Innovative Projects Realized

Les défis de la quantification de l’ESG des grands projets d’infrastructure

Mesurer et divulguer sur la durabilité des activités est une tendance croissante chez les grandes entreprises, qui cherchent à obtenir le soutien des investisseurs en faisant preuve de transparence et d’engagement envers les sphères environnementale, sociale et de gouvernance (ESG). En fait, les risques associés à ces dimensions peuvent se matérialiser en pénalités financières. Les investisseurs soucieux des risques cherchent à s’informer sur ceux auxquels s’exposent les organisations afin d’aguiller leurs décisions. Le cadre ESG est prisé pour communiquer ces risques, et requiert d’évaluer et mesurer l’impact et les risques des activités par rapport à ces facteurs. Il est toutefois complexe de quantifier l’ESG, soit de fournir des données comparables, pertinentes et transparentes. Notre partenaire intègre les critères ESG, et œuvre dans l’investissement et la gestion d’infrastructures durables. Pour réaliser sa stratégie ESG et assurer l’appui de ses investisseurs, beaucoup d’efforts sont consacrés à la production de données ESG. Ce projet s’intéresse aux défis de la quantification de l’ESG des grands projets d’infrastructure, et cherche à mieux comprendre ces enjeux pour soutenir le déploiement de stratégies ESG et ouvrir les possibilités pour mieux faire face aux défis. Notre partenaire en bénéficiera directement, au gré des apprentissages issus de cette recherche.

Benchmarking the Health Leadership Gap in Canada 2025

This research project aims to understand and improve leadership in Canadian healthcare organizations. Over the next five years, many healthcare leaders are expected to retire, creating a need for new leaders who are well-prepared to handle the challenges of a rapidly changing healthcare system. The project will use surveys and focus groups to gather insights from healthcare workers at all levels, from senior executives to frontline staff, to identify gaps in leadership skills, diversity, and succession planning. The goal is to find out what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to be done to develop strong, inclusive, and innovative leaders for the future.

The findings will help the Canadian Health Leadership Network (CHLNet) and its partners create better leadership training programs, improve staff engagement, and ensure healthcare organizations are ready for future challenges. By addressing these leadership gaps, the project will help healthcare organizations provide better care, retain talented staff, and adapt to new technologies and practices. This will ultimately lead to a stronger, more effective healthcare system for all Canadians.

Ecological models to manage and understand the effects of floating photovoltaics on aquatic ecosystems

Floating photovoltaics (FPVs), an emerging technology used to harvest solar energy from the surface of waterbodies, has grown rapidly in recent years with the increase in initiatives to decarbonize energy production. However, much of the literature on environmental impacts of FPVs focuses on water quality rather than on impacts on biotic processes such as primary production, which is the foundation of the aquatic food web in many lakes and reservoirs. This project will assess effects of various management scenarios for FPVs on two key groups of primary producers, macrophytes and phytoplankton. To this end, we will modify an extant mathematical model, GPLake-M, to allow for varying levels of shading and surface coverage by FPVs. The model will then be used to simulate the influence of FPVs on phytoplankton-macrophyte dynamics both in vertically mixed and vertically layered communities. Management insights resulting from this project will benefit both Brazil and Canada, both of which have vast extensions of inland waters and thus great potential for energy production through FPVs.

CO2/NH3 Bi-Direction Shipping between Canada and Asia

“Green shipping corridors” are being established globally, including interest in new cargos of hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The former is challenging to transport in neat form, making liquid organic carriers (LOCs) and ammonia (NH3) attractive forms for transport. Carbon sequestration sites are also being established for CO2 disposal, however many are located far from near term point-sources of CO2 capture and later sites for renewably powered direct air capture (DAC). Shipping costs for both applications are challenging due the overall economics; as a possible solution, NH3 transport in one direction and CO2 transport in opposite direction can help drive down transport costs for both cargo types.
Transporting NH3 in one voyage direction, and CO2 transport in the opposite direction will avoid empty tank cruises. Both chemical species can be transported in a commonly designed tank given temperatures and pressure behavior. This project will carry out techno-economic assessment (TEA) of NH3 transport from BC to Asia, and return of CO2 for sequestration in BC. The work will explore key unknown aspects such as tank cleaning and design for transport conditions.

Immersive Sound Spaces

The principal objective of the MITACS internship project is to develop immersive audio environments to be utilized, evaluated, and studied by the community involved in the “Sensing Differently” SSHRC project, including participants and co-researchers. It will involve designing custom tools for incorporating immersive audio recordings into ethnographic research contexts. These tools will enable “Sensing Differently” researchers to explore how immersive environments can be effectively employed in research with neurodivergent communities, assess community comfort with these technologies, and evaluate their potential to enhance accessibility in the physical world. The MITACS project’s focus on immersive audio environments will enrich the ELEKTRA Festival’s Virtual Museum initiative by enhancing visitor experiences with spatial soundscapes for existing artworks and inspiring the creation of new, sound-focused artworks using these techniques.

Utilisation de caoutchouc recyclé dans les enrobés et formulation d’enrobés à granulométrie ouverte modifiés au caoutchouc recyclé

Ce projet de recherche consiste en l’étude de l’utilisation de poudrette de caoutchouc recyclés traités pour amélioration du comportant des enrobés bitumineux. L’utilisation de la poudrette de caoutchouc devrait permettre une amélioration du comportement à chaud et à froid des enrobés tout en diminuant la quantité de bitume d’apport, ce qui est très intéressant sur le plan environnemental. Des essais de résistance à la fissuration thermique, des essais de modules et des essais de fatigues seront réalisés. L’étudiant aura l’opportunité d’accroitre ses connaissances sur les matériaux bitumineux avec ce projet, et l’entreprise bénéficiera de l’expertise de l’ÉTS sur ce type de matériaux afin de bien évalué la faisabilité de l’utilisation de leur poudrette de caoutchouc recyclé traité.

Fostering consensus decision-making in collaborative fisheries management

Under the Fisheries Resource Reconciliation Agreement, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and eight First Nations are working to build consensus in joint-recommendations and decisions regarding fisheries resources in areas of the BC coast. This project contributes to best practices from other Nation-Crown decision-making processes to help us build an informed process to reach consensus leading to robust joint recommendations to leadership.

Analyse des sentiments vocaux bilingues : Améliorer l’intelligence émotionnelle de l’IA

Paperminds est une entreprise en intelligence conversationnelle qui repense la façon dont les marques se connectent avec leurs parties prenantes par l’art de la conversation et la science de la compréhension. Nous combinons la science comportementale avec des technologies d’apprentissage profond avancées pour créer des conversations hyper personnalisées à grande échelle, transformant les transactions traditionnelles en relations authentiques et durables. Le projet consiste à développer des modèles d’apprentissage profond pour la détection des sentiments.

Acuity Insights – McMaster Summer Internship Program 2025

This project will provide a marketing intern with hands-on experience supporting Acuity Insights’ business growth and expansion into new markets. The intern will conduct market research, analyze engagement data, assist with event marketing, and optimize marketing processes to help Acuity improve its outreach and impact in the education technology sector. Their work will contribute to better lead generation, more efficient marketing operations, and stronger brand positioning, helping Acuity expand globally while improving access to higher education solutions. Through this internship, the intern will gain valuable skills in marketing, data analysis, and business strategy, while Acuity benefits from enhanced marketing insights and operational improvements.

The Faculty Supervisor will provide mentorship and support to the Student for the duration of the award. Frequency and format of the meetings may vary but the typical amount of support will be for one hour bi-weekly, to be scheduled for the duration of the internship. The faculty supervisor can be contacted at anytime by email as well.

L2M – GradFinder

We are building GradFinder, an online platform that connects students with professors who are actively recruiting for thesis-based graduate programs. Many students struggle to find available positions, and professors are overwhelmed by unqualified inquiries. Our platform streamlines this process, improving access and efficiency on both sides. Through this project, we aim to refine our business model, validate key assumptions, and move closer to market readiness. Support from the Lab2Market Launch program and MITACS BSI will help us accelerate the development of a scalable, tech-driven solution that supports graduate education and enhances Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem.

AI-Assisted Decision Support Tools to Accelerate Catalytic Materials Design/Discovery: Towards Net-Zero Emissions

This project aims to accelerate the discovery of efficient high-entropy alloy (HEA) catalytic materials for CO2 electrolysis by integrating advanced quantum AI-based optimization techniques with quantum mechanics computation. By combining these cutting-edge methods, the project seeks to identify novel, efficient, and costeffective catalysts that can convert CO2 into valuable products, contributing to the achievement of net-zero emissions.
The participating institutions, including Polytechnique Montréal, CanmetENERGY, and Eindhoven University of Technology, will benefit from enhanced collaboration in advanced materials research, the development of state-ofthe-art data-driven models, and a deeper understanding of electrolysis processes for sustainable energy applications.

Enhancing Business Retention and Expansion Strategies Through Data-Drive Economic Development

The Business Retention & Expansion Coordinator provides support to various Economic Development functions, including the Business Retention & Expansion Program, Customer Origin, Trade Area as well as to providing the student with hands-on experience and exposure to Economic Development practices.