Innovative Projects Realized

Plant community responses to climate change in the northern boreal mountains

Globally, mountain regions (especially those at high latitudes) are undergoing rapid environmental change and plant communities are expected to respond by changing their locations or timing of flowering. Exactly how future plant communities in these regions will look and function is unknown but has important implications for local animals and human communities. Through this project, we will focus on understanding the response of high-latitude plant communities to ongoing warming and predict how these communities will continue to change. This project will provide detailed information about the state of mountain plant communities in Yukon and an understanding of how they may change in the future and influence local wildlife and human communities.

Atomic layer deposition of platinum nanoparticles on nanoporous carbon scaffold for fuel cell applications

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are the power generators in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) that can help to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions in the form of sustainable, zero-emission transportation. However, there are still multiple factors that are hindering FCEV commercialization, including the high cost and short lifetime of electrodes and catalyst layers, consisting of platinum (Pt) nanoparticles deposited on porous carbon powder. In this research project, a novel material, a self-supported nanoporous carbon scaffold (NCS) with a tunable pore size and wettability will be loaded with Pt nanoparticles using, a new technique, passivation-gas-incorporated atomic layer deposition (PALD), to tune the Pt nanoparticle activity, size and loading. The planned research activities include: (I) PALD training and (II) assembling and testing the Pt/NCS catalyst layers using a fuel cell test station that operates under real conditions. The anticipated outcome is determining how different variables (e.g., NCS pore size and wettability, PALD cycles) will affect Pt nanoparticle distribution, activity and stability under real fuel cell operating conditions.

Aging In Place Ergonomic Kitchen Design

Most Canadians prefer to remain in their own homes for as long as possible, or “age in place”. One important area of daily living is meal preparation. The opportunity to age in place is likely to be higher where kitchens allow for the changing functional ability of people as they age. Décor is a Canadian kitchen cabinet design and manufacturing company committed to innovation that means the products that their clients buy today, will function long into the future. This project brings together industry partner Décor Cabinets with multidisciplinary academic partners from the College of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba. The aim of the project is to advance our understanding of the ergonomic fit between older adults and key kitchen task zones to determine design guidelines for age-friendly kitchens. The project also provides the opportunity for graduate students to develop the professional skills required in providing services and products in today’s growing Silver Economy.

Caractérisation structurale de l’hémocyanine de crabe des neiges

L’objectif de la recherche est de caractériser au niveau moléculaire et 3D deux macromolécules marines. L’idée est que cette maîtrise serve de premiers pas au développement d’une plateforme de structural chez Merinov. Les données recueillies les deux principales protéines seront utiles aux travaux de Merinov. En effet, une meilleure connaissance de ces macromolécules permettra de facilité les travaux de purification afin d’augmenter la pureté et peut-être également de trouver d’autres applications thérapeutiques pour l’une d’entre. Cette dernière sera principalement utilisée dans les vaccins pour son potentiel adjuvant et ses propriétés immunostimulantes. De plus, ce projet mettra également de l’avant la valorisation des coproduits marins issus de l’industrie de la pêche.
Sur le long terme, l’établissement d’une plateforme de structurale chez Merinov pourrait servir à faire du criblage de molécules d’origines marines afin d’identifier (par comparaison de structure avec des médicaments actuellement disponibles sur le marché ou encore avec la structure de récepteur humain) de nouveaux médicaments venant de la mer.

Amélioration de la mesure des propriétés élastiques de matériaux poroélastiques suivant la norme ISO 18437-5

Ce projet vise l’amélioration d’une méthode de mesure, utilisant la norme ISO 18437-5, permettant de mesurer les propriétés élastiques de matériaux poreux à squelette élastique. Ces matériaux sont couramment utilisés en combinaison avec des panneaux métalliques ou composites pour contrôler leur comportement vibratoire et acoustique. De tels panneaux forment notamment les coques d’avions et panneaux d’automobiles. En particulier, les caractéristiques minimales des capteurs et actionneurs nécessaires à la mise en oeuvre de la méthode de mesure seront identifiées dans ce projet. Différents capteurs et actionneurs seront testés et permettront de mieux comprendre l’effet de leur sensibilité et de leur précision sur la mesure des propriétés élastiques finales. Une validation de la précision et du contrôle de l’écrasement sera réalisée sur un échantillon poreux conçu par fabrication additive.

Building Navigation Skills Through a Health Literacy Program for Immigrants Living in Rural Communities

This project involves adapting and delivering a health literacy program for immigrants living in rural British Columbia. The goal of this program is to build confidence and knowledge about health care. Participants learn about the health care system and how to access health services in their community. After attending, participants will report feeling confident in their abilities to navigate the health care system. A second outcome will be the addition of this program to the regular community programming so future newcomers to the community will have a chance to learn about health care.

Interactive, place-based mapping of climate analogs in Yukon’s mountain regions to inform tree species selection in areas of rapid climate change.

Research problem: Reclamation practitioners must consider seed source for revegetation measures that maximize long-term resilience of reclaimed sites in regions undergoing rapid climate change. Climate analog mapping, relating climate of a space at a point in time to that of another, can help identify location of seed sources best adapted for current and future climates. Climate analogs published for northern mountain regions have not incorporated topo-edaphic (slope and aspect) factors that can modulate climate sensitivity and growth of canopy forming tree species.
Objectives: The goal of this internship is to develop an interactive, place-based, climate analog tool specific to Yukon’s boreal tree species using biologically meaningful climate variables determined from tree-ring, climate, and topo-edaphic relationships.
Anticipated Outcome: This research will inform selection of seed stock for forest ecosystem reclamation by linking historic growth response of tree species to their contemporary and future climate analogs.

Clutched redundant Rotary Motors for Aircraft Primary Flight Control

Graduate students working on the NSERC RDC program titled: Clutched redundant Rotary Motors for

Aircraft Primary Flight Control will have the opportunity to pursue their respective research projects at

the locations of the two industrial partners supporting the project. Bell Helicopter will accept 5 fulltime

4 months internships and Bombardier will accept 4 fulltime 4 months internships.

The research will develop novel electric actuator system architectures and new clutching technologies

required to develop all-electric aircraft control systems (a very important challenge for the aircraft

industry). In collaboration with industry, interns will develop engineering models and prototypes to be

used in their research work. They will conduct typical engineering tasks such as defining design

requirements, developing analytical and numerical models of complex mechanical systems, designing

mechanical systems and components using Computer Assisted Drawing tools, and conducting

structural analysis with Finite Element Analysis tools.

Promoting Water Stewardship Through Citizen Science with Water Rangers

Water Rangers uses citizen science to acquire baseline data for water bodies across Canada by giving and selling testkits to volunteers across Canada. This project will explore who is most likely to take part in water testing, what engagement strategies reduce dropout rates, and how testing water increase environmental concern by changing values and people’s connection with nature. Using a mixed method approach involving surveys and interview questions, 275 participants will be recruited. They will receive a free tiny testkit, a subsidized mini testkit or borrow a large testkit. Three different engagement strategies using reminder emails, social proof principles, and gamification principles will be tested. The surveys will help build a profile of participants, understand how testing the water impacted their values and their relationship to their local watershed. Finally, some participants will be interviewed to get a deeper understanding of what motivated them to test water. Overall the project will help Water Rangers understand how to focus their resources when recruiting participants, reduce dropout rates, and how their work can train people to be better water stewards.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN MINE PLANNING AND DESIGN

Canada is a leader in the global mining industry. At a time of increasing scrutiny of the role of business in society, mining executives now cite social risk as a key challenge to providing resources for global growth and sustainable development. This proposed research aims to assess approaches for mining companies to engage with stakeholders and better manage social performance during the mine life cycle. Specifically, the research seeks to determine whether and how mining can be a catalyst for sustainable development in resource rich regions. The research will produce a case study focussed on stakeholder engagement and local economic development associated with a proposed gold mine in Mongolia. The mine will be the largest in Bayankhongor province, generating employment and supply opportunities for local residents and businesses. The findings will assist the partner – Erdene Resource Development – to strengthen its engagement with communities during design and permitting of the proposed mine.

Caractérisation objective de l’acouphène chez l’individu acouphénique.

A l’aide d’une recherche psychoacoustique préliminaire afin de caractériser subjectivement l’acouphène, l’idée est de créer une bande son centré sur la fréquence de l’acouphène et d’y ajouter des gaps. Cette bande son est alors administrée au patient acouphénique et un patient témoin. Le but est le suivant, au travers d’observation électroencephalographique, nous observons si les gaps sont comblés par l’acouphène afin de prouver que le son a été bien calibré et que l’analyse psycho acoustique préliminaire a été bien réalisée.

L’automatisation du suivi comportemental et biométrique des porcs dans les fermes porcines

Dans les fermes porcines, le suivi du comportement et l’analyse des données biométriques sont indispensables pour l’amélioration du bien-être, du niveau de santé, de l’efficacité des traitements, la prise de décision en matière de reproduction et plus généralement, la durabilité de la production porcine. Additionnellement, avec la pénurie de main d’œuvre au Québec, les fermes d’ici doivent se doter de solutions autonomes.

Dans le but de répondre à ces besoins au niveau de l’industrie et de la recherche, l’objectif du projet de recherche est d’élaborer des preuves de concept pour le développement d’un système de collecte de données biométriques et de suivi du comportement des porcs dans les fermes. En plus de répondre aux enjeux énumérés, le système entrevu se démarque des produits commerciaux actuels puisqu’il fonctionne en temps réel et de façon autonome, qu’il est non-intrusif et qu’il est très abordable.