Innovative Projects Realized

The Invention and Early History of IMAX

IMAX is a Canadian-born invention that has had little scholarly investigation despite its continued commercial success. The importance of this research project stems from the lack of scholarly research about the beginnings of IMAX as a Canadian-born invention and its place within the history media technology. In celebration of IMAX’s 50th anniversary, The Public Access Collective, through their project entitled Outer Worlds, will be commissioning five Canadian artists to create new large-format films in order to foreground the Invention of IMAX, explore the technological and aesthetic imaginaries of the early years of the Invention. In 2019 Outer Worlds will be showcasing the commissioned films at Cinesphere (the first permanent IMAX theatre) in Toronto in addition to other IMAX venues across Canada. Working in tandem with Public Access, my research will investigate, through archival research and field interviews, the historical and technological contribution to cinema made by the founding artists and inventors of IMAX. This research on the early history of the technology and its format-specific cinema will support the Outer Worlds festival in the development of the exhibition’s public presentations, panels, and scholarly publications.

Building customizable hybrid risk models that blend fundamental and statistical factors

The goal of the project is to build an internal risk measurement system for Vestcor that combines two types of risk models. One type is fundamental risk models, which is what Vestcor’s current risk system built upon – these types of risk model use variables such as currency, style, market or country, sector or industry trying to explain risk embedded in an assets by the effect of changes in these factors. The other type is statistical risk models, which can be used in supplementing fundamental risk models to capture certain changes in market environment that are not detected by the fundamental models. Vestcor will be able to benefit from a more robust and flexible risk measurement system upon completion of the project.

Characterizing powder flow in a prototype microgravity powder-based 3D printer

Renewable Fuels for the transport sector based on methanol

A comparative study of optimal portfolio construction methods

This project aims to conduct a comparative analysis of portfolio performance using various models with different portfolio constraints in an optimization framework that is a modified version of the classical Markovitz mean-variance optimization model. Despite the breakthrough of the Markovitz mean-variance optimization model, its empirical implementation produces extreme portfolio weights and poor real-time performance. The goal of this project is to identify and design models and constraints that can both satisfy clients’ demands and be robust to parameter estimation error.

Research on the activation of bog regeneration by peat moss establishment

Free Electron Laser research on atoms, molecules, and clusters

Research and implement a software module for real-time data acquisition,visualization and analysis

Develop a software module for real-time data acquisition, visualization and analysis of data extracted during real time 3D physical simulation allowing to perform regression testing comparison of different Vortex versions, to find differences in system parameterization of similar mechanical system or to compare results from other simulation platform like Matlab. The result of the project will be integrated to the current Vortex suite of product allowing external clients a better environment to create their simulation and to internal client to improve product developmet efficiency and quality of deliverable.

Quantification du carbone séquestré dans les sols forestiers (secteur de la rivière Romaine)

Les barrages hydroélectriques permettent de fournir une énergie renouvelable. Leur construction implique d’inonder une vaste zone en amont du barrage. Le fait d’inonder un territoire engendre des émissions de gaz à effets de serre dans l’atmosphère. Calculer le bilan carbone des réservoirs hydroélectriques implantés en forêt boréale est difficile, puisque les forêts sont affectées régulièrement par des incendies naturels qui émettent aussi du CO2 (gaz à effet de serre). De plus, les écosystèmes boréaux emmagasinent du carbone principalement dans les sols. C’est pourquoi il est indispensable de connaître la quantité de carbone présent dans l’écosystème inondé pour estimer précisément l’impact environnemental des barrages hydroélectriques. Dans ce projet, nous quantifieront les stocks de carbone dans les sols au sein du territoire du complexe des barrages hydroélectriques de la Romaine.

Chemical synthesis of sugar derivatives for targeted drug delivery

Gas phase synthesis of graphene in a plasma reactor

Treatment of Pesticides in Constructed Wetlands