Innovative Projects Realized

ESROP Developing a Hybrid Model for Water Table Evolution

The shear stress exerted by rivers on their banks is well known to drive erosion, over time sculpting the landscape through which they flow. These rivers are typically fed by groundwater flow from their surrounding catchments, and as this flow enters the river through the river bank it exerts a seepage force on the sediment, further enhancing the incipient erosion. This project will construct a new hybrid parameterisation of the evolution of the water table – using a parameterised form which recovers both groundwater and river flow – and the ground surface. The results of the model will be used to predict the transient evolution of a granular surface and the experimentally observed transition from the initial granular pile to an eroding river surface. Should time allow, initial 2D calculations will be extended to examine the stability (cross-slope) of the granular pile. Complementary experiments may be conducted in the GK Batchelor lab exploring different, wider, river widths and channels. The numerical solutions and (if they are made) experimental results will be used to understand the behaviour of river networks and dam collapse.

Stage de FumierFuté_2026

L’OBV Yamaska a longtemps été une référence dans la région sur la qualité de l’eau. Cependant, dans les dernières années, une diminution des effectifs a réduit la portée de ses interventions dans la sphère agricole. L’agriculture constitue pourtant un pôle économique et culturel important dans la région et est responsable d’une partie des contaminants présents dans plusieurs des plans d’eau. Une bonne partie de ces contaminants provient de l’étendage tardif de fumiers sur des terres à nu. Ces épandages sont réalisés par nécessité pour éviter que les réservoirs à fumier ne débordent durant l’hiver, plusieurs éleveurs tentent de le vider complètement avant les premiers gels. Pour faire face à cette problématique, l’OBV a besoin d’une personne capable de saisir les enjeux locaux, tenir compte des contraintes opérationnelles des agriculteurs dans la gestion et l’épandage des fumiers, et d’analyser les méthodes de gestion disponibles à travers le monde, de manière à pouvoir de recommander celles qui sont applicables dans le contexte régional. En plus d’avoir analysé les enjeux, cette personne doit aussi avoir la capacité de communiquer avec les acteurs et de les rallier dans la recherche de solutions.

Les violences éducatives ordinaires: mieux comprendre pour mieux intervenir

Les violences éducatives ordinaires correspondent à des actes de violence de nature verbale, physique ou psychologique faites aux enfants dans une visée éducative afin de corriger un comportement ou de favoriser l’obéissance. En France, ces violences ont longtemps été minimisées ou ignorées et sont dites ordinaires. Depuis 2019, ces formes de violence ont été officiellement interdite au pays. Or, des débats entourant les modalités d’application et les conséquences de ces actes ont encore lieu. Néanmoins, diverses études ont montré que ces méthodes éducatives peuvent entraîner des conséquences néfastes chez les enfants, entre autres sur leur développement émotionnel, cognitif et comportemental. D’autres études ont également montré que les attitudes des parents envers ces méthodes représentaient un facteur de risque important à leur utilisation. La majorité de ces études ont eu recours à des données provenant des États-Unis et qui divergent des valeurs et des pratiques en vigueur en France. Ce projet vise ainsi à identifier les mécanismes associés au recours aux violences éducatives ordinaires chez les parents français et à proposer des programmes de prévention pour ces parents, tout en évaluant leur efficacité.

Metal-Chelating Coiled-Coil Peptide

This project focuses on the design, synthesis and characterization of coiled coil (CC) motifs as modular scaffolds for metal-mediated assembly and function. CCs are predictable a-helical assemblies in which oligomerization behavior can be tuned through sequence design, making them attractive scaffolds for incorporating metal-binding functionalities in a controlled manner. In this project, CC motifs will be engineered to bind metal ions either through amino acid side chains, or through the incorporation of chelating ligands at the peptide termini or within the peptide sequence using solid-phase peptide synthesis-compatible derivatives. Introducing a chelator into each peptide is expected to enable the formation of metal-bridged CC assemblies, in which metal coordination can serve both structural and functional roles. Owing to their modular design, these systems enable advances in artificial metalloenzymes, imaging and sensing technologies, and nanocatalysis. By systematically varying chelator placement, metal identity and peptide length, this project aims to establish structure-function relationships governing metal-mediated CC assembly. Overall, this work contributes to the understanding of self-assembling peptide systems and supports the development of protein-based materials with multiple binding sites, allowing for stronger and more selective interactions relevant to drug discovery and biotechnology.

Business Operations and Marketing Internship – Tression 2026

Tression is a Canadian health-focused apparel company preparing to launch a new category of graduated compression garments designed to support everyday wellness. As the company transitions from product development to commercialization, it requires structured systems to support scalable growth across marketing, customer experience, and clinical partnerships.
This project will focus on designing and implementing a commercialization and operations framework to support Tression’s launch and early market expansion. The intern will work closely with the leadership team to strategize workflows, develop standardized processes, and evaluate early customer and partner engagement roadmap.
The outcomes of this project will help improve operational efficiency, strengthen market readiness, and support the company’s ability to scale in Canada and internationally. By enabling the growth of an innovative Canadian health apparel company, the project contributes to job creation, increased productivity, and expanded access to wellness-focused products that support active lifestyles.

Phenomenology and the Crisis of Subjectivity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

This project examines how artificial intelligence is changing the way people experience the world, understand themselves, and relate to others. Drawing on the phenomenological tradition in philosophy, the research explores how technology shapes perception, embodiment, and meaning in everyday life. By connecting historical insights from European philosophy with contemporary debates in philosophy of science and technology, mental health, and cognition, the project will help clarify what is at stake for human subjectivity in a rapidly digital world. The collaboration will strengthen international research ties, contribute to interdisciplinary dialogue between philosophy and the sciences, and enhance the host institution’s role as a center for research on subjectivity and human experience.

L2M – Autonomous additive manufacturing system (AAMS)

This project aims to evaluate the industrial need and market readiness for an Autonomous additive manufacturing system (AAMS) designed to improve the quality, consistency, and efficiency of metal additive manufacturing. By engaging directly with industry partners across key sectors, the project will identify where production variability, defects, and reliance on highly skilled operators create the greatest operational and economic challenges. The outcomes will guide the development of practical use cases, target the most relevant early adopters, and support a clear path to commercialization. The partner organization will benefit from early insight into emerging autonomous manufacturing technologies, reduced risk in future adoption decisions, and access to data-driven recommendations that can improve process reliability, lower costs, and support scalable metal AM deployment.

AI-Driven Procedural Content Generation

During the stay the intern will be carrying out the following duties and responsibilities: The intern will be engaged in a research project on AI-driven procedural content generation. The intern will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to automatically generate content such as game levels or puzzles. By combining AI with procedural generation, the intern will train an AI model to recognize patterns and create varied, engaging content with minimal human input. The intern will research how to control the difficulty of the generated content to ensure it is balanced, playable, and appropriate for different skill levels. This project will demonstrate how AI can make content creation faster and more dynamic.

Lien entre p38 et EGFR dans la régulation homéostatique de la prolifération des cellules souches

Les cellules souches sont des cellules très importantes. Elles seules possèdent à la fois les capacités de se multiplier et de se différencier (se transformer en d’autres types cellulaires). Elles génèrent ainsi toutes les cellules qui forment nos tissus et organes durant le développement. Puis, durant toute la phase adulte, elles servent au renouvellement normal de nos tissus et à leur réparation suivant une blessure. En contrepartie, leur longévité et leur potentiel prolifératif les rendent plus propices à se transformer en cellules cancéreuses.

Nous nous intéressons aux mécanismes qui régulent la prolifération des cellules souches car leur dérégulation peut entrainer la formation de tumeurs bénignes, tumeurs qui tendent ensuite à évoluer vers le cancer. En effet, nos cellules souches doivent proliférer seulement quand leur progéniture est requise par le tissu qu’elles servent, leur rythme de prolifération étant ainsi relié aux besoins tissulaires. Cette régulation « homéostatique » de la prolifération des cellules souches demeure incomprise au niveau moléculaire, et pour l’élucider de façon efficace, nous utilisons un petit nématode comme modèle. Le présent projet se penche sur le lien moléculaire entre deux protéines impliquées de façon critique dans cette régulation homéostatique des cellules souches: p38 et EGFR.

Feature Tracking at Low Frame Rate for Roving at the Lunar South Pole

This project supports NASA’s Endurance mission, a next-generation autonomous rover designed to explore the Moon’s South Pole–Aitken basin and collect scientifically valuable samples for future return to Earth by Artemis astronauts. Because the rover must travel long distances with limited onboard computing power and under extreme lighting conditions, it must navigate using camera images captured at low frame rates. This project will develop and test robust methods that allow the rover to reliably recognize and track visual landmarks despite strong shadows and changing illumination. The work will be validated using real rover datasets and integrated into operational software, helping enable safe and efficient autonomous exploration on the Moon. The project will provide advanced research training in space robotics and autonomous systems while strengthening collaboration between academic institutions and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, contributing knowledge and tools applicable to future lunar and planetary exploration missions.

L2M – Market Research for New Startup Developing Technology in Cultural Heritage Conservation

This project aims to aid in the development of a new Canadian startup creating technology to support cultural heritage conservation. Market research is required to validate the proposed technology, ensure the prototype is well-suited for user needs, and potentially increase the customer base by expanding to sectors outside heritage conservation. Through this project, the intern will receive training and support to develop a business model, conduct stakeholder interviews, and determine next steps for the company and the technology’s direction. Ultimately, this will enable the growth of new entrepreneurs in this sector and strengthen Canada’s position as a leader in cultural heritage science and conservation.

LAB2M-A Greener Path to Pure Water: Engineering a High-Performance Laser Induced Graphene Oxide based Membrane for Heavy Metal Removal

A Greener Path to Pure Water: Engineering a High-Performance Laser Induced Graphene Oxide based Membrane for Heavy Metal Removal