Innovative Projects Realized

Stage de recherche sur les sources de nutriments contribuant à l’eutrophisation du lac Saint-Pierre

Depuis plusieurs décennies, les propriétaires riverains du lac Saint-Pierre, dans le Kamouraska, s’inquiètent de l’état de santé de leur lac. Plusieurs études ont relevé des signes d’eutrophisation. L’étude réalisée par Pro Faune en 2006 indique que les apports en phosphore dépassent probablement la capacité de support du lac. Depuis la parution de ces rapports, les riverains ont déployé plusieurs efforts pour enrayer la problématique, notamment par des aménagements visant un meilleur drainage des eaux de surface, limitant ainsi les apports en sédiments. Cependant, des mesures des concentration de phosphore prises à l’été 2023 et 2024 à l’aide d’un appareil portatif suggèrent que l’eutrophisation du lac a continué de progresser.

Le stage de recherche vise à identifier les principales sources de nutriments contribuant à ce phénomène en réalisant un suivi détaillé des concentrations de phosphore dans le lac et ses tributaires. Cette approche permettra de mieux cibler les aménagements ayant le plus grand potentiel d’amélioration de la qualité environnementale du lac.

Development of LLM-Based Tools for Physics Education

The project seeks to explore the potential of large language models (LLMs) to support physics learning at the high school and college levels. Through careful evaluation of LLMs’ ability to clarify concepts such as mechanics and electromagnetism, alongside the creation of clear visualizations and educator-focused resources, we aim to contribute modestly to making physics more approachable for students. Conducted in collaboration with VisFuture, this project aspires to advance educational technology and support Canada’s STEM education efforts, with findings to be shared respectfully on https://www.visfuture.com/ for the benefit of the broader teaching community.

Foreceipt digital marketing research

Foreceipt Inc. is a Canadian technology company behind Foreceipt, a cloud-based app that uses AI to help users easily track receipts and manage expenses. With an impressive 4.7-star average rating from over 6,000 reviews on the U.S. Apple App Store, Foreceipt serves individuals, freelancers, and small businesses in English-speaking countries around the world.

To support further growth, Foreceipt is partnering with the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University through the Mitacs Business Strategy Internship program. Under the academic supervision of Professor Wu, an intern will research, design, and implement cost-effective digital marketing strategies. The intern will focus on launching and optimizing targeted advertising campaigns across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google, while analyzing performance data to guide continuous improvements.

This initiative marks Foreceipt’s first structured digital marketing effort, aiming to expand brand awareness, drive user acquisition, and establish a sustainable, data-driven marketing framework. Key project outcomes include a detailed performance report and a reusable library of marketing assets.

Beyond helping Foreceipt scale, the project supports Canada’s innovation economy by strengthening a homegrown fintech company. It also empowers more people to manage their finances efficiently with accessible digital tools. Meanwhile, the intern will gain valuable real-world experience in digital marketing, analytics, and project management, preparing them for future career success.

Operations and Marketing Assistant

This project will support Autism Connections by helping to secure sponsors for our 2025 Superhero Fun-Run/Walk, our largest fundraising and community event of the year. The intern will research potential sponsors, create a sponsorship package, and reach out to businesses to build new partnerships. They will also develop tools and materials that can be reused for future events. This project will strengthen our fundraising efforts, help us connect with more local businesses, and support the long-term sustainability of our programs for autistic individuals and their families.

Using brain monitoring and video surveillance to reduce violent incidents in a care-facility environment – Year two

Increasingly prevalent patient violence within the dementia population is a challenge to long term care providers.
Violent incidents can lead to serious musculoskeletal and neurological health complications. I propose to use video surveillance and a novel brain monitoring system in a care facility-based elderly population, to monitor violent episodes and brain vitality after incidents. This will help to 1) identify environmental, behavioural and biomechanical characteristics that contribute to injuries, and 2) measure the transient and long term effects on brain function.
Retirement Concepts, a care provider for dementia clients, benefits from this research by gaining insight on potential
improvements in the design and function of their care facilities that may reduce violent events. This results in a higher
quality of care for patients and an improved work environment for employees. Integrating leading edge research into
their care paradigm will uniquely distinguish Retirement Concepts from other care facilities.

Quantum-enhanced imaging with realistic entangled photons: leveraging quantum dots in a nanophotonic platform

Quantum imaging is a microscopy technique that uses special properties of light to observe smaller features and have higher sensitivity than classical methods, especially in low-light or noisy environments like deep tissue imaging. It uses special quantum properties, such as entanglement, which is often called “spooky action at a distance” and photon-number squeezing, which is where the fluctuations in the number of photons are smaller than what is normally possible with classical light sources. The challenge lies in creating the quantum light source – current methods either rely on inefficient random processes such as parametric downconversion or struggle to collect enough photons from single molecules or atoms. Our solution uses chip-based quantum dots (that is, artificial atoms grown in the lab) integrated into nanophotonic structures to produce triggerable entangled photons. This method is both more efficient and scalable. This research will demonstrate the on-demand creation of entangled two-photon source while developing theoretical models to study how losses affect imaging performance with larger photon states, potentially revolutionizing biomedical diagnostics like early cancer detection. This project will strengthen Queen’s quantum innovation capacity by developing cutting-edge hardware for quantum imaging while advancing quantum microscopy techniques through knowledge transfer.

Group Treatment-KidsAbility-April10-2025

KidsAbility is the leading provider of pediatric rehabilitation in Waterloo and Wellington, supporting 17,000 children each year. Rising demand and a shortage of trained clinicians have made it difficult to keep up, leading to longer wait times for families in need. KidsAbility is exploring the use of group therapy in their Speech Language Therapy (SLT) programs to help serve more children using the same resources. In group therapy, 2–4 children with similar needs receive treatment together from one clinician, instead of each child having a separate appointment. This approach has the potential to greatly increase the number of children treated and reduce long wait times. Our project will use past data to better understand how group therapy works and then create tools to help KidsAbility schedule these sessions more effectively. By doing this, the organization can serve more families, faster, and make the most of their limited resources.

Digital Transformation for Folk Canada

Folk Music Ontario is transitioning into Folk Canada, a national organization aiming to expand its reach and impact. This project supports that transformation by developing a cohesive digital strategy, upgrading outdated systems, and exploring tech-enabled solutions—including automation and AI—to enhance national visibility, audience engagement, and operational efficiency. The work is being led by Sympl Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in digital transformation and innovation for mission-driven organizations.

Strategic Development and Systematization of DIA Inc.’s Digital Platform and Community Ecosystem

DIA Inc. is a Canadian women-led startup focused on building a digital platform and community that empowers ambitious, multi-passionate women to balance their personal growth, professional goals, and creative pursuits. The platform combines elements of networking, learning, and habit-building tools to help women navigate the challenges of “doing it all” in today’s fast-paced world.

This project will support DIA in moving from early-stage, founder-led operations to a structured, growth-ready business model. The intern will help design and implement systems that improve internal efficiency, manage user feedback, and prepare the company for its first wave of community growth and platform rollout. Working directly with DIA’s founder, the intern will also develop strategies for onboarding early users, refining platform features, and preparing the company for long-term sustainability.

The expected benefit to the partner organization is the development of a strong operational foundation, allowing DIA to scale its platform and expand its reach in the Canadian digital economy. This project will also support the creation of business processes, performance tracking tools, and community engagement systems — all essential for supporting DIA’s mission of helping women thrive both personally and professionally.

Using brain monitoring and video surveillance to reduce violent incidents in a care-facility environment

Increasingly prevalent patient violence within the dementia population is a challenge to long term care providers.
Violent incidents can lead to serious musculoskeletal and neurological health complications. I propose to use video surveillance and a novel brain monitoring system in a care facility-based elderly population, to monitor violent episodes and brain vitality after incidents. This will help to 1) identify environmental, behavioural and biomechanical characteristics that contribute to injuries, and 2) measure the transient and long term effects on brain function.
Retirement Concepts, a care provider for dementia clients, benefits from this research by gaining insight on potential
improvements in the design and function of their care facilities that may reduce violent events. This results in a higher
quality of care for patients and an improved work environment for employees. Integrating leading edge research into
their care paradigm will uniquely distinguish Retirement Concepts from other care facilities.

Development of New Strategies for L’Arche

The project at L’Arche Fredericton aims to create a sustainable and long-term monthly donor program to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The intern will help develop digital fundraising strategies, manage donor relationships, and use data-driven approaches to increase engagement and retention. By the end of the project, the goal is to establish a steady stream of support through digital tools and effective communication, ensuring financial sustainability for the organization. This will enable L’Arche to continue providing high-quality programs and services to its community, benefiting both the organisation and its participants.

Evaluation of BC lavender essential oils for product development

The proposed research catalyzes collaborations between the research group of Dr. Soheil Mahmoud (UBC Okanagan) and BC lavender farms (in particular Ryder Lake Farms Inc., Chilliwack, BC) that focus on lavender farming, agritourism, and development of value added products. The research ultimately aims to boost lavender farming in BC through the following specific objectives: 1) setup a steam distillation facility for extracting essential oils from lavenders and other plants at Ryder Lake Farms. 2) provide scientific context for the BC-produced lavender essential oils and hydrosols through assessing their chemical composition by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). 3) Identify lavender plants that produce high quality essential oils via evaluating oils from different varieties grown in several BC farms. 4) Develop value added products from lavender essential oils produced in BC.