Innovative Projects Realized

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

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

Evaluation of nutrition (growth medium) on terpene production in Cannabis sativa

Cannabis sativa plants accumulate a suite of volatile biochemical compounds known as mono- and sesquiterpenes that determinethe characteristic scent of the plant, and contribute to its therapeutic properties in two ways. First, a 10-carbon terpene (amonoterpene) precursor makes up part of cannabinoid molecules, the key medicinal constituents of C. sativa plants. Second, someterpenes (e.g., geraniol and ?-caryophyllene) have potent medicinal properties of their own. There is therefore substantial interest inenhancing terpene production in cannabis plants. In this context, BlueSky Organics (BSO) has developed a number of grow media(substrates) for cultivation of C. sativa plants, and believes that plants grown on some of these media accumulate higher levels ofterpenes. The main objectives of the proposed work are to develop a method for the extraction and analysis of cannabis terpenes,determine volatile terpene content in cannabis strains developed at BlueSky Organics, and evaluate the effects of substrate onterpene production in up to three commercial cannabis strains.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Soheil Mahmoud

Student:

Ayelign Mengesha Adal

Partner:

BlueSky Organics

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

Program:

Elevate

Fast Catalytic Pyrolysis of Sewage Sludge for Producing High-Grade Bio-Oil and Effective Sorbent for Capturing Emerging Contaminants

Large amounts of sewage sludge (SS) have been generated yearly by municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWPs), which entail huge operational expenses and advanced treatments, and the final disposal of biosolids in agricultural applications is reduced because of the potential environmental risks (e.g., heavy metals and emerging contaminants) associated with biosolids applications. The increased use of certain medications (e.g., antibiotics, disinfectants) and personal care products (e.g., sanitizers, soaps) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, will certainly increase the concentration of emerging contaminants in wastewater. Converting SS to effective sorbent and improving the quality of bio-oil, the by-product of the process, achieving environmental sustainability. This proposed research focuses on our novel integrated approach to co-produce effective sorbent (sludge-based activated carbon “SBAC”) and high-quality bio-oil through catalytic fast pyrolysis of sewage sludge. The cost-effectiveness and environmental impacts of the integrated system will be assessed through life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) analyses. Effectiveness of SBACs will be tested using wastewater and stormwater. Immediate benefit is to enhance the quality of urban water impacted by the pandemic COVID-19. This work has significant contribution in protecting our environment and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels by utilizing bio-oil from this process.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Loretta Li

Student:

Badr Ali Mohamed

Partner:

Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Elevate

Copper and nickel stable isotopes in overburden and transported cover as exploration tools for buried magmatic sulfide deposits

The rate of discovery of new, large mineral deposits has slowed, yet significant opportunity exists in many world-class belts where post-mineral cover obscures bedrock and can potentially hide world-class deposits beyond the reach of traditional geochemical tools. However, locating mineral deposits in areas of thick or transported overburden is challenging. The proposed research integrates trace-element geochemistry with traditional (sulfur) and non-traditional (nickel and copper) isotope geochemistry to characterise the footprints of mineralised and sub-economic magmatic systems with the objective of identifying elemental and isotopic systems that serve as vectors towards Ni-Cu mineralisation. In collaboration with ALS Geochemistry (North Vancouver, Canada), copper and nickel isotopic techniques will be developed to create a new suite of analytical services to be offered on a commercial basis to the mineral exploration industry. Successful demonstration of these isotope systems as mineralization vectors in covered regions from Canadian, Australian, and Russian deposits (provided by IGO Ltd.) may potentially create a host of new clients in the mining industry who already routinely send samples to ALS Geochemistry for analysis, and facilitate the discovery of new deposits of critical metal resources that are crucial to the further development of Canada’s economy and the shift towards renewable resources.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Matthew Leybourne

Student:

Kaj Sullivan

Partner:

ALS

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Other

University:

Queen's University

Program:

Elevate

MRI Estimates of Repeated Demyelination and Tissue Injury as Markers of Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can be divided into three clinical phenotypes: relapsing remitting (RRMS), secondary progressive (SPMS) and primary progressive (PPMS). RRMS is characterized by episodic worsening followed by full or partial recovery, whereas SPMS and PPMS are characterized by steady accrual of disability.Progressive MS remains poorly understood and generally fails to respond to therapies that are effective in RRMS. This may be related to fundamental differences in the biology that underlies relapsing vs. progressive disease.Quantitative MRI techniques sensitive to evolution of new MS brain lesions and subtle changes within existing lesions will be obtained in people with MS. Characterizing repeated episodes of damage in existing MS lesions may reveal pathological distinctions between relapsing and progressive MS that are critical for understanding differences in the biology and evolution of these two components of MS. Assessment of injury and repair in repeat lesions may be critical for research, development and validation of drugs targeting processes important for the progressive (degenerative) stage of disease.The proposed project will investigate new potential imaging biomarkers of neurodegeneration and repair important for progression in MS, and integrate these biomarkers into the NeuroRx analysis environment, enabling NeuroRx to perform these analyses in future clinical trials.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Sridar Narayanan

Student:

Ian Tagge

Partner:

NeuroRx Research Inc.

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

University:

McGill University

Program:

Elevate

Dissolvable Glass Technology

The goal of the Dissolvable Glass Technology research project is to develop new glass technologies and products to reduce the cost and environmental impact in the utility, forestry, and oil and gas sectors. It has been said that we are ‘entering the age of glass’, and we aim to explore the numerous and varied possibilities where dissolvable glasses can be utilized. However, to achieve these glass technologies, fundamental glass research must be performed in three key areas: mechanical properties, thermal behaviour and dissolution behaviour. Once completed, the product suite generated from the Dissolvable Glass Technology research project will enhance the durability of engineered wood products against mold, decay, termites. It will increase the life expectancy of wood assets, lower the carbon emissions and reduce costs in oil and gas production as well as increasing efficacy in reforestation and crop production. The successful development and commercialization of these products will encourage further technical glass development in key sectors in Alberta and be one necessary step in the establishment of fundamental glass research facilities at the University of Alberta; this partnership will benefit both sides, academic and industrial, by advancing glass research in Western Canada.

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Faculty Supervisor:

M. Yaman Boluk

Student:

Courtney Marie Calahoo

Partner:

Genics

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

University:

University of Alberta

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Raymond Turner

Student:

Ali Pormohammad

Partner:

C-CREST

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Calgary

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.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Lauchlan Fraser

Student:

Morodoluwa Akin-Fajiye

Partner:

Discipline:

Resources and environmental management

Sector:

Energy

University:

Thompson Rivers University

Program:

Elevate

Measuring the fate of naphthenic acids in wetlands using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers and Solid-Phase Microextraction

Treatment wetlands have emerged as a potential treatment option for oil sands process-affected waters (OSPW) produced from bitumen extraction by the oil sands industry. Of particular interest is the removal of naphthenic acids (NAs), which are widely acknowledged as the primary constituents of toxicity in OSPW. Studies have demonstrated the capacity for NA removal in wetland environments; however, the specific mechanisms of removal for NAs in wetlands is not well understood. Experimental groups consisting of 1) OSPW, 2) OSPW with sterilized substrate, 3) OSPW with substrate (non-sterilized), or 4) OSPW with cattails in substrate will be used to determine the effects of natural attenuation, sorption, microbial degradation, and plant uptake, respectively. Concentrations of freely available NAs in OSPW will be measured in wetland microcosms using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers. Changes in OSPW toxicity in the wetland microcosms will be evaluated from biomimetic extractions of NAs using solid phase microextraction fibres. The findings will be used to test and evaluate a plant uptake model for ionizable substances. This research will support further evaluation of treatment wetlands as a potential option for OSPW remediation and improve environmental and human health risk assessments of NAs.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Frank Gobas

Student:

Alexander M Cancelli

Partner:

Imperial Oil Ltd.

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program:

Elevate

Revitalizing Indigenous fire management and fire-resilient forests in northern British Columbia

There is a growing need for improved biophysical and social methods to manage wildfire risk in northern British Columbia (BC) as uncharacteristically large wildfires exceed government capacities for their control and suppression. My research approach weaves historical (tree rings and fire scars) and contemporary fire data (remote sensing) with Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK) to map and validate historic fire activity in subboreal forests across northern BC. As a Mitacs Elevate postdoctoral fellow, I will partner with the Bulkley Valley Research Centre (BVRC), the University of British Columbia (UBC), and First Nations partners to build a holistic understanding of historic fire activity and incorporate Indigenous fire knowledge into current wildfire planning. The objectives of my research are to examine the implications of long-term fire suppression on the resiliency of current forests to wildfire, address ways to build capacity to revitalize Indigenous fire management systems and evaluate sociopolitical barriers for wildfire training and prescribed fire. Given the anticipated increase in fire severity and length of the fire season, my research will directly impact community wildfire preparedness in an understudied region of BC. It is more important than ever to have multiple experiences and voices participating in creating fire-resilient forests and fire-adapted communities.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Lori Daniels;Andrew Trant

Student:

Kira Michelle Hoffman

Partner:

Bulkley Valley Research Centre

Discipline:

Forestry

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

Program:

Elevate

En Route to Discovery of Potential ‘Green’ Refrigerants

Refrigerants have a wide range of applications in Canada, from their support for the food industry (storage and transport) to their key role in recreational sports like hockey, curling and ice-skating. Although current hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants have solved previous problems associated with depletion of the earth’s ozone layer, they still suffer from high global warming potentials. More recently, these are being replaced by hydrofluoroalkene (HFA) refrigerants with considerably less global warming potential. Unfortunately, the synthetic paths to these new fluoroalkenes are energy-intensive and require harsh/caustic conditions, hydrogen fluoride, expensive reactors and heavy metals. In the enclosed project, we design base-metal catalyzed routes to these valuable refrigerants using a custom gas manifold for production, purification, and isolation of gases. Using base metal catalysts (cobalt and iron) and commercially available fluoroalkenes and alkynes, new economically and environmentally friendly hydrofluorocarbons and fluoroalkenes will be synthesized. This will allow our industry partner, Arkema (in Canada since 1957), to test the new compounds as refrigerants, foam-blowing agents, and new monomers in high-value fluoropolymers and offer the intern a unique training opportunity.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Tom Baker

Student:

Behnaz Ghaffari

Partner:

Arkema

Discipline:

Biochemistry / Molecular biology

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Ottawa

Program:

Elevate

Innovative Telerehabilitation and Tele-research platform for movement disorders

Telerehabilitation (TR), the remote provision of services to patients using information and communication technologies, is rapidly improving with the evolution of technology and is becoming an essential segment of telemedicine. It is, therefore, essential to find solutions and technologies to make TR more feasible, more productive, and more accessible for people with movement disorders, especially in challenging conditions like the Coronavirus. Hence, research scientists from McGill and Montreal universities and telecom engineers from TeleSense organization aim to present an innovative platform. The team will first study and provide a standard guideline with updated qualitative, quantitative, and kinematics measurements for upper and lower extremities as a target rehabilitation for those who have had a stroke as a target population. Then, they will design, program, and test an automation technology to store and update a set of information synchronously and asynchronously. The outcomes will be a guideline with standard measurements for the evaluation of TR in the stroke population, valid kinematic descriptors, and an automation platform to update indices, evaluate and treat stroke individuals. For two years, the partners will benefit from participating in scientific papers and conferences, as well as obtaining an innovative platform that will benefit Canadians with movement disorders.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Julie Cote;Dahlia Kairy

Student:

Fariba Hasanbarani

Partner:

TeleSense Canada

Discipline:

Kinesiology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Program:

Elevate

Development of a market prototype of a smart toothbrush for individuals with advance dementia

Dementia in general and Alzheimer Disease in particular are among the most challenging health conditions in our century. Experiencing cognitive decline, resulting in relying on others for daily living activities and impairment in basic mental tasks are the main symptoms. There are yet no proven treatments to slow or prevent Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia progression; thus, they eventually need full-time care. To help patients to stay at their own home longer and ease the caregiver burden, Smart Assistive Technology (SAT) products may be greatly beneficial. One of the basic activities that Alzheimer’s patients in particular need help with, are basic hygiene needs such as brushing their teeth. In this project, we will develop a market prototype of the recently designed smart toothbrush as an SAT for basic hygiene functions of dementia patients. The design includes hardware and software. The hardware includes 9-Axis (gyro, accelerometer, compass) motion sensor, temperature sensor, individually addressable red green blue (RGB) light emitting diodes (LEDs), voice module and other electrical components, while the software includes real-time monitoring of several dependent and independent tasks using a parallel algorithm to assist the users.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Zahra Kazem-Moussavi

Student:

Mohammad E Shakeri Jannati

Partner:

Riverview Health Centre

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Health care and social assistance

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

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