Innovative Projects Realized

Usable Interface Design for Real Time Transaction Monitoring in a Diverse User Environment

Interface designs based on initial consultations with one group of users are often found to not be suitable for other groups. This a problem both in practice and for our understanding of interface design. This project investigates why this happens, using as an example a system developed for INETCO Systems. The immediate objectives include understanding the basis of the design of the existing system, and discussing it with various kinds of customers. One of the main goals will be to understand how the current situation came to be, and to recommend ways to better proceed with designing interfaces in the future.

Based SLAM (ASLAM) for Indoor/Outdoor Urban Terrain

The objective of this project is the research of multi-sensor Appearance Based SLAM (ASLAM) system for day/night operations in indoor and outdoor environments. These algorithms would perform place recognition based on multiple sensor data (Imagery, laser and radar) gathered from a UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) as it travels through the environment. When the vehicle returns to a previously visited scene, the ASLAM algorithm will recognize the scene, update its internal representation, report this to the UGV.

MDA would benefit from the internship as the research of multi-sensor ASLAM techniques by the intern would contribute to this project greatly. Moreover, the involvement of UBC Professors Jim Little and David Lowe, who are experts in robotics and computer vision, would be highly valuable to this project too.

Role of 5alpha-Dihydrotestosterone and Androgen Receptor in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer affecting women, with 1 in 9 Canadian females expected to develop the disease in their lifetime. About 90% of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers express androgen receptor (AR). Recent results in our laboratory demonstrated that the inactivation of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the most potent androgen, contributes to estrogen-dependent breast cancer cell growth, and suggested additional pathways for DHT action in addition to the AR pathway. Our focus is to elucidate the role of AR and DHT in ER-positive breast cancer. To that end, we will use in vitro (cell-based) and in vivo models and perform functional assays and gene expression analyses. This experimental study in the area of oncology has the potential to identify genes and proteins associated with androgen pathways in growth regulation of estrogen-dependent breast cancer, and therefore can offer a starting point for the identification of new drug targets for combinatorial treatment of this cancer.

Ulkatcho integrated resource utilization and business planning

The Ulkatcho First Nation is being empowered by the provincial government to take more control over its socio and economic affairs. One critical parts of the transitioning is for the Ulkatcho First Nation to manage their forest resources and operate forest related, manufacturing and energy businesses. The Yun Ka Whu’ten Development LP will be an active participant in their economic future, particularly in the area of forest land management, energy planning, community development and the manufacturing of wood and non-wood products. The transitioning for Ulkatcho community is a huge challenge and the purpose of this applied research project is to assist them with a set of ‘assessments’ of the key priority topics identified by their community and business leaders. The research can be classified into three main areas: land and resource management, business planning and regional economic development. The proposed topics include: Mountain caribou conservation design, mushroom growth analysis and wild food business, Chinese wood market analysis, product and corporate branding, wood pellet production, infrastructure analysis and logistics planning, bioenergy strategy and a deep sea port feasibility study.

Estimating Loss Given Default by Mixture Beta Distribution Model

Although beta distribution models are a well-known tool for evaluating the recovery risk of credit instruments, concerns are raised regarding tractability its analysis and simulation. The project attempts to address such concerns by incorporating a mixture beta distribution model. The project will compare the efficiency of the proposed model with the commonly used beta distribution model. In addition, the intern will compare the mixture beta distribution model with the credit risk model that is currently employed by Sun Life Financial. Finally, the undertaken work may recommend ways of enhancing the internal quantitative techniques of Sun Life Financial that would allow more accurate and reliable assessment of credit risk.

Développement et diversification touristique du secteur de l’île-Verte/Isle-Verte

Le territoire de l’île-Verte/Isle-Verte dans la MRC de Rivière-du-Loup est considéré par les acteurs touristiques locaux comme un pôle touristique potentiel. Toutefois, depuis les 5 dernières années, la fréquentation touristique y est en baisse. De plus, deux changements majeurs, l’arrivée d’un nouveau traversier et la prolongation de l’autoroute 20, modifient la dynamique touristique du territoire. Ces changements offrent des opportunités, traversier moderne avec une période d’opération plus grande, mais aussi des impacts, les touristes se dirigeant vers l’est ne seront plus obligés de traverser le village de l’Isle-Verte. La corporation des maisons du phare de l’île Verte est au coeur même de l’attractivité de ce territoire avec son phare et l’auberge qu’elle opère dans l’ancienne maison du gardien. Sa capacité à remplir sa mission de conservation et de mise en valeurs du phare est directement relié à l’attractivité de la destination île-Verte/Isle-Verte, attractivité qui est aussi amplifié par la qualité de la conservation du phare et de l’animation du site.
Dans ce contexte, le stage de recherche visera à analyser la grappe touristique du territoire, les représentations du territoire des acteurs touristiques ainsi que le profil et la satisfaction des visiteurs.

Modeling User Behaviour Over Time from Chat Messages

As online communication among children and young adults grows in popularity, concerns about online safety are receiving vast attention. The Two Hat Security (2HS) company has a rule-based filtering system to detect malicious chat messages and identify abusive users. The proposed project will improve the predictions of the trustworthiness (trust-level) of the users which can change over time and also influences what users are allowed to say in chat messages. We will use classification and clustering algorithms to obtain predictions of the trustworthiness of the users over time using data features obtained from the chat messages. This will provide 2HS with a tool that will improve the accuracy of the trustworthiness predictions and ultimately will lead to satisfied 2HS customers as well as safe online communication for Canadian youth.

Development and Assessment of Modalities for Adult Science Engagement at Science World

Scientific literacy and life-long scientific education is becoming increasingly important for everyday life in our society. One of the mediums through which the public can find accessible information on science and technology advancements is their local science centre such as Science World. Science World would like to increase their adult-oriented content by 2020 and support me in assessing which modalities are most effective at educating, engaging and entertaining adult audiences. I will assess the abilities of 3 different modalities at fulfilling these goals and determine which aspects of each framework are most effective in order to help Science World develop successful modalities for adult engagement with science. I expect that coupling scientific education with tasks applicable to everyday life will increase attendance, enjoyment and engagement thus increasing appreciation and literacy of scientific knowledge through free-choice learning approaches.

Evaluation of Systemic Implementation of Collaborative and Proactive Solutions for Improving the Well-being of Students at Risk and Their Teachers

One in five youth exhibit maladaptive (i.e., externalizing, oppositional, explosive, aggressive) behaviours. These behaviours are costly in that they are linked to elevated levels of student, teacher, and familial stress. Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS), developed by Dr. Ross Greene (project collaborator) at Harvard University, teaches individuals to explore cognitive, emotional, social, and learning challenges to better understand factors that underlie problem behaviours that when targeted improve child outcomes. Past research has shown that CPS is associated with decreases in parenting and teacher stress and oppositional behaviours in children. This project will extend this research by exploring the process and impact of community-wide training for professionals across the multiple sectors serving these children. We will examine outcomes for children (e.g., behaviour, school engagement and achievement, self-esteem), and professionals and parents (e.g., empathy, stress). A training manual to support further dissemination of CPS in this community (and beyond) will be developed.

First-principle study on effects of electric field on perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy

The physical properties of materials not only depend on the chemical composition but also their microstructure. The properties and their relationship with the composition and microstructure were mainly studied by experiments and try-and-error method before. With the combination of physical principles and computers, now people may study the properties of materials through computer simulation. First-principle method, based on density functional theory, and molecular dynamics method are two often used methods for electron state level and atomic level calculations respectively. In this program, students will study how to use VASP and LAMMPS, a first-principle software and a molecular dynamics software respectively, and related concepts. They will perform a case study on some physical properties of a material, such as electron states or defects development.

Assessing Attitudes of Architects and Builders towards Forest Certification in British Columbia.

Forest certification is a voluntary market-based instrument to promote sustainable forest management (SFM). Although, large areas of forests have been certified against different certification schemes in British Columbia, there has been a recent slowdown in the uptake of forest certification due to a number of factors, including a lack of awareness. Architects and builders have a key role in creating or translating demand for certified products due to their position in the value chain for forest products as they are could be both buyers and sellers of certified products. Understanding their attitude towards forest certification is vital for the further development of forest certification and the market for certified products in British Columbia. Thus a survey of architects and builders will be conducted in British Columbia to assess their willingness to adopt forest certification and to identify barriers in adoption of forest certification.

Mise en valeur des matières textiles récupérées postconsommation

La recherche se penche sur la problématique de la récupération des textiles postconsommation, tels les vêtements, literies et autres textiles domestiques. Bien que ceux-ci soient minutieusement triés, environ 30% sont tout de même jetés, n’ayant pas de débouchés sur le marché du ré-emploi. Mais quand est-il des matériaux dans lesquels ils sont fabriqués? Présentent-ils un potentiel de réutilisation? Inspirée du modèle de l’économie circulaire, la recherche a pour but de faire la caractérisation (matériaux, propriétés physiques et chimiques, qualités esthétiques) du gisement de ces textiles rebutés pour ensuite explorer des méthodes de transformation et des applications possibles dans de nouveaux produits durables. Pourb l’organisme partenaire, Certex, les résultats de la recherche ont le potentiel de soutenir la mise en oeuvre de nouveaux procédés, de réduire les frais d’enfouissement, de développer de nouveaux marchés et positionner l’organisme comme chef de file dans le traitement des textiles postconsommation.