Innovative Projects Realized

Stable tungsten isotope fractionation study of Archean rocks from the Saglek-Hebron Gneiss Complex (Northern Labrador)

The study or ancient rocks gives us a window into our planet’s beginnings. Unfortunately, most rocks dating back to the Earth’s formation have now been erased from the Earth surface. They have been eroded or recycled by geological processes. This Globalink research award will be used to study rocks from the Saglek-Hebron Gneiss complex (northern Labrador, Canada), a piece of ancient terrain, where some of the oldest rocks on Earth can be found. Graduate student, Alexandre Rouleau (Carleton University, Canada) will spend 9 weeks at the University of Cologne and the remainder 3 weeks in Canada, in order to work on a research project to study 20 rocks that he has collected from this terrain. With ages between 2.7 and 3.9 billion years, their analysis will provide valuable information on Earth’s ancient crust, and the mantle’s evolution, for a period of over a billion years. Expected outcomes from this research project include the acquisition of new skills, the publication of results in an international peer-reviewed journal, the development of a new international collaboration between German and Canadian universities, enhancing the student’s and supervisors’ network.

Energy Management and Control System for Off-Grid System

The goal of this research is to facilitate utilization of solar energy in Caribbean islands. Currently, the Caribbean islands mainly depend on the scarce oil-based energy resources. This research will assess and define cost effective suitable solar-PV technology with storage and associated energy management and control system for utilization of the solar energy resources available in the Caribbean Islands. The proposed research will minimize operational cost, enable efficient distribution and utilization of energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emission. The results of this research facilitate international expansion of the sponsored organization, Fovere Glenbarra Energy Fund II Ltd., and will potentially increase the organization’s revenue.

Development of Data Analysis software for Precision Feeding System

This project is to implement data analysis algorithms for real time analysis of precision feeding data provided by a novel custom poultry precision feeding system. In addition if time allows work on some computer vision algorithms to detect the presence of a bird in a station.

Internship Executive Assistant – HR – : Process and organizational innovation related to human resources and management

Freedom Cannabis Inc, is a startup organization, providing for 60+ families and endevouring towards profitability. Freedom has a state of the art cannabis growing facility in Acheson Alberta.
Our executive team finds itself in a position where we are stretched beyond effectiveness and so there are some organizational gaps that need identification and corrective action. The intern will act as an executive assistant for the executive team, learning the business actively. While executing these duties, they will be in review of the organization, its workflows, processes and organizational structures. They will also be tasked with a Human resources workload that will account for 10-20% of their workday. One of the outcomes of this workload should be a review of the onboarding process, compensation review by role, and an organizational report with recommendations that can be provided to the Executive team for knowledge purposes. The intern will learn about investor relations, corporate structure, manage a shareholder listing, generate share certificates for investors, manage a cap table document and participate in an Annual General Meeting.

Alberta Digital Soil Mapping Optimization Project and Plant Communities App Validation

This project is part of a larger project that seeks to develop an effective, accurate, and cost-effective way to measure soil carbon, improve soil health, and sequester carbon. The interns will gather process samples from across Alberta. The resulting data will contribute to the creation of a digital soil organic carbon map for Alberta that is correlated with other biological, chemical and physical aspects of the soil, as well as help us to understand the links between soil carbon and soil physiochemical and biological properties and their effect on overall soil health and fertility. They will also assist in developing training data for a plant communities app that will help link plant community structure to the carbon sequestration potential and interface with the dynamic soil map for the province of Alberta.

Business Process Improvements thru streamlining of accounting process

With surging business requirements during the busy season, we need one intern where it can be an avenue to apply the knowledge he learned from the academe thru hands on training which is an opportunity for growth and greater understanding of the business process. By collaboration, the intern will also have a chance to share his inputs that could help the business streamline its processes in order to be more effective and efficient.

Accounting Intern

ArrKann Trailer & RV Centre is a third generation family owned and operated, privately held business. The company has six locations throughout Alberta, and over 130 employees. ArrKann has experienced significant growth over the past four years, adding four of their current six locations, and increasing its headcount by 49%. The company has developed a 3-year IT Strategy: Identify, optimize, and implement process improvement through technology resulting in better job design, expense mitigation, scalability, and increased efficiency and effectiveness.
This change is necessary for the continued growth and scalability of our organization to create a more integrated system that is consistent for all users and integrates all six locations, four of which have been added during the past five years.
As part of the company’s IT strategy, ArrKann is intending to improve its Return Goods Authorization (RGA) Process. RGAs occur when goods are authorized for return to the supplier. Multiple departments, roles, and stakeholders have tasks and responsibilities in this process, but there is currently no process in place to ensure there is visibility, accountability, and a successful outcome when an RGA is triggered.

Human Resources Co-op – 4 Month Summer Term

At current it is generally difficult to find external resources (either permanent or contract) to assist our organization with the HR requirements and Recruitment requirements required to operate at above functional rates. Our systems, processes and projects require individuals with a broad systems experience, ability to analyze processes and adjust and as well good interpersonal skill. In short we would like to work with a student to at minimum provide a real world experience of what is required and from there grow and develop through our day to day requirements over the term identified.

Marketing and Communications Internship

The Marketing and Communications Coordinator project would help to lead, develop, and maintain marketing initiatives including, but not limited to, the Association’s website, social media platforms, and marketing and promotional materials. The Association has developed a basic marketing strategy, however needs to refine and capitalize on the technology available to deliver our message.

Investigation of Patho-/Physiological Signaling in Platelets

Developing occupancy preferences agents for institutional buildings (Varennes Library) within a transactive energy platform

This project provides key elements that would help create a transactive energy platform. The platform is expected to be used for analyzing different market and business models which facilitate increased participation of the end- users, improved efficiency in the grid and optimal usage and distribution of the energy present in the urban neighborhoods.
The internship proposed would develop the occupancy preference of an institutional building of Varennes library as a case study to increase the knowledge on the impact of the occupancy behavior and preference on the local market.

Advancing foundations of restoration ecology for fish habitat in urban centers

As we continue in the new geological epoch entitled the Anthropocene dominated by human activities, habitat degradation and loss put fish populations in jeopardy. Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of damaged ecosystems with the goal of conserving biodiversity. With limited resources available for ecological restoration, it is crucial that these efforts achieve the intended outcomes. This project will evaluate the efficacy of a restoration project for fish habitat within the urban center of Bergen, Norway using animal movement tracking. These results will guide future restoration efforts and further our understanding regarding habitat requirements for an economically and ecologically valuable fish species. Human impacts on the environment are detectable throughout the globe and with human populations projected to increase, ecological restoration will become increasingly pertinent as a tool to mitigate this friction.