Innovative Projects Realized

Effects of agricultural practices on aquatic plants seed banks and potencial toxicity of soils in the flooding plain of Lake Saint-Pierre

The proposed research aims to assess the resilience potential of aquatic and land plants in the floodplain as a function of the land-use gradient.
The experimental approach aims to measure the biodiversity and germination rate of communities of different rates of aquatic and land plants that are found in the soil after the waters retreat. A series of experiments in the wet laboratory at UQTR was planned to assess the germination potential of soil samples collected in the field. In addition, we will use these different soil samples to expose zooplanktonic model organisms (Daphnia magna) from laboratory cultures in order to assess their potential toxicity. Newborns of D. magna will thus be incubated for several days with different soil samples collected from the LSP floodplain in order to establish survival curves and effects on fecundity in response to the gradient of land use from conventional agriculture to natural environments.

Développement d’un nouveau produit d’amendement des sols à base d’algues

La culture biologique exige de ne pas utiliser notament de fertilisants d’origine synthétique et de pesticides. Cependant afin d’accroître la productivité de leurs cultures, les producteurs agricoles/horticoles doivent ajouter des produits d’amendement des sols. Les algues marines sont abondantes et constituent une source d’oligoéléments et de molécules bioactives. Le projet de recherche consiste au développement d’un nouveau produit à base d’algues destiné aux producteurs horticoles et agricoles pour l’amendement des sols. Pour ce faire nous devons formuler un produit à base d’algues qui répond aux exigences de la culture biologique et qui est facile d’utilisation. Ce produit permettra de répondre à un besoin des producteurs, en plus de contribuer au développement de l’entreprise partenaire et à la formation d’un stagiaire.

Stratégie d’internationalisation et outils de communications des PME technologiques: recherche-action dans une startup medtech.

L’internationalisation des nouvelles entreprises technologiques et plus particulièrement constitue un enjeu crucial pour leur viabilité sur le long-terme. En effet, la demande limitée voire inexistante sur leur principal marché, les poussent à cibler des clients à l’international. Or, l’obsolescence de leur technologie ainsi que la forte compétitivité à l’international augmentent le risque d’échec de jeunes entreprises n’ayant pas l’expérience, ni la notoriété des grandes entreprises déjà établis. Très peu d’étude ont analysées les pratiques d’affaire menant à la réussite d’une nouvelle entreprise international. Ce projet a donc pour objectif de fournir d’apporter des connaissances théoriques ainsi que recommandations pour les petites et moyennes entreprises technologiques voulant saisir des opportunités à l’international.

Digital Strategies for Sustainable Hybridization in Creative Industries

As a unique subsector within the creative industries that relies on place and proximity, theatrical organizations, like AtG, have been especially hard hit by COVID-19 and resulting restrictions such as stay-at-home orders, social distancing measures, and capacity limits. Anxieties surrounding the virus and fluctuating restrictions have made maintaining, and engaging with, community and audiences difficult and inconsistent. With this project, the intern will be addressing challenges related to the recovery and evolution of the theatrical industry in the short and medium term, as well as exploring new sustainable hybrid solutions for the long term. Given this distinct turning point, in which we are designing both digital solutions and hybrid possibilities for when Canada opens up in a larger and more continuous way, this iterative development work will take into account audience experience, as it relates to scale, collective experience, participation, and intimacy, all core aspects to the public’s experience of cultural events.

Validation and Emotional and Cognitive Assessment of the TSYM Symgery Simulation Platform for Spine Surgery

The learning of bimanual skills is very important in spine surgery since errors can result in poor patient outcomes. Surgical trainees develop these skills by watching expert surgeons do operations and as they acquire more experience, they are given more responsibility to perform complex operations. The limitations of this learning method are the low numbers of expert surgeons to teach these skills and patients may be at increased risks during this traditional approach to training students. Virtual reality spine simulators provide realistic simulated spinal operative procedures in environments in which there are no risks to patients and students can repeat procedures as many times as needed to acquire the necessary skills. One of the important questions involving virtual reality simulator systems is are they useful in the teaching of the appropriate skills necessary to do the operation and how do surgical trainees respond emotionally by being taught by these simulators? The purpose of these studies is to assess if a new spine virtual reality simulator can be useful in the training of surgeons in complex spine operations and how do students respond emotionally to this instruction.

Transnational Alliances: Staging Hemispheric Performance Festivals in a Post-Pandemic World

“Transnational Alliances: Staging Hemispheric Performance Festivals in a Post-Pandemic World” examines the potential of co-creation and collaboration among artists, activists, and researchers from across the Americas in the context of re-emerging festivals—a context in which scholars and artists are grappling with the impact of the COVID crisis on performance as well as the environmental impact of performance on the planet. As performance events begin to re-emerge in hybrid in-person and virtual formats and nations reopen their borders, questions on the changing nature of performance and the changing nature of encounters are central to those engaged in hemispheric performance practice. This Mitacs project is a research creation endeavour that takes the Panamerican ROUTES/RUTAS Panamericanas Festival (an international multi-arts festival produced by Aluna Theatre in Toronto) as a site to explore new formats for mobilizing hemispheric performance knowledge in a (post-)pandemic landscape. The knowledge and exchange that results from this research will advance Aluna Theatre’s aims to connect communities across cultural and geographic differences through performance practices that address shared histories and current political realities.

Data Collection and Market Study of Women-Identifying Car Owners

This project will help develop the foundation for understanding on the specific needs car owners when dealing with the car repair indsuty, while simultaneously developing a community of support and a trusted source for information related to owning and maintianing a car.

Testing Bearing Capacity of Precast Hollow Core Slabs at Load Bearing Wall – Slab Joint

Precast concrete is used in many types of structures including those serving commercial, multi-unit residential, and industrial uses. Hollow core prestressed slabs (or planks) are one type of precast concrete that is used primarily for flooring systems. These planks have advantages of being able to span long distances while being relatively thin and light when compared with cast in place concrete solutions while being economically advantageous to manufactures and builders due to their ease of production. However, these planks have limitations in certain areas including susceptibility to crushing due to concentrated loads, limited ability to withstand loads outside of their primary direction of strength, and limited connectivity in the plane of the slabs. This project will work to determine bearing capacity of these slabs. Results will benefit the partner organization by providing guidance towards best practices specific to their product and the industry through widespread publication of results.

Quantification de l’erreur d’échantillonnage

Actuellement, le suivi des intrants chez Elkem Métal est une problématique. Dans ce projet, on vise à améliorer la caractérisation du quartz. On retrouve parmi les contaminants de ce minéral le titane et l’aluminium. Ces deux éléments peuvent être nuisibles pour la réalisation de certains produits qui demandent des restrictions très étroites. Selon la composition moyenne des intrants, 33% de l’aluminium au four provient du quartz et 56% pour le titane (S. Lemieux, communication personnelle 2013). Dans l’année en cours, le titane au four a excédé la spécification en titane dans 12% des cas. En utilisant la théorie de l’échantillonnage, il sera possible d’identifier d’où et de quel ordre de grandeur les erreurs sont produites avec le protocole actuel. Les erreurs les plus importantes vont démontrer les étapes les plus problématiques qui devront subir une modification. L’effet d’une meilleure caractérisation du quartz permettrait d’éviter des contaminations de la production.

La pratique du sport chez les adolescents en Mauricie

On remarque habituellement une baisse dans la pratique de l’activité physique chez les étudiants au secondaire comparativement au primaire, phénomène plus marqué chez les filles. Toutefois, en Mauricie, on constate un engouement particulier et grandissant pour la pratique du volleyball chez les adolescentes. En premier lieu, notre étude cherche à éclaircir les raisons qui font du volleyball un sport prisée par les jeunes filles au secondaire en les interrogeant directement à ce sujet. Les réponses obtenues permettront à la Table mode de vie physiquement actif régionale (TMVPA) dont fait partie l’Unité régionale de loisir et de sport (URLS Mauricie) de connaître les caractéristiques qui motivent le plus les jeunes filles à être physiquement actives. Nous allons également examiner différents facteurs qui peuvent favoriser ou freiner la pratique d’activité physique comme le type de motivation et la nature du soutien des proches des adolescentes.

Fabrication par sérigraphie d’une membrane revêtue de catalyseur pour les électrolyseurs à membrane échangeuse de protons pour la production d’hydrogène vert

Afin de contribuer à la transition énergétique qui abandonne progressivement l’utilisation des énergies fossiles et ainsi répondre aux objectifs fixés par le Canada en matière de changement climatique, ce projet vise à fabriquer une membrane imprimée avec des catalyseurs capable de produire de l’hydrogène à partir de l’eau à faible coût. Pour y parvenir, divers matériaux et méthodes d’impression seront minutieusement étudiés.

Cette collaboration entre le secteur académique, la recherche et la société « Énergie ALTABEC Energy inc. » est importante pour le public en général en raison de son alignement avec les objectifs tant canadiens que québécois d’établir l’hydrogène vert comme technologie clé de la transition énergétique. En addition, il est particulièrement compatible avec la province canadienne du Québec qui incite à rouler à l’énergie propre, stimuler la R&D sur les technologies liées à l’hydrogène et la collaboration entre le secteur privé, les chercheurs et les organismes à but non lucratif.

Investigating the nutrient profile of customized pet treat products

The founder of Pawsome Concierge has worked in the Dairy industry for over 10 years and has lots of experience and knowledge in the overall food industry in Canada. When she realized there were no standards and regulations in Canada for the pet food industry, she took it upon herself to start making homemade 100% natural treats that are like no other, such as Pumpkin & PB product, Heart Beets product, Oatmeal Pumpkin product, Vegan product, Pupcakes, and Cat treat. Pawsome would like to advocate for higher standards in the pet food industry and ask for stricter laws and regulations. Currently, pet products must only abide by the packaging laws, which is very worrisome, especially with all the recalls that have happened in the last year. The health and wellness of our companion animals is a priority for PAWSOME Concierge. This collaborative project will focus on analyzing the nutrient profile of selected Pawsome pet treat products and the results of the nutrient analysis will allow Pawsome them to make the appropriate claim for their pet food products and increase the consumers’ awareness of food safety and nutrients for their pets. Ultimately, this could help Pawsome grow and expand their market, create more jobs and bring social benefits to our society.