materials are urgently required. Interestingly, natural polysaccharides and nanopowders have anti-biofilm properties. We will develop a sustainable anti-biofilm technology using PhytoSpherix™ (Mirexus), a […]

L’industrie forestière est un pilier de l’économie Canadienne. Sa compétitivité dépend des certifications environnementales et donc de sa capacité à démontrer la compatibilité de ses pratiques avec le maintien de la fonctionnalité et biodiversité de l’écosystème. Seulement, dans le contexte actuel des changements climatiques, cette équation se complexifie. Les modifications des conditions de température et […]

Re-establishing salmonid populations to areas historically occupied has substantial potential for conservation gains, however, such interventions also risk negatively impacting native resident stocks. An on-going reintroduction of anadromous sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to Skaha Lake, British Columbia is succeeding, with large numbers returning to spawn. However, a recent genetic study detected strong evidence of hybridization […]

Pour rétablir l’écosystème forestier sur roches stériles minières, la recolonisation naturelle à partir de la forêt environnante présente plusieurs avantages. Mais l’établissement des essences forestières requiert des conditions qui font défaut aux roches stériles. Du fait de leur manque en matière organique, ces substrats dégradés manquent de nutriments, d’eau, et d’organismes du sol. L’utilisation d’un […]

Le lac Saint-Charles, principale source d’eau potable de la ville de Québec, a connu un vieillissement accéléré au cours des dernières années, en raison des plantes aquatiques et des sédiments qui le comblent graduellement. Cette situation est en bonne partie due à une surabondance d’azote et de phosphore dans un milieu où la rareté de […]

Evaluating the impact of multiple stressors on aquatic ecosystems often requires robust biodiversity estimates. Traditional methods for sampling fish communities are very costly, may have a significant share of inaccuracy and require specialized taxonomic expertise and have numerous other inherent limitations. The general objective of our proposed project is: • to develop and validate genomic […]

Production and utilization of ammonia in the transportation and power generation sector brings numerous advantages by introducing environmentally friendly, sustainable and efficient systems. Ammonia (NH3) is the only carbon-free chemical energy carrier together with hydrogen suitable for use as a transportation fuel. In this project, renewable energy based NH3 production methods are investigated for power […]