Innovative Projects Realized

Indigenous Co-Led Reclamation Research Project

This project will assist Suncor Energy Inc. (Suncor) and Fort Mckay First Nation bring a Suncor mine site back to its original ecological state and environmental functions. To best achieve this, Fort Mckay First Nation and Suncor will work together to ensure the new restored site will support the traditional practices of Fort Mckay First Nation. The research team will analyze how Suncor and Fort Mckay First Nation work together, best utilizing both Scientific and intergenerational Indigenous Knowledge to restore this mine site. From this research Suncor will develop key lessons learned on how to effectively build relationships with indigenous communities and be a key player in Canada’s work to reconciliation with the indigenous peoples of Canada.

A Case-Based Approach to Integrating the “Fail Fast” Philosophy into Business Planning

This goal of this project is to develop a business plan for a searchable and interactive neighbourhood

website that aggregates information obtained by journalists and other sources. Theoretically, the grad

student researcher will explore how to incorporate the philosophy of “failing fast” into the confines of

a traditional business plan. To do this, specific case studies will be chosen for analysis. Case study

research has been defined as “an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon

within its real-life context; when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly

evident; and in which multiple sources of evidences are uscd.” Advocates of the case study method

emphasize its effectiveness in understanding and analyzing complex, unique situations. The case study

research method will be applied in this project. The partner organization benefits from both a new

perspective to developing a business plan, as well as Irom the actual plan itself.

Development of Methods to Increase Funding for Scaling-up Climate Solutions

Alarming cost forecasts about climate change are spurring interest in investment in technologies for climate change mitigation. Investigations indicate there are already innovative technologies that could generate significant climate change mitigation; however, innovators are not receiving the funding they need for rapid and large-scale implementation. This research project is directed towards developing methods for attaining substantial amounts of funding from investors for the scale-up of clean technologies. The objectives are to develop a robust and transparent procedure for connecting clean technology innovators with investors. Portfolios of potential investors and clean technology climate solutions that are most suitable for scale-up will be developed. The applications of selected clean technologies will be studied, and the knowledge acquired about the investors and clean technology innovators will be used to facilitate and customize engagement between suitable investor-innovator matches. The research outcomes are important for helping to mitigate climate change and for enhancing economic growth.

Powered Hip Prosthesis

People with an amputation at the hip or pelvis have the most difficulty returning to walking because their artificial limb (prosthesis) must replace the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Current prosthetic hip technologies barely meet the person’s needs, leaving these amputees with few options. This project will build from current powered prosthetic knee technology (Össur POWER KNEE) to create a new level of prosthetic technology that powers both the hip and knee. This new robotic prosthesis will improve walking, moving from sit-to-stand, walking on slopes and stairs, and safer recovery from stumbles. A better walking style can also avoid back pain and other joint problems in the person’s intact legs, which are common for hip or pelvis amputees. The freedom of powered prosthetic mobility may lead to more social and productive lives.

Canadian Oil and Gas Production, Supply Costs, Economic Impacts and Emissions Outlook

In this study, an integrated model will be developed to forecast oil and gas productions in the next 20 years for Canadian basins. Using the output of the model, supply costs estimation, economic impact analysis and GHG emissions calculation will be conducted over the forecast period from 2020 to 2040. The developed integrated model will provide industrial partners and policymakers with a better strategy to make good investment decisions. This project is defined as part of CERI’s 2019-2020 research plan. To perform the project in a more efficient way, a new researcher is required to join the team to help in developing the predictive model, meeting the specified project objectives and writing technical reports and journal paper.

Characterization of a Biolubricant Based on Sulfated Polysaccharide Derived from Brown Algae

Lubricant is the substance used to decrease the friction generated between the two surfaces undergo relative motion. There are many applications for naturally occurring lubricants in medical field to improve a patient’s quality of life. Fucoidan is one of the naturally occurring lubricants that has the potential of reducing adhesion after an abdominal surgery. ARC Medical devices have developed an advanced manufacturing process to produce ultra-pure fucoidan that’s more suitable for clinical application. Additional understanding on how fucoidan provide its excellent adhesion reduction properties for hydrophilic surface is still required. Therefore, the current project is not only to study the optimal application range of ARC Medical’s fucoidan but also to determine the underlying cause for the excellent lubricating properties fucoidan provided under an aqueous environment.

Inter-annual evaporation fluxes for four different land use types in the Greater Toronto Area

The proposed research will investigate the inter-annual variability of evaporation rates of four different urban land use locations within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) – rooftop (impervious), industrial (partially impervious), residential (partially pervious), and grass field (pervious). There will be regularly scheduled meetings with TRCA representatives to enhance my technical proficiency, data analysis capabilities and communication skills. The information presented in the final report will benefit the TRCA, providing the longest time record of evaporation data for the GTA. The outcomes from this research can be utilized in watershed modeling and land management. This type of research represents a benchmark for measuring evaporation, which is the largest portion of the water budget and the one most often ignored.

Assessing the Effect of Emotions on Online Word of Mouth and Retention

This project aims two answer two research questions. First, we respond to nearly 15 years of call for research to understand how word of mouth communication is used in B2B settings. Specifically, we conduct a qualitative research to identify what drives B2B customers to get engaged in online word of mouth communication. Second, we examine how emotions expressed in written interactions between B2B customers and suppliers affect customers’ engagement in online word of mouth communication and customer retention. We test the effect by using the organization partner’s archival data and using a statistical model. Findings from this project will add to the literature of word of mouth communication in B2B contexts and literature of emotions. For the partner organization, this research helps them to choose the effective strategies to handle customers’ interactions when emotions are expressed and to encourage customers to get engaged in online word of mouth communication.

User Interface with analytics for Mini-substation monitoring

The project entails the creation of a web based application that will monitor sensors on substations. The application will graph data from the sensors with warning thresholds. It will notify specific users via text and email when thresholds have been met. The app will also store sensor data and look for trends using machine learning. For example if the substation goes down when the humidity and temperature are at a certain level.

Développement de modèles de détection d’anomalies pour les parcs éoliens et solaires

Power Factors offre une plateforme de suivi de performance de parcs éoliens et solaire. Cette plateforme collecte

les données opérationnelles des parcs, les archive, puis les traite (calcul d’indicateurs de performance) pour

ensuite les transmettre aux exploitants et propriétaires de ces parcs. Power Factors utilise déjà quelques modèles

de détection d’anomalies à travers sa plateforme d’analytiques avancées. Ces modèles ont pour but d’identifier

des anomalies et des tendances alarmantes telle que la détection précoce d’un bris ou d’une sous-performance

et par la suite, aider les exploitants de ces parcs dans leurs opérations de planification de la maintenance. L’objectif

du projet est de développer de nouveaux modèles de détection d’anomalie pour les parcs éoliens et solaires, ce

qui permettrait à Power Factors de garder un avantage concurentiel considérable.

Catalytic oxidative desulfurization of tire pyrolysis oil, fuel oils and their distillates

Thermochemical conversion of waste tires to useful energy resources is attractive to obtain pyrolysis oils with potential economic value. However, the high sulfur and nitrogen contents prevents its direct application as a drop-in fuel in refineries. Though, catalytic hydrotreatment can reduce these heteroatoms, the prohibitive costs of high pressure equipments and harsh reaction conditions necessitates other options including oxidative desulfurization to be explored. This work package with AirScience Technologies proposes to: 1) develop a protocol to fractionate the virgin pyrolytic and fuel oils; 2) develop catalysts for the upgradation of the various cuts via oxidative desulfurization; 3) develop adsorbents for the removal of oxidized heteroatoms; 4) perform regeneration study of optimized catalyst and adsorbent; and 5) scale-up the process from 100 mL to 2 L batch using the optimized catalyst and adsorbent. The proposed project will be beneficial to our industrial partners and Canadian Waste Recycling Industries.

Validation d’un modèle de la connectivité écologique

La connectivité écologique est un des attributs les plus importants pour le maintien de la qualité de l’habitat et de la bioiversité présents sur le territoire. La mission de la compagnie Eco2Urb est d’assister les grands propriétaires d’écosystèmes et d’infrastructures naturelles pour augmenter la résilience de leur réseau écologique au bénéfice de la biodiversité ainsi que le bien-être et la santé des citoyens. Ainsi, la compagnie développe une plateforme informatique visant à calculer la diversité et la connectivité d’un territoire en se basant sur les modèles développés récemment par l’équipe du Dr. Andrew Gonsalez. Afin de paramétriser la plateforme à l’aide de données de terrain, la compagnie souhaite incorporer les données d’utilisation du territoire par la faune, recueillie sur le territoire de la MRC Papineau. Plus précisément, ce modèle sera utilisé au sein d’un contrat de recherche pour la MRC de Papineau au Québec, pour paramétriser le modèle à l’aide de l’utilisation réelle du territoire par les espèces fauniques, d’identifier les infrastructures naturelles les plus utilisées par la faune, et de raffiner la portée du modèle.