Innovative Projects Realized

CO2-Absorption in Columns with Structured Packings

Investigation of a newly developed aluminum alloy processed by laser powder bed fusion

McGill Queen’s University Press, Summer 2025 Internship

Conversion of backlist ebooks into accessible versions to be in line with new European accessibility legislation
– Conversion to accessible ebooks includes basic data entry, language tagging, alt text
– Helping to make a plan for the conversion of backlist titles
– Finding ways to make the process more efficient
– Helping to supervise student workers involved in the conversion task

Training AI Model for prostate tumor reconstruction

Dental Technician COOP

Our company offers modern, high-quality solutions to our patients utilizing technologically advanced solutions. We consist of a main clinic in Lethbridge, AB and a satellite clinic in Coaldale, AB, employing a number of staff over 19 years. Advances in CAD/CAM systems are driving opportunities to explore new workflows and provide an improved patient experience through new methods of manufacturing. The use of digital methods of design and production leads to increased precision and accuracy in manufacturing, reduced turnaround time for patients, cost savings for both the business and patient, consistency and reproducibility, expanded material options, enhanced workflow integration, and better documentation and storage. Although our clinics utilize these advanced systems, technology is always evolving. It is challenging to balance the day-to-day operations in busy clinics with the set up and utilization of these systems to their full potential and investigate new materials and workflows. With the help of a student with recent knowledge from their academic studies, we could set up new equipment and explore and test new workflows with the potential of integrating new processes. This could lead to the clinic’s ability to enhance its current offerings to patients and improve their experience.

Optimized catalyst layers for efficient hydrogen production

Applicability of functional size measurement to quantum error correction software

The primary objective of this research is to measure error correction schemes in quantum computing and their impact on the functional size of quantum software. By analyzing various Quantum Error Correction (QEC) methods, the research aims to optimize quantum software measurement and development. Additionally, a key goal is to define specifications for an automated tool based on the COSMIC method.
This RGA application is related to the in-progress IT-34807 ETS-MITACS project.

Évaluation de l’utilisation du BIM pour deux aéroports au Québec

Le Building Information Modeling (BIM) est une véritable révolution dans la réalisation des projets de construction. Les technologies qui lui sont associées devraient permettre des gains appréciables dans la qualité, les coûts ainsi que les délais de réalisation tout en augmentant la productivité dans la conception et la construction. Cependant de telles retombées ne sont possibles qu’avec une reconfiguration des modes d’échanges d’information entre les différentes entreprises impliquées dans le projet. Cette recherche est une première dans la documentation des problématiques reliées à cette reconfiguration à l’aide de deux cas exceptionnels par leur nature, Aéroport de Québec Inc (AQI) et Aéroports de Montréal (ADM). Elle permettra l’équipe de projet de développer une expertise unique dans la planification et la gestion des projets BIM et à l’AQi de maximiser les retombées du BIM pour leur projet. Elle bénéficiera aussi à toute l’industrie dans la compréhension des enjeux reliés à une implantation performante du BIM.

Building Bridges: The Role of Mentorship in Addressing Youth Gang Involvement Through the Mentorship and Gang Solutions (MAGS) Program

The Mentorship and Gang Solutions (MAGS) program, supported by the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), aims to reduce youth gang involvement through targeted mentorship. This initiative connects high-risk youth with Lived Life Experienced Mentors (LLEMs) who share their own journeys of experiencing similar challenges. These mentors, equipped with firsthand knowledge and understanding, guide youth toward positive life changes and away from gang activities and violence. This research will evaluate the effectiveness of MAGS in facilitating youth reintegration into the community and reducing gang involvement. The research will examine how mentorship impacts youths’ mental health, social behaviour, education, and employment opportunities, while also exploring the experiences and development of the mentors themselves. This evaluation will assess both the implementation process and outcomes of MAGS in facilitating youth reintegration, reducing gang involvement, and fostering stronger community ties. The findings from this study will help refine mentorship practices and enhance community-based strategies to support high-risk youth. By documenting the successes and learnings from the challenges of the MAGS program, we aim to contribute to safer, more supportive environments for Edmonton’s youth, ensuring they have the opportunities and support needed to thrive.

In vitro three dimensional models of breast cancer-cell metastasis to bone.

This MITACS Globalink Award research proposal aims to engineer and characterize biomimetic dense collagenous gels as in vitro models for studying breast cancer metastasis to bone. At McGill, we have advanced the Gel Aspiration-Ejection (GAE) technique, a robust and simple method to create 3D anisotropic, cellular dense collagen (DC) gels. By applying negative pressure, collagen gels are aspirated into a capillary, inducing compaction and mesoscale anisotropy, and then controllably ejected by reversing the pressure. This technique also facilitates the alignment of seeded cells, influencing their morphology and differentiation. Our research has shown that DC gels serve as excellent in vitro bone extracellular matrix-like models, enhancing osteogenic differentiation and matrix mineralization via carbonate hydroxyapatite formation. The goal of this collaboration is to investigate the impact of metastatic breast cancer cells on collagen alignment and osteoblast-mediated mineralization. At UCL, Professor Cheema’s team will provide expertise on three-dimensional in vitro tumor models and the analysis of interactions between breast cancer and osteoblastic cells co-cultured in the GAE-generated DC gels. This collaborative visit will further our understanding of bone metastasis and contribute to developing new strategies for cancer treatment.

Uncovering the genetic basis of adaptation during the course of rapid experimental evolution in nature

Nature is experiencing an ever-changing world where dramatic environmental changes require species to adapt rapidly to new conditions. As a result, understanding when species can rapidly adapt and persist has become crucial to ensuring the preservation of vulnerable populations such as freshwater ecosystems. The current project addresses our limited understanding of the parallelism of adaptation and rapid evolution by studying genetic changes in unique protected populations of threespine stickleback fish in Haida Gwaii, BC. Although these populations are protected under the Species At Risk Act, climate change and human activities can have dramatic impacts on these populations. Understanding how these populations can rapidly adapt to a drastic change of environmental conditions thus helps us understand more generally the potential for evolution to promote long-term preservation of species and the ecosystem services they provide. This project will identify what are the key factors responsible for explaining how populations manage to rapidly adapt to new environments. It will also help identify how parallel is the adaption to similar environmental conditions. Further we will gain a better understanding of the process of adaptation to changing environments which can help protecting these populations and other freshwater environments.

Assessing the Risks of Self-Reinforcing Attacks on Generative AI Systems

(1) the main activities of the partner
ServiceNow develops a platform for client organizations to manage and automate large-scale processes across various industries. In 2020, ServiceNow acquired Element AI to strengthen its presence in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) research landscape and the Canadian AI ecosystem. This acquisition enabled the development of AI-driven products that improve the platform’s capabilities. ServiceNow Research has made significant contributions to the field of foundation models, notably in Natural Language Processing (NLP), and has a strong presence in developing generative models for different data domains.
(2) the challenges the partner aims to solve through this project
The project addresses security risks in commercial AI software systems, focusing on a self-reinforcing attack strategy that progressively poisons databases, influencing AI behavior. It aims to explore these risks and develop defense mechanisms against such stealthy and subtle attacks. This includes examining how untrusted sources, such as web content or emails, can inject malicious data into storage systems, posing significant threats to AI systems using retrieval-augmented generation.
(3) the anticipated social or economic benefits of the project for the partner organization(s)
The project aims to enhance the security and reliability of AI systems by understanding the threats associated with self-reinforcing attacks and developing defenses to protect against them. By open sourcing the findings of this work, we will contribute to safer and more secure AI integration in enterprise environments. This will not only protect sensitive data and reduce potential economic losses but also help bolster user trust of AI technologies and increase the rate at which these technologies can be safely adopted.