Innovative Projects Realized

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

31620 Completed Projects

2978
AB
5221
BC
856
MB
696
NL
899
SK
9419
ON
9858
QC
98
PE
619
NB
1192
NS

Projects by Category

Machine Learning based Rare Events Targetingwith Applications in Online Display Advertising

An important concept in industry and science is the occurrence of rare events: events that occur with low probabilities but have significant impacts. Examples of rare events include the chance of an automobile insurance holder filing a claim or credit card accounts are compromised. The proposed project investigates applications of machine learning algorithms in the analysis and prediction of the occurrence of rare events. Of particular interest in this proposal is the application of rare event targeting to online display advertising that is also the core idea of the flag product of the industrial partner, the Infersystem engine. Outcomes of the research will directly contribute to further improvement on the performance of the Infersystem engine by minimizing the cost and maximizing targeted reach for media campaigns in real time.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Wenying Feng

Student:

Partner:

InferSystems

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Trent University

Program:

Accelerate

A comparison of Polytomous Item Response Theory Models in the Creation of a Personality Computer Adaptive Test

The goal of the current proposal is to use Classical Test Theory and polytomous Item Response Theory models in order to revise a personality-based assessment and create a computer adaptive test of personality for the partner organization and to make recommendations for future personality researchers. The intern will plan and conduct a validation study using 1200 subjects. In addition to using Classical Test Theory to analyze the results of the validation study, he will compare the model fit of two commonly used polytomous item response theory models (the Graded Response Model and the Generalized Partial Credit Model). The comparison of fit, along with the similarities/differences in the information that these models provide, will be used to derive recommendations for future personality researchers making use of polytomous item response theory models.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Richard Goffin

Student:

Partner:

Research Psychologists Press Inc

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Western University

Program:

Accelerate

Using priority effects and soil amendments to optimize ecological restoration of the Fortis pipeline right-of-way – Year two

FortisBC proposes to replace a pipeline in Kamloops, B.C. Of concern are habitat losses, loss of native plant communities and alteration of the composition of plant communities due to introduction of invasive species. My research addresses the role of order of seed arrival, called priority effects, and soil amendments such as straw matting and wood ash in facilitating ecosystem restoration after pipeline replacement. I will establish permanent monitoring along the pipeline, and in consultation with local indigenous community plant early and late successional plant species on the same plots six months apart, and at the same time to track the restoration success of these plots. Some plots will have nutrients added through wood ash, while seed survival will be boosted using straw-matting. In another experiment, I will test different grass:forb ratios, while adding wood-ash and straw matting. I will monitor plant cover, biomass and diversity over eighteen months. This work will enable FortisBC to use native plants and soil amendments in post-pipeline replacement restoration. My research will identify what order of seed arrival provides the best restoration outcomes for disturbed Canadian grasslands, and provide a template to maintain native plant diversity and resist colonization of disturbed sites by exotic species.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Lauchlan Fraser

Student:

Partner:

FortisBC Energy Inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Utilities

University:

Thompson Rivers University

Program:

Elevate

Using priority effects and soil amendments to optimize ecological restoration of the Fortis pipeline right-of-way.

FortisBC proposes to replace a pipeline in Kamloops, B.C. Of concern are habitat losses, loss of native plant communities and alteration of the composition of plant communities due to introduction of invasive species. My research addresses the role of order of seed arrival, called priority effects, and soil amendments such as straw matting and wood ash in facilitating ecosystem restoration after pipeline replacement. I will establish permanent monitoring along the pipeline, and in consultation with local indigenous community plant early and late successional plant species on the same plots six months apart, and at the same time to track the restoration success of these plots. Some plots will have nutrients added through wood ash, while seed survival will be boosted using straw-matting. In another experiment, I will test different grass:forb ratios, while adding wood-ash and straw matting. I will monitor plant cover, biomass and diversity over eighteen months. This work will enable FortisBC to use native plants and soil amendments in post-pipeline replacement restoration. My research will identify what order of seed arrival provides the best restoration outcomes for disturbed Canadian grasslands, and provide a template to maintain native plant diversity and resist colonization of disturbed sites by exotic species.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Lauchlan Fraser

Student:

Partner:

FortisBC Energy Inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Utilities

University:

Thompson Rivers University

Program:

Elevate

Candu Nuclear Reactor: Civil and Mechanical Engineering Analysis

CANDU 6 is a Canadian technology 700 MWe class nuclear power reactor. CANDU 6 reactors are performing well on four continents with over 150 reactor-years of excellent and safe operation. Candu Energy is a Canadian-based company that is enhancing this reactor design based on the experience and feedback that was gained in the development, design, construction, commissioning and operational support of the 11 CANDU 6 unit fleet operating in five countries.
While retaining the basic features of the CANDU 6 design, the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6) reactor incorporates innovative features and state-of-the-art technologies that enhance safety, operation and performance. The containment structure (which is essential to the protection of the public and workers in a severe accident) requires design for safety, serviceability and durability during the service life of the structure.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Reza Kianoush;Wei-Chau Xie;Marilyn F. Lightstone

Student:

Partner:

Candu Energy Inc

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Utilities

University:

McMaster University; Toronto Metropolitan University; University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

Enhanced bitumen recovery from thin and low quality oil sands formations – Year two

Alberta’s oil sands are one of the world’s largest known hydrocarbon deposits. Currently, Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) is the commercial recovery method of choice. This requires large amounts of steam to be injected into the oil sands reservoirs, resulting in steam loss to the overburden. Companies continue to expand operations with new pad development. However, as the inventory of thick and clean pays declines, companies are forced to move to thin pays with thickness in the range of 5 to 10 meters. It is estimated that thin pays in Alberta Oil sands contain billions of barrels of bitumen resources. Companies face challenges associated with operating in thin pays. This includes higher steam loss to the overburden, resulting in higher SOR and sub-economic production. This project will concentrate on the development of a new technology for thin pays as well as process control logic for reservoir simulation. It is anticipated that the outcome of this project will help industry to produce bitumen at a lower cost and minimize environmental impacts.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Hassan Hassanzadeh

Student:

Partner:

Cenovus Energy Inc

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Mining; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Calgary

Program:

Elevate

Enhanced bitumen recovery from thin and low quality oil sands formations

Alberta’s oil sands are one of the world’s largest known hydrocarbon deposits. Currently, Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) is the commercial recovery method of choice. This requires large amounts of steam to be injected into the oil sands reservoirs, resulting in steam loss to the overburden. Companies continue to expand operations with new pad development. However, as the inventory of thick and clean pays declines, companies are forced to move to thin pays with thickness in the range of 5 to 10 meters. It is estimated that thin pays in Alberta Oil sands contain billions of barrels of bitumen resources. Companies face challenges associated with operating in thin pays. This includes higher steam loss to the overburden, resulting in higher SOR and sub-economic production. This project will concentrate on the development of a new technology for thin pays as well as process control logic for reservoir simulation. It is anticipated that the outcome of this project will help industry to produce bitumen at a lower cost and minimize environmental impacts.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Hassan Hassanzadeh

Student:

Partner:

Cenovus Energy Inc

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Mining; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Calgary

Program:

Elevate

Ensemble Analysis of Climate Change Impacts on Churchill River, Labrador Hydrology

The goal of the proposed research project is to develop a robust and useful analysis of the effects of
climate change on the hydrology of the Churchill River watershed in Labrador. The partner
organization, Nalcor Energy, is planning a multi-billion dollar hydroelectric development on the
Churchill River and has a strong interest in the impact climate change may have on initial project
engineering and operations throughout its lifespan. Specific objectives of this internship represent
some of the final milestones of a continuing research collaboration, the groundwork for which was laid
during past internships. Objectives include preprocessing various datasets, setting up and running a
hydrological and river routing model, validating model outputs, creating weighted ensembles from
three different analysis approaches and combining all results using probabilistic methods to produce a
useful representation of the impacts of climate change.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Ken Snelgrove

Student:

Partner:

Nalcor Energy

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Utilities

University:

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Program:

Accelerate

Development of COVID-19 Rapid Diagnostic Test

The current workflow for COVID-19 testing is overwhelmed for many reasons including the need for time-consuming sample preparation, the limited availability of test reagent, and the length of time it takes to complete the test process (approximately 3 hours). As the test-and-trace approach is critical to containing the spread of this virus, rapid diagnostics are crucial. To improve the testing timeline, diagnostic labs need to process samples quickly, which requires the use of automated tests. The use of magnetic bead technology is highly amenable to automation. However, access to the reagents necessary for RNA extraction has thus far posed a challenge to diagnostic labs worldwide. This project has two aims 1) to develop an automated and rapid manual COVID-19 extraction method utilizing magnetic beads which will permit Canadian sourced reagents and 2) to begin development on a rapid point-of-care COVID-19 test that does not require a skilled laboratory technologist to use. The expected outcome is to have a reliable and rapid COVID-19 detection method that will utilize reagents manufactured in Canada, alleviating the burden on both diagnostic labs and foreign supply chains.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Stacey Hume

Student:

Partner:

Applied Quantum Materials Inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Manufacturing; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Elevate

Internship with Platoi

The intern will conduct cost analysis and design the pricing models for the ready-to-launch products with the organization. The intern will also undertake market analysis and identify potential markets for the organization. If time permits, the intern will create customer acquisition strategies with the business partner and participate in business planning and compilation of investor documents. This project will accelerate the process of bringing the advanced R&D results to the market and bringing more customers, and help Platoi to refine its pricing models and update its investors’ material.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Arcan Nalca

Student:

Partner:

Platoi Internet Industries Inc.

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Mining

University:

Queen's University

Program:

Business Strategy Internship

Evaluating synergism effects of selected plant extract compounds with metal-based antimicrobials for their antibacterial and anti-biofilm potency – Year two

The progression of bacterial antimicrobials resistance (AMR) has led us to an era that urgently requires alternative antimicrobial therapies. Metal-based antimicrobials (MBA) are increasingly seen as part of the solution. Several metals are already extensively used to prevent and treatment of infections. Silver/copper ionizers are presently used to control pathogens in Canadian hospital water distributions systems. Similarly, in agricultural practices of crop and livestock management, and in the food processing industry, we see increased use of metals to control bacterial infections and contaminations. Combination therapy is very useful method for treatment of multi drug resistance (MDR) and biofilm-associated infections. Plant natural product extracts and molecules are an excellent group of molecules to consider to complement MBAs. Therefore, our partnership will explore synergism effects of MBAs with CCrest’s proprietary plant extract compounds (PBC) for their antibacterial and anti-biofilm potency. New formulations will be identified and their efficacy against AMR and MDR pathogens and various resistance strains will be evaluated. Outcomes of this project will provide novel antimicrobials useful for a variety of applications.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Raymond Turner

Student:

Partner:

C-CREST

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Calgary

Program:

Elevate

Evaluating synergism effects of selected plant extract compounds with metal-based antimicrobials for their antibacterial and anti-biofilm potency.

The progression of bacterial antimicrobials resistance (AMR) has led us to an era that urgently requires alternative antimicrobial therapies. Metal-based antimicrobials (MBA) are increasingly seen as part of the solution. Several metals are already extensively used to prevent and treatment of infections. Silver/copper ionizers are presently used to control pathogens in Canadian hospital water distributions systems. Similarly, in agricultural practices of crop and livestock management, and in the food processing industry, we see increased use of metals to control bacterial infections and contaminations. Combination therapy is very useful method for treatment of multi drug resistance (MDR) and biofilm-associated infections. Plant natural product extracts and molecules are an excellent group of molecules to consider to complement MBAs. Therefore, our partnership will explore synergism effects of MBAs with CCrest’s proprietary plant extract compounds (PBC) for their antibacterial and anti-biofilm potency. New formulations will be identified and their efficacy against AMR and MDR pathogens and various resistance strains will be evaluated. Outcomes of this project will provide novel antimicrobials useful for a variety of applications.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Raymond Turner

Student:

Partner:

C-CREST

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Calgary

Program:

Elevate

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Mitacs — Return on Innovation

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.