Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

Testing Erosion Prediction Tools in the Simonette River Watershed, Northern Alberta

This project aims to provide real-world, verifiable estimates of impacts to watersheds from usage of back-country logging and resource roads. fRI in partnership with the University of Alberta, MiTACS and Canfor is testing computer-based tools developed in the United States to apply them to watersheds in Alberta. Given the different geography, soil types, and relief in Alberta, these tools may need to be refined to reflect the unique conditions present in our foothills natural region. The outcome of this project will be a better understanding of resource road impacts, and a suite of tools suited to reduce the impacts of resource road usage on surface water quality and fish habitat.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Axel Anderson

Student:

Kenneth Jared Fath

Partner:

Canadian Forest Products

Discipline:

Resources and environmental management

Sector:

Forestry

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

In-silico identification of driver alterations and prediction of therapeutics targeting actionable drivers in prostate cancer

Cancer arises as a result of deleterious aberrations in the DNA, RNA and proteins of cells. The accumulation of genetic abnormalities, over lifetime, perturbs critical functions of cells, which may ultimately give rise to tumor. However, vast majority of these aberrations are not essential and only small fractions, known as “driver” genes, are critical for tumor growth. Identification of driver aberrations is a challenging task, but is critical for optimal cancer management. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer to affect Canadian men. Our laboratory has access to the DNA and RNA sequences of PCa patients. Using advanced mathematics and computer science techniques, we propose to establish linkage between driver genes and tumour viability and thus reveal novel biological insights to therapeutic strategies. The identified driver genes will represent new candidates for actionable therapeutic targets. This will guide the selection of appropriate drugs and development of new ones. Thus this work will further aid in the development of new strategies in precision cancer medicine for PCa.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Colin Collins

Student:

Raunak Shrestha

Partner:

iProgen

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Recovery of fish populations from environmental nanosilver release

Nanosilver is an antimicrobial agent found in thousands of commercial products, frequently released into waterways as a result of their use in clothing and washing machines, as well as many other products with potential for environmental release. Though regulations on environmental release exist for elemental silver, no regulations exist for nanosilver release into the environment. Many studies have now demonstrated that nanosilver causes very different toxic reactions in organisms compared with elemental silver, suggesting different guidelines for environmental release are required. As a MITACS accelerate intern, Lauren Hayhurst is participating in an experimental whole-lake addition of nanosilver by investigating the effects on fish populations at the IISD-Experimental Lakes Area. This work is critical in helping form science-based environmental policy for the regulation of a product which is already being broadly used commercially. The IISD (International Institute for Sustainable Development) has over 20 years of developing environmental policy and advice adopted by governments around the world, and the ELA has over 45 years of conducting whole-ecosystem experiments that have guided environmental policy on nutrients, acid rain, atmospheric mercury and estrogen, saving governments billions of dollars in environmental remediation costs.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Rennie

Student:

Lauren Hayhurst

Partner:

IISD Experimental Lakes Area Inc

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Fisheries and wildlife

University:

Lakehead University

Program:

Accelerate

Low maintenance lawn with big climate footprint

Reduction in C release to atmosphere and sequestering in soil has shown strong potential to combat climate change and only possible source where city landscapes can sequester C in soil is mainly in the lawns. Researching on new varieties on lawn grasses to increase C sequestration has the potential to reduce grower’s resilience on high maintenance grass species with least C sequestration potential. Cangro Enterprise Inc. (CEI), an organic lawn care service provider from Ottawa region, takes an innovative and sustainable approach in lawn care and intends to introduce rhizomatous tall fescue (RTF) as a new grass species. This research examines the C sequestration potential of RTF in compare to three other common lawn grass (fine fescue, Kentucky blue grass and regenerative perennial rye) when it is grown with and without organic booster solution. Understanding the C sequestration potential of RTF will allow growers to adopt right varieties of grasses and management practices suitable to produce a nice looking lawn while contributing to the cities’ commitment to combat climate change.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Asim Biswas

Student:

Yakun Zhang

Partner:

Cangro Enterprise Inc

Discipline:

Resources and environmental management

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

McGill University

Program:

Accelerate

Web-based mobile mental health technology in an acute care setting

The use of mobile technology is on the rise including access to mental health-related applications and websites. There is a wealth of information available and numerous intervention strategies focused on treatment and support for mental health concerns. However, inpatient psychiatry often discourages patients’ use of electronic technologies and web-accessible mobile phones. The proposed study involves brief interviews with patients admitted to inpatient care at St. Paul’s Hospital to determine their access to a mobile device, understand their current use of mobile health and web-based services, and their interest in adopting additional web-based mental health tools to their program of care. Based on results from this survey and an evaluation of currently available tools, we will be making recommendations for the potential incorporation and adaptation of e-mental health technology to the program of care in inpatient psychiatry.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Krausz

Student:

Fiona Choi

Partner:

St Paul's Hospital Foundation

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Application and investigation of new material in tandem solar cells with enhancing IR spectral absorption

Solar cells which convert solar energy directly into electricity are among one of the most viable solutions to the world’s foreseeable energy crisis and global environmental issues. One key strategy to improve the efficiency of solar cells is to enhance the overlap between their absorption spectra and the solar spectrum. When two or more subcells with distinct and complementary absorption spectra are stacked, the tandem solar cells are created and a broader range of the solar spectrum can be absorbed and more solar energy can be harvested. However, the utilising of IR solar photons with the wavelength from 800 to 1200 nm is poor for the third generation solar cells, which has the potentials of high power conversion efficiency and low cost. This project focuses on investigating the efficient harvest of IR solar photons in a tandem structure. We tend to achieve highly efficient tandem solar cells by efficiently utilising IR solar photons.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Ricardo Izquierdo

Student:

Yuliang Zhang

Partner:

1-Material Inc

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Nanotechnologies

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Multi-Year Study of the Early Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Canada

The NACO 2015 Early Stage Company Report will report on early-stage companies from the lense of the company, taking into account support from incubators, accelerators, and VCs. NACO will publish a final report that analyzes the extent to which different combinations of capital and strategic partnerships help entrepreneurial firms grow. The report will also aim to examine and analyze the effectiveness of the different tools used by Angel groups.
The goal of the report is to give a better view of successes and challenges that exist for high-growth, knowledge-based start-ups in Canada, recognizing that there is a lifecycle between incubators, accelerators, Angels, and Venture Capitalists. Success will be measured be the growth of the company through acquisition, an IPO, increase in revenue, additional funds raised, etc.
The intern is responsible for supporting survey creation, data collection, analysis, and writing.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Kenneth Grant

Student:

James des Roches

Partner:

National Angel Capital Organization

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

University:

Ryerson University

Program:

Accelerate

Bobolink and eastern meadowlark occupancy in different agricultural land cover types

The bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna) are listed as a species at risk in several Canadian provinces. Both songbird species are most abundant in Ontario and breed in hayfields, pastures, and other grassland-like environments. Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) seeks to protect these species by regulating activities that negatively affect their habitat. Improving our understanding of the breeding habitat used by these species will provide important science-based guidance in developing conservation solutions that minimize the economic impact on agricultural operations. This project aims to examine how frequently bobolink and eastern meadowlark occur in various land cover types (including hayfield, pasture, grassland, and grain crops) within regions predicted as having high and low abundance of these species (based on results of the second Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas). Results from this project will benefit both partner organizations, DG Taylor Inc. and Bird Ecology and Conservation Ontario (BECO), by providing new ecological information that can lead to better-informed conservation strategies and mitigation activities.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Yolanda Wiersma

Student:

Katherine Robbins

Partner:

Bird Ecology and Conservation Ontario

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Program:

Accelerate

Large Consumer-Generated Data Optimization and Prediction

The proposed research aims to target large-scale consumer-generated data to analyze, visualize, and make predictions out of. The data will be collected from the consumers to make assessments on their lifestyles, and will come in forms such as heart-rate variance, that is, being temporal data. Researchers with visual analytics background will apply new visualization techniques on the data in order to grasp the insights and improve the model to interpret the data. The research problem is to relate measures of stress, recovery and mindful activities to the data obtained. The purpose of the proposed research is to complement the data with subjective measures such as happiness, life stress, and mindfulness. Some of the main objectives are to find out whether increased awareness of stress/recovery is associated with a change in stress/recovery; or whether increased daily mindful activity is associated with a change in stress/recovery. Expected results involve finding out whether the new product will contribute to a change in stress/recovery, or to increased mindful activity.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Wolfgang Stuerzlinger

Student:

Gokhan Cetin

Partner:

Lululemon Athletica

Discipline:

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program:

Accelerate

Auditing in the cloud, Using OpenStack Congress

In a multi-tenant cloud environment, several tenants share the same physical resources. To ensure security of tenants’ data and process, appropriate security measures should be implemented by the cloud provider at multiple layers. Particularly, appropriate controls for end-to-end network isolation must be put in place. The proposed research project aims at elaborating innovative and efficient approaches and methods to audit end-to-end network isolation in the cloud. The new knowledge and technologies that would be transferred to Ericsson through this project include a framework for automating verification of network isolation in the cloud, methods for collecting and processing data, languages and algorithms for verifying security and detecting security requirements violation. In addition to knowledge dissemination using scientific publications, the project aims at designing and implementing a research prototype that would be integrated with existing cloud management systems, such as the Ericsson Cloud Manager, as a value-added feature.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Lingyu Wang

Student:

Masoud Bozorgi

Partner:

Ericsson Canada

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

Concordia University

Program:

Accelerate

Microbiota characterization and modulation through the use of generated probiotic strains to combat colitis-associated colon cancer

A higher incidence of colon cancer is reported in populations consuming high amounts of red meat, as well as in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, where gut bacteria participate in the development of inflammation. We found that dietary supplementation with heme, an element found at high levels in blood, is detrimental to gut health and it fosters the growth of harmful bacteria. In this project, we propose to establish new procedures for both the manipulation of the gut bacteria (microbiota), as well as its characterization using a new state of the art sequencer. We will generate probiotics (live bacteria that promote health) to reduce intestinal heme levels in order to protect the gut from inflammation. Novel technologies and equipment for fast and cost-effective characterization of the gut microbiota will allow the introduction of microbiota characterization in the clinic and implementation of personalized medicine.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Manuela Santos

Student:

Marco Constante

Partner:

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Innovating in-field DNA acquisition for enhanced microbiologically influenced corrosion diagnostics

Corrosion of metal-based infrastructure (for example, pipes) is an enormously costly problem faced by many industries including power generation, oil production, transportation, beverage production and water storage and distribution. It is now known that microorganisms can in many cases cause and/or worsen metal corrosion – a phenomenon known as microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). OSP Microcheck Inc provides products to diagnose for MIC. Once diagnosed correctly, MIC type corrosion can be treated or further prevented more effectively than if left undiagnosed. Currently used MIC diagnostic methods recognise the presence of microbes, but are incapable of identifying exactly which microbes are present. This academic-industry collaboration will explore the biochemistry behind MIC diagnostic techniques, with the intention of innovating one of OSP Microcheck’s current MIC diagnostic methods such that it is capable of both finding and identifying the microbes causing MIC type corrosion in a cost-effective manner.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Raymond Turner

Student:

Marc Demeter

Partner:

OSP Microcheck

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

University:

University of Calgary

Program:

Accelerate

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