Innovative Projects Realized

Leveraging Agentic AI to Detect and Mitigate Shilling Attacks for Enhanced Robustness in Recommendation Systems

This research project explores how agentic AI—autonomous AI agents with the ability to perceive, reason, and act—can be designed and deployed within recommendation systems to proactively identify and counteract shilling attacks. These attacks involve malicious users injecting fake reviews or ratings to manipulate recommendations. The project aims to develop an adaptive, multi-agent, Agentic AI-driven model that monitors user behavior patterns, detects suspicious activities, and dynamically adjusts recommendation outputs to maintain system integrity and user trust.

Enhancing TMJ Disorder Diagnosis via AI-Assisted Segmentation

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) is an umbrella term for diseases that affect the jaw. It is a common but often underdiagnosed condition that can cause significant jaw pain, limited movement, and long-term oral health issues. Accurate diagnosis relies heavily on the precise identification of tiny jaw structures in medical imaging, a task that remains challenging due to anatomical complexity and variability.

This project builds on our previous research and aims to advance the diagnosis of TMD using AI-assisted imaging. By combining a large and diverse dataset from radiology centers across Edmonton, with recent deep learning architectures, we aim to develop and AI model that is accurate, clinically relevant and useful in the identification of TMD.

We aim to create a diagnostic tool that can seamlessly integrate into clinical workflows, helping oral health professionals diagnose TMJ disorders with greater confidence and efficiency. This work represents a significant step toward modernizing TMD diagnostics, reducing diagnostic delays, and ultimately improving patient care through the power of artificial intelligence.

Marketing and Business Development Coordinator

The project will help the Institute of Innovation and Advanced Learning (IIAL) grow the reach and adoption of the Whole-Chain International Standard (WCIS-2025) and its professional designation, Certified Supply Chain Integrity Professional (CSCIP). WCIS is a global framework that helps organizations improve supply chain integrity, transparency, and sustainability. The intern, Rocio, will create targeted marketing materials, identify and connect with potential partners, and design strategies to clearly explain the benefits of WCIS to different industries. By the end of the project, IIAL will have a set of professional tools, outreach plans, and connections that will make it easier to bring more organizations into the WCIS program, helping IIAL expand its impact in Canada and internationally.

PQC Hybrid Certificates Benchmarking

With the rise of powerful new quantum computers, the digital locks we currently use to protect our online information, like banking details and private messages, could soon be broken. Systems like RSA and ECDSA, which are common today, might not stand a chance against quantum attacks. To stay ahead of the game, experts at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have chosen new types of digital locks, known as “post-quantum” algorithms. Names like CRYSTALS-Dilithium, Falcon, and SPHINCS+ may sound futuristic—and they are—but they’re also much bulkier than the old systems. This makes them harder to plug into the digital infrastructure we already use, especially the X.509 certificates that help secure websites.

One proposed solution is to use hybrid certificates, which mix old and new security systems, sort of like wearing both a seatbelt and an airbag for added protection during the transition. While many versions of hybrid certificates have been suggested, no one has really tested them side by side to see how they perform or how they might affect things like secure website connections.

High-Affinity Selective DNA Intercalators (HASDI): A novel approach to interfere with the transcriptional activity of disease-causing transcription factors

Cancer is a complex disease that involves multiple changes in normal cell biology, all of them leading to increased and abnormal cell replication. Depending on the tissue type, this uncontrolled tissue growth ultimately causes organ malfunction and a wide variety of signs and symptoms which, all together, indicate a pathological state which needs to be addressed. Consequently, to treat cancer effectively with drug molecules, these compounds need to be as potent and selective as possible. Our grant application aims to study the use of novel and unconventional computer-based approaches that simulate the interaction of human DNA with a select group of disease-causing proteins abnormally expressed by cancer cells. We will then use this theoretical framework to determine the chemical features needed in drugs to interfere with (and inhibit) pathological processes associated with cancer.

Comparing algebraic invariants of graph-defined ideals

This project will study a relationship between graph (network) theory and algebraic objects known as ideals. Graph theory is a major branch of mathematics with diverse applications to society and industry, including transportation system modelling, social media marketing, and statistical models, among others. To study a graph, one can use the algebraic structure of a ideal to encode important information about the properties of the graph. This encoding comes in the form of certain numbers, known as invariants, that are associated to the ideal. The regularity, projective dimension, and h-polynomial are three algebraic invariants that are widely studied in the literature. This project aims to investigate certain graph properties by computing and comparing these invariants. The value of the regularity, in particular, is closely related to the existence of cycles in the corresponding graph, which is of great interest in both pure and applied graph theory. This project will leverage supercomputer resources to compute these invariants and develop new results for several classes of graphs and ideals. Such computations and results will be invaluable to other researchers as they formulate questions for future study, and provide the fundamental knowledge necessary to further develop connections between this area and industry.

Scoring Algorithms for Post-Quantum Cryptographic Risk Intelligence and Supply Chain Readiness

This project will focus on developing a scoring system to help organizations understand which of their software and technology systems are most at risk from advances in quantum computing. Many of today’s encryption methods, which protect sensitive data and communications, will become vulnerable once quantum computers are powerful enough. The intern will work with the partner organization to create a framework that can evaluate different products and vendors based on how prepared they are for this shift. The research will involve studying current encryption standards, known risks, and how to apply scoring models to simplify decision making for IT and security teams. The final result will be integrated into a software platform that helps organizations plan ahead, prioritize upgrades, and reduce their exposure to future cybersecurity threats. This work supports the partner organization’s mission to make advanced cryptographic risk assessment easier and more accessible to enterprises, especially those with complex supply chains or regulated environments.

Développement de composants et lasers fibrés

Fondée en 2000 et basée à Québec, TeraXion (maintenant indie/Teraxion) est reconnu comme l’un des principaux fabricants mondiaux de technologies photoniques de pointe, notamment dans les domaines des réseaux de Bragg à fibre optique (FBG), des lasers à largeur de raie étroite et de l’optique intégrée, son équipe dédiée est composée de plus de 60 chercheurs, ingénieurs et technologues qui fournissent des produits et des solutions personnalisées à des entreprises de premier plan dans les secteurs des lasers industriels, des communications optiques, des dispositifs médicaux, de l’aérospatiale et de la défense. Depuis très récemment, indie/Teraxion développe des sources lasers à fibre ultrarapides en collaboration avec l’Université Laval [1-3]. Ces produits lasers ultrarapides sont présentement en introduction dans le marché et le présent projet vise à poursuivre l’innovation dans ce domaine pour obtenir une place dominante dans ce marché en forte croissance et ce, avec des technologies de ruptures. Obtenir des impulsions brèves de qualité dans des bandes spectrales moins communes mais avec beaucoup de potentiel commercial requiert le développement de composants spécifiquement adaptés à des designs novateurs de cavités laser ultrarapides. Le présent projet permettra spécifiquement de contribuer au développement de lasers à fibre au néodyme opérant autour de 920nm.

Investment Analyst Internship Project

The Venture Capital Analyst role at Nimbus Synergies will encompass sourcing high-quality deal flow, conducting due diligence, assisting in portfolio management, performing market research, representing the firm at industry events, building relationships within the venture ecosystem, and executing independent projects as assigned. Responsibilities include establishing connections with founders and fund managers, preparing valuation analyses and investment memos, contributing to portfolio company/fund reports, evaluating market trends, and fostering collaborations. Through these activities, the analyst will play a vital role in driving Nimbus Synergies’ success in the dynamic venture capital landscape.

Technologies térahertz pour le tri de matières recyclables de type polymère noir

Sherbrooke OEM Ltd. développe et commercialise des équipements avant-gardistes de tri optique automatisés qui permettent une valorisation efficiente des matières recyclables et résiduelles. Cependant le tri des polymères noirs (de plus en plus présents dans les emballages, l’électronique et l’automobile) reste encore difficilement réalisable avec des équipements instrumentés dans le proche infrarouge. Le projet consiste à évaluer et développer une variété de nouvelles méthodes d’identification, basées notamment sur la spectrométrie térahertz, qui ont le potentiel d’instrumenter de tels équipements de tri. Des technologies térahertz développées à l’Université de Sherbrooke ainsi que par des partenaires privés seront mises de l’avant. Avec la possibilité d’identifier divers types de polymères noirs et de les trier à fort niveaux de pureté et avec un volume de tri industriel, il sera possible d’influencer le modèle économique actuel du recyclage des matières plastiques et de réduire leur élimination par incinération ou par enfouissement.

Optimiser l’intégration de la sismique passive pour les levés géophysiques de sismique réfraction et MASW

Le projet cherche à améliorer l’exploration en profondeur du sol grâce aux méthodes sismiques en géophysique. Il combine deux méthodes dites ‘”actives”, la sismique réfraction et la méthode d’analyse des ondes de surface (MASW) avec une méthode dite “passive”, qui capte les vibrations naturelles du sol. L’objectif est de mieux détecter les couches profondes, souvent difficiles à atteindre avec les méthode actives. Pour cela, il faut adapter les dispositifs de mesure afin d’éviter des erreurs dans l’interprétation des résultats. Plusieurs configurations seront testées sur différents terrains, pour valider une intégration optimale des données. Le projet vise à créer un guide pratique et un outil informatique (en accès libre sous python) pour aider à cette analyse combinée. L’entreprise Geostack, spécialisée dans ce domaine, apportera son savoir-faire et son matériel. Le stagiaire participera activement aux relevés sur le terrain et à l’analyse des données, ce qui lui permettra de se former directement auprès des experts de Geostack. Ce travail contribuera aussi à améliorer les outils de l’entreprise.

Development of a Canadian Drone Supply Chain

The project aims to research the feasibility of designing and building a drone from parts supplied in Canada. The first objective is to build a prototype of a made-in-Canada drone that showcases current technology and incorporates the highest proportion possible of parts from Canada. The second objective is to design a manufacturing process that can scale up production. The students will be involved in researching the supply chain, the design of the prototype, and the design of the manufacturing process. The benefits to the partner includes support in R&D work, capacity to further investigate the domestic supply of parts, and interactions with future leaders in their field.