Innovative Projects Realized

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

29670 Completed Projects

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Projects by Category

Health equity, road safety and the built environment (BE): Examining barriers and facilitators to BE change decision-making, the impact of Vision Zero, and COVID-19

The goal of this proposed project is to increase the safety of vulnerable road users (pedestrians & cyclists) by examining factors that help or hinder the process of making changes to the built environment (BE) for this purpose. By examining data collected from municipal, transportation, police services, public health, NGOs, and schoolboard sectors in the Cities of Calgary and Toronto the deliverables of this project aim to inform policy and decision-makers so that more resources and tools are allocated to BE changes that increase vulnerable road user safety. This project will also specifically focus on factors relating to the Vision Zero road safety plan and COVID-19. The partnership with Parachute, Canada’s leading injury prevention organization, is paramount to the analysis and development of deliverables for this project as they have a breadth of expertise and legacy of meaningful contributions to injury prevention strategies.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Alison McPherson;Sarah Richmond

Student:

Partner:

Parachute

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

York University

Program:

Accelerate

Vice for Sale: Neighbourhood Change and Illicit Markets

A common assumption about gentrification is that it displaces poor and minority residents, their local businesses, and even neighbourhood crime. However, questions remain about displacement and the social control mechanisms of gentrification–especially on non-violent crimes. Drawing on this work, we will explore what happens to illicit markets, such as sex work and drug sales, and the individuals who participate in them when neighbourhood gentrification occur occurs. To do this, we will conduct in-depth archival research to track the types, number, clustering, and longevity of legal (but illicit market adjacent) businesses over time to see if they are similarly impacted by gentrification. After we have collected and organised the data, we will code the data and use RStudio to map these markets and their changes. Ultimately, these findings will be presented at conferences and fed into urban policies to prioritize public health and safety for all.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Chris Smith

Student:

Partner:

Newcastle University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other; Public Service, Policy, and Governance

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Understanding the role of mesoporous Silicon in sustainable energy applications

Max Yan from Sheffield will be visiting Dr Dasog’s lab in Dalhousie University to undertake a knowledge exchange-based project. Max will learn how to carry out the low-temperature process developed by Dr Dasog’s group to produce porous silicon. This material can be used as a catalyst to convert sunlight into energy and Dr Dasog’s is a leading expert in this field. Max will therefore gain valuable experience on how to make these catalysts and test their performance. Another application of silicon is in next-generation batteries. Max will share with Dr Dasog’s group the knowledge on how to construct a silicon-based battery and test its performance. As an outcome, this project will help both Max and Dr Dasog’s group better understand how silicon can be made using efficient methods and used in various energy applications. This project will also foster long-term collaborations.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Mita Dasog

Student:

Partner:

The University of Sheffield

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

Dalhousie University

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Nanoscale interactions of Candida species with oral bacteria and surfaces

Candida is a fungus that is often found in healthy mouths, but can also cause infection. Such infections are common in denture wearers where Candida grows on the acrylic denture surface. My PhD is determining what factors on the denture promote infection. The research will measure attachment of Candida and certain bacterial species which live alongside it on the denture. This exchange project will contribute to my PhD as it will use an imaging technique called atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study how bacteria interact with Candida promoting infection. I will measure the strength of attachment that occurs and whether a particular protein, called ALS3 on the Candida surface helps in attachment. Experiments will use Candida with ALS3 and without. In addition, I will establish if acrylic surface roughness is also a factor in the attachment of Candida to dentures. This information will be invaluable in informing denture wearers on how best to care for their dentures to reduce the chances of infection.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Laurent Bozec

Student:

Partner:

Cardiff University

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Assessment of connections between atmospheric planetary waves and extreme rainfall events

This project will investigate the presence of links between mid-latitude large-scale atmospheric waves (Rossby waves) and the occurrence of extreme rainfall events in Europe. These links would be in the form of spatial and/or temporal co-occurrence of the Rossby waves and the rainfall events. It is expected that there may be connections between the occurrence of Rossby waves of a particular amplitude and extreme rainfall events of 2-days or longer. The project will initially look at these longer timescale rainfall events before then investigating whether connections also exist with shorter timescale events. The outcomes of this project could be very useful for the future projections of the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events in Europe based on the pattern of Rossby waves, which is much more easily modelled by climate models than the details of individual rainfall events.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Rachel White

Student:

Partner:

Newcastle University

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Environmental Science and Technology; Water

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program:

Globalink Research Award

How do urbanization and invasive alien species interact in their impacts to native biodiversity?

Land-use change and invasive species are two of the three major drivers of biodiversity decline globally, however, interactions between these drivers in their impact to whole community diversity and ecosystem function are relatively understudied. This proposal serves to fill this knowledge gap through collaboration with the long-term ecological monitoring data from the Toronto and Region and Conservation Agency (TCRA). Using high-resolution land-use and ecological survey data provided by TCRA we propose to investigate the effects of urbanization and invasive species on native biodiversity assemblages in Toronto and the surrounding region. In particular, we shall model how
invasive species and urban expansion interact in their effects on native diversity, ecosystem function and stability. We shall then combine these models with publicly accessible land-use projections for 2050 to highlight areas where biodiversity is most at risk from these pressures and least resilient to the establishment of invasive species.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Marc W. Cadotte

Student:

Partner:

Imperial College London

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Investigating the mechanism of ice nucleation by sizefractionated macromolecules found in ambient aerosols in the UK and in Canada.

Atmospheric ice formation can alter cloud properties, impacting precipitation and cloud lifetimes. Understanding the microphysical processes which control ice formation in clouds is vital for reducing climate uncertainties. For example, ice nucleating particles (INPs) induce the freezing of water droplets in clouds, therefore, understanding the nature and abundance of these particles in the atmosphere is important for improving our understanding of the aerosol-cloud radiative effects on climate. The proposed research aims to fill the vital research gap of understanding the mechanismby which macromolecules nucleate ice in clouds. I aim to do this by taking samples collected in the UK, with known ice nucleating ability, to the University of British Columbia to investigate their surfactant properties. This project is innovative as it uses real ambient samples and unique instrumentation for the field of atmospheric ice nucleation. The outcome of this will help us to better understand the nature of biological INP in the atmosphere and use their potential surface tension properties to predict ice formation in clouds as a result of changes in concentrations of organic aerosol.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Nadine Borduas-Dedekind

Student:

Partner:

University of Leeds

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Regulation of Calcium Impermeable AMPAR Subunit GluA2 in the Amygdala and Striatum of Cocaine-Seeking Rats by TARPs

The use of cocaine and heroin among young Europeans and Americans has been steadily increasing over the past decade (UN World Drug Report, 2018) and as such it has never been more important to understand the mechanisms whereby some individuals switch from recreational controlled drug use to compulsive drug seeking, the hallmark of drug addiction. This project aims to identify the mechanisms underlying a shift in network processing from recreational to habitual drug-seeking. We aim to identify proposed plasticity mechanisms in the amygdala that rely on modulations of gluatamate receptors. For this purpose, we will use brain tissue samples from habitually cocaine-seeking rats, as well as electrophysiology in slices and cultures of genetically modified mice. Combining these approaches will allow us to understand these mechanisms from a molecular, cellular, and behavioural perspective. Hereby we expect to find potential new drug targets for disengagement of the brain structure driving habitual drug-seeking behaviour.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Derek Bowie

Student:

Partner:

University of Cambridge

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

McGill University

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Development of a novel trait-based approach to understand how and why optimal trap design for forest pests varies across taxa

Insect pests pose a major threat to forestry in Canada, the UK and globally, particularly in the context of a changing climate and global trade. Effective survey and detection tools are needed to provide early warnings of pest outbreaks and provide information to guide decisions about the need for management action. For eruptive and invasive species, early detection is critical to maximize the likelihood of control measures being successful.
However, detection programs are currently operationally and conceptually inadequate because we lack a mechanistic understanding as to how and why the most effective trap design varies with target taxa. This project will apply a novel analytical approach to evaluate the effect of trap design on the detection of forest pests according to their traits, such as body size and other physical characteristics. Trait approaches are becoming increasingly popular in ecological studies due to their potential to improve mechanistic understanding but have yet to be applied in this context. The findings will therefore inform the development of
more effective detection programs for forest insect pests.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Sandy Smith

Student:

Partner:

University of Reading

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Forestry; Life Sciences (not health); Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Machine Learning for the Discovery of Metal–Organic Frameworks for Hydrogen Storage Applications

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of crystalline materials with ultrahigh porosity, and high surface areas. With these properties, along with variability for both the organic and inorganic components of their structures, MOFs are of interest for potential applications in clean energy, most significantly as storage media for gases such as hydrogen and methane, and as high-capacity adsorbents to meet various separation needs. The use of quantitative structure-property/ activity relationships (QSPRs) is an emerging and helpful mathematical tool that allows the link between physical or chemical properties to predict the behaviour or desired characteristic of a molecule. The purpose of this study is to exploit both fields in order to obtain the optimal MOF for hydrogen storage, as well as investigating what parameters affect the hydrogen uptake capabilities. Following the screening of optimal MOFs, they will be synthesized in the lab to test performance and validate the methodology.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Ashlee Howarth

Student:

Partner:

Cranfield University

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Clean Technology; Green/Alternative Energy; Energy and Utilities

University:

Concordia University

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Robust and practical tools for imaging vascular reactivity in the brain

Vascular disease (problems with blood vessels) are a leading cause of death and disability. Stroke alone (blockage of blood vessels) is the 4th biggest killer globally (3rd in Canada), most disabling (2/3rd of survivors disabled) and costs society ~£26 billion a year in the UK. It can be hard to detect. A brain that has vascular disease can appear healthy in MRI images taken at rest. However, under stress the damaged blood vessels cannot maintain a sufficient blood supply. It is possible to identify these problems by stressing the brain artificially by asking a patient to breathe in carbon dioxide mixed with air. This signals the blood vessels in the brain to increase the blood flow. We aim to accurately measure this change in blood flow to provide new insight into vascular diseases of the brain. Combining complementary MRI techniques from Nottingham (more comparable across patients) and Toronto (more patient friendly) will provide a practical diagnostic tool.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jean Chen

Student:

Partner:

University of Nottingham

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Understanding science majors’ views towards becoming a science teacher in the UK and Canada

In the context of science teacher shortages in both countries, this exchange proposes to use already-collected data to compare and contrast how young people with a specialism in science in both the UK and Canada view the prospect of becoming a science teacher. This comparison will develop understandings of who does, and importantly who does not, want to become a science teacher and why. The results of this comparative analysis will be disseminated via a written research summary, with the potential to prompt future research and policy in this area, in addition to future collaborations between the host and home universities.
I especially look forward to the opportunity to learn from Dr Allison Gonsalves’s world-leading theoretical expertise within the field of science identities. This will inform my ongoing doctoral work into teacher identities, as well as my future research career. As a French speaker, and former French teacher, I also relish the opportunity to develop my French language skills in a professional environment.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Allison Gonsalves

Student:

Partner:

University College London

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

McGill University

Program:

Globalink Research Award

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