Innovative Projects Realized

Verrous et leviers d’acceptabilité des projets de rues conviviales en Amérique du Nord

La recherche éclaire trois défis auxquels sont confrontées les municipalités dans les projets d’aménagement de « Rues conviviales » (RC) qu’elles réalisent. Ces projets suscitent parfois des réticences au sein des services municipaux, lors de la conception et la gestion de ces nouveaux espaces. Des oppositions voire des conflits peuvent aussi émerger au sein des différentes parties prenantes et de la population. Enfin, la portée et les effets de ces projets apparaissent comme des angles morts de l’action.
Dans ce contexte, la recherche poursuit trois objectifs:
– analyser les « verrous » des projets, à l’interne comme à l’externe des municipalités, aux différentes étapes (avant, pendant, après);
– analyser les « conditions facilitatrices » (méthodes, instruments) que les municipalités adoptent aux différentes étapes;
– recenser les exercices d’évaluation des projets et synthétiser les données probantes existantes sur les effets des RC.

Empowering Communities to Preserve their Heritage

The proposed research project aims to address the issue of language endangerment and mother tongue education through a “citizen science” methodology in the remote Zangskar valley (Ladakh, India). In particular, the project seeks to test whether a citizen science approach can be an effective and sustainable way of documenting and revitalizing the endangered Zangskari language. To do so, I will first train local community members to self-document their language. This process will be evaluated to determine its advantages and challenges and compare it with traditional practices in language documentation. Second and in collaboration with the community and the host institution, I will assess the usefulness of the documented materials for co-creating literacy materials in Zangskari. The project will serve as a case study in language documentation and revitalization, potentially leading to the refinement of an innovative and sustainable community-based approach that could be employed in other parts of India as well as in Canada.

Improved Surveillance and Flight Efficiency using Autonomous Soaring

To address the challenge of increasing flight endurance for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), a novel technique involving the exploitation of atmospheric energy, typically by soaring in thermal updrafts, is being developed. The AUTOSOAR algorithm developed in a previous Mitacs project permits the UAV to rely less on its onboard motor to maintain altitude, and reduce the amount of energy consumed during flight, thereby significantly extending mission surveillance time. This algorithm is being advanced by adding functionality for the onboard computer to balance mission objectives with its thermal exploration and exploitation capabilities. This project focuses on developing the logic required for balancing these two objectives. The research undertaken by the intern satisfies four primary sub-objectives: maintenance of test platforms, the development and integration of ground surveillance functionality into AUTOSOAR, performing flight test experiments, and the evaluation of algorithm performance by developing efficient analysis tools.

Connaissance des publics actuels et potentiels du Musée de la civilisation de Québec

En 2023, le Musée de la civilisation de Québec (MCQ) renouvelle son exposition permanente sur l’histoire du Québec pour en faire un attrait plus actuel, plus rassembleur et plus inclusif. Près de 18 ans après le lancement de la dernière exposition permanente, le premier défi du Musée est de récolter des données statistiques sur le visage et les intérêts de son public actuel, ainsi que sur le public potentiel afin de créer une exposition pertinente, moderne et populaire. Ces informations nécessaires serviront ainsi à la compréhension précise des attentes du public québécois, canadien et international envers cette nouvelle exposition. Ce stage Mitacs est mené pour permettre non seulement au Musée d’évoluer avec les plus récentes connaissances scientifiques en matière de sondage, mais également à la Chaire de leadership en enseignement des sciences sociales numériques (CLESSN) de poursuivre sur le terrain le développement de ces méthodes novatrices.

Assess with the best: New product development and continuous improvement of the SuccessFinder psychometric assessment

Research problem: Ensuring the SuccessFinder psychometric test is updated and has solutions to meet client needs for data-driven HR. In addition, refining the application of personality to person-job fit, team effectiveness and leadership.
Significance: closing the research-practice gap, equipping HR with the most relevant people data to weather upcoming disruption and change in the job market. Strengthen hiring decisions, employee value proposition, employee fit, and performance.
Five sub-projects will be completed, focusing on both creating and refining relevant HR solutions and fine-tuning the existing psychometric assessment. The projects that focus on creating and refining relevant HR solutions are as follows: 1) A new methodology for creating custom benchmarks, 2) A new team competencies solution, and 3) Updating the Ladder of Leadership. The projects that focus on fine-tuning the SuccessFinder assessment are 4) Background Research and Best Practices for Survey Development and 5) Continuous development and improvement of SuccessFinder assessment.
Methodology: Methodology will include literature reviews, leveraging archival data, and collecting samples using crowdsourcing platforms like prolific and alchemer…..

Sensory, satiating and glycaemic characteristics of cheese and non-dairy alternative products to cheese

Research problem: Cheese has a unique food matrix that combines milk proteins, fat, lactose and calcium with a solid texture. However, the satiating properties of cheese are not well understood. Cheese is also used as an ingredient in various foods, including pizza; however, the contribution of cheese to the glycemic properties of such composite meals need to be evaluated. The rapid growth of dairy-free products marketed as vegan substitute for cheese and composed primarily of plant-based flours, starches and oils make them popular substitute of cheese due to their visual appearance similar to cheese and acceptable sensory properties. The objective of this project is to evaluate the effect of cheese and vegan substitute for cheese on satiation, satiety, food intake and blood glucose control. Proposed methodology: two randomized double-blinded trials will be performed with young human adults whose satiation, satiety and short-term food intake will be evaluated in the first trial, and blood glucose and insulin response in the second trial. T

Quantification de l’endommagement dû à la méthode de perçage

Les composites et le titane sont de plus en plus utilisés en aéronautique, mais sont difficiles à percer. Le perçage des deux matériaux dans une seule opération représente un défi supplémentaire puisque la méthode et les paramètres idéaux diffèrent. L’identification et la quantification d’un critère d’endommagement avant des essais en tension percée et en tension assemblée permet de relier le comportement en fatigue avec la méthode de perçage du trou. Un modèle mathématique pourra par la suite relié l’endommagement initial à la durée de vie de chaque échantillon et fournir un estimé de la propagation de l’endommagement pendant l’essais.

Machine learning applications to digital rock mechanics data

In rock engineering practice there is often insufficient time, schedule, and computational/expert resources to investigate complex rock mass phenomena in detail. The large amount of multivariate data that characterizes complex rock mass behaviour creates the ideal conditions to use machine learning. Machine learning allows for the use of all relevant data and can inform the design and maintenance of underground excavations such as mines, tunnels, hydropower assets, and utilities.
The purpose of this research is to advance the applications of machine learning in a way that is accessible to practicing rock engineers. To accomplish this, a framework will be developed comprising the acquisition of reliable digital rock mass data and subsequently using it to develop machine learning for forecasting excavation behaviour. The industry partner, RockMass Technologies, is a global leader in the field of digital geotechnical mapping. Currently, RockMass does not offer any machine learning capabilities as part of its product offerings. By participating in this project, RockMass will benefit in-kind from the research advancements made with respect to use of its data in downstream machine learning applications, placing itself at the forefront of machine learning innovation in rock engineering.

Embedding Social and Health Equity into Greenspace Programs and Policies

Experiencing and accessing nature has been shown to promote individual and communal physical and mental well-being. However, these benefits are not universally enjoyed due to social inequities. There are limited tools and strategies to ensure that greenspace programs and policies have positive social and health equity impacts.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the confluence of systemic issues around health equity, greenspaces in cities and social injustice. As part of the need for equitable cities where people and nature thrive synergistically, this project will: 1) develop an equity-informed impact measurement process for Park People’s Sparking Change Toronto program; 2) engage subject matter experts across disciplines to identify key strategies for embedding equity in greenspace initiatives; and 3) host a series of “solutions workshops” with key stakeholders to identify significant principles, challenges, and guidelines. This work will result in a framework and toolkit for embedding social and health equity into greenspace programs and policies, with the aim of supporting stakeholders (community groups, professionals, and non-governmental organizations) to create more equitable greenspaces.

Evaluating the effect of abrasive waterjet machining on 3D printed composites for repair applications

The research project aims to evaluate the potential of using abrasive waterjet machining and additive manufacturing in composite repair as a sustainable, circular economic strategy. The study will investigate the effectiveness of abrasive waterjet machining on additively manufactured composite specimens, assess the quality of machined surfaces, and simulate composite repair scenarios in a laboratory setting. The goal is to determine if this non-conventional technique can enable more sustainable and circular economic practices in composite repair when coupled with additive manufacturing.

Gestion innovante et durable des eaux souterraines à Saint-Hippolyte dans un contexte de développement résidentiel

La ressource en eau souterraine est la source d’alimentation en eau potable de la Municipalité de Saint-Hippolyte (QC). Le développement du territoire ajoute une pression additionnelle à la ressource en eau souterraine et Saint-Hyppolite vise une gestion durable de cette ressource. Le projet vise à créer un observatoire de la ressource en eau souterraine dans la Municipalité de Saint-Hippolyte afin d’améliorer la gestion de cette ressource. Un système de suivi sera implanté et des modèles seront développés pour mieux comprendre les effets du développement résidentiel sur les eaux souterraines. Les résultats du projet permettront d’identifier en temps réel des domaines dans lesquels des progrès doivent être réalisés et ceux qui exigent une attention urgente, et d’examiner les différents aspects pour une gestion participative des ressources en eau. Le projet servira de modèle de gestion durable des eaux souterraines au Québec.

Development of novel chemical probes and SARS-CoV-2 antiviral therapeutics through engineered HAI-2 protein inhibitors of TMPRSS proteases

Respiratory viruses exploit the biological activity of human proteins present at the surface of airway cells to allow viruses to penetrate that physical barrier and subsequently replicate in infected cells. It has been established that a family of human proteins, the type 2 transmembrane serine proteases, are directly responsible for this viral entry, but they have been challenging to develop drugs against because they have been unable to be studied in isolation. Our group developed the leading strategy to isolate and study one of these proteins, transmembrane protease, serine-2 (TMPRSS2), which is exploited by coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2) and Influenza A/B viruses, for entry of the airways. Our access to TMPRSS2 enabled us to determine its 3D molecular structure for the first time, an important advancement that paves the way for the development of highly specific TMPRSS2 drugs that could block viral entry. Importantly, drugs blocking TMPRSS2 may be insensitive to emerging virus mutations because TMPRSS2 is such an important human protein for infection. By modifying the protein known to regulate TMPRSS2 activity, HAI-2, we engineered highly effective TMPRSS2 inhibitors.