Innovative Projects Realized

Evaluating the impacts of the “Making room for climate emotions in the classroom” program on children’s coping with climate change

The present project aims to train teachers in the UK to conduct the “Making room for climate emotions in the classroom” program as they teach about climate change in their classrooms. The impacts of participating in the program on the mental health of children will be measured to better understand if this program can reduce eco-anxiety in children and increase meaning coping.

Étude de marché pour un nouveau service de bien-être au travail

Dans le cadre du développement d’un nouveau programme de bien-être au travail, un projet d’étude de marché doit être élaborée afin de valider l’intérêt et les besoins spécifiques des organisations ciblées. Ce projet comprend une phase d’analyse qualitative et quantitative, incluant des sondages auprès des employés et des gestionnaires, ainsi que des entretiens approfondis avec des experts en santé organisationnelle. L’objectif est de recueillir des données sur les priorités en matière de bien-être, les défis actuels et les solutions souhaitées. Les résultats permettront d’identifier les segments les plus intéressés, de personnaliser les composantes du programme et d’élaborer une stratégie de mise en œuvre alignée avec les attentes du marché. Cette démarche vise à assurer la pertinence et le succès du programme, tout en maximisant son impact sur la santé et la satisfaction des employés.

Business Analyst Intern

This project will combine an in-depth research phase with AI-driven tools to help companies locate, onboard, and manage top international talent more effectively and at a lower cost. By analyzing global employment trends, labor regulations, and best practices for remote team management, I will gather data and develop clear, evidence-based hiring strategies. At the same time, I will assist in implementing AI components—such as automated candidate screening, predictive analytics for talent retention, and natural language processing for job descriptions—to streamline recruitment and payroll management. Through these contributions, I will help reduce operational overhead, maintain access to highly qualified global candidates, and foster productive collaborations for the partner organization.

An IGF-Trap for cancer therapy

The Brodt laboratory engineered and developed a novel IGF-targeting molecule (the IGF-Trap) with otent anti-cancer effects. The objective of this project is to optimize the use of this potential drug in re-clinical cancer models and develop sensitive biomarkers for assessing and predicting its effect. In addition, the effect of this inhibitor on pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis and its utility in nononcology ndication will be evaluated. Ultimately, the expectation is to identify and engage a pharmaceutical partner for transition of this inhibitor to the clinic for cancer treatment.

Advancing Face Recognition Technology: Exploring 2D and 3D Synthetic Face Image Generation using AI

Applied Recognition Corp. (ARC) a Canadian software company, which develops face recognition technology solutions, which are engineered to be both accurate and practical, allowing your organization to upgrade to biometrics simply and inexpensively. ARC relies on high-quality training data sets of human face images to train their machine learning models and ensure the accuracy of their image detection algorithms. However, they face a significant challenge in terms of the availability of high-quality data for training and testing purposes. To tackle this challenge, ARC is experimenting with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) image generation tools. ARC is collaborating with WIMTACH CEDA to research and analyze the limitations and challenges associated with generating synthetic face images using various AI image generation tools.

ARC is continuing its collaboration with WIMTACH to address the critical challenge of high-quality training data for its machine learning models. To ensure accuracy and practicality, ARC relies on robust datasets of human face images, but the availability of such data remains a key obstacle.

Building on previous research conducted by ARC, this project focuses on advancing the use of AI image generation tools to create synthetic face images. The project will delve deeper into the limitations, challenges, and opportunities of synthetic data generation, aiming to optimize the performance of ARC’s facial recognition algorithms.

A key outcome will be a comprehensive design document outlining the control features and parameters—such as image diversity, resolution, realism, and bias mitigation—that influence the quality and utility of synthetic images. This project aims to provide actionable insights to enhance the effectiveness of ARC’s biometric solutions while ensuring cost-effective, scalable, and ethical data practices.

Evaluating BIPOC Residencies

This project identifies two areas of interest to the residency. How does Empire of Dirt meet the safety requirements of hosting IB+POC artists. How does Empire of Dirt support the furthering of a network for IB+POC artists. Through this project we seek to more fully understand how safety (particularly cultural safety, social safety, safety of community) is implicated, enacted, and possible in the context of an artist residency. This includes both understanding what artists need on a practical level through safety concerns, but also understanding how notions of safety are defined, buoyed, and understood in community contexts. This research project will engage with IB+POC artists and site-specific research towards these questions, enabling EoD to foster a sense of safety for IB+POC artists at the residency, and build a growing network of IB+POC artists.

Hummingbird

For this application, Solace has developed a hybrid inverter topology which incorporates a half-bridge synchronous buck converter into the inverter. The buck converter is a pain point in the topology — to limit the size of magnetic components, it is desirable to operate the buck at relatively high frequency (>300 kHz). However, switching loss in the half bridge increases proportionally with frequency, resulting in unmanageable waste heat. Looking to the future, the problem will be exacerbated when adapting the design to a supply voltage of 800 VDC, as compared to the existing 400 VDC supply. It is this problem that we aim to address in this research.

Étude accélérée des propriétés physico-chimiques de mélange céramique LAGTP par criblage haut débit : Synthèse, caractérisation et optimisation des performances.

Ce travail porte sur les électrolytes solides pour batteries à lithium métal, en particulier les électrolytes céramiques, qui offrent une bonne conductivité ionique mais sont difficiles à produire par les méthodes classiques. L’impression 3D est explorée pour simplifier la mise en forme et optimiser les propriétés des électrolytes, permettant de personnaliser les formes et compositions des matériaux. Cette méthode a montré sa faisabilité sans altérer les propriétés fonctionnelles, comme la conductivité ionique.

Cependant, des déformations géométriques ont été observées après les traitements thermiques nécessaires. Un nouvel électrolyte a été conçu en combinant des céramiques conductrices ioniques, réduisant ainsi les déformations. L’optimisation du ratio et de la composition de ce mélange est un axe de recherche clé, bien qu’il nécessite plus de temps et de ressources si effectué par des méthodes traditionnelles.

Le laboratoire d’accueil (CEA) utilise une technique de dépôt céramique à partir de cibles personnalisées, permettant de créer plusieurs compositions en un seul dépôt. Cette méthode, couplée à des techniques de caractérisation avancées, accélère la découverte et l’optimisation de nouveaux matériaux.

L’objectif du projet est d’étudier les propriétés physico-chimiques de différents ratios dans un mélange céramique conducteur ionique, en utilisant la méthode de criblage haut débit développée par le CEA Tech.

Novel product and process development for berry powder productinusing enzyme technology

The research aims to develop new technology for production of nutritional berry powders with lower production cost and higher quality. The project will test the properties of the raw material and formulate new method for processing the sample for simpler and cost effective production process. With the outcome of this project, the partner organization will be able to sell high quality product and gain a higher profit margin. The intern will get an oppourtunity to implement the principles of fundamental science in an industrial framework. This will facilitate the transition from academia to industry. The project will enable the industry to strengthen its research and development capabilities and assimilate new graduates to the mainstream industrial research.

Numerical investigations of arctic pipeline leaks and its fate

Leak detection and location identification of leakage of arctic pipelines in a timely manner is very important because the economic impact of an oil spill to its stakeholders can be huge. It could have an adverse impact on life, the environment, the economy and corporate reputation. In this study a numerical investigations will be employed using CFD packages for simulating pipeline leaks using various test fluids. The simulation will show the influence of small leaks on local pressure and temperature gradients, and the acoustic signature contours around the leak source. This will help to identify if it is within the detection thresholds of fiber optics cable. The theoretical minimum threshold values of the parameters in order to detect small chronic leaks will be determined. The CFD study will also reveal the consequences of the fluid dispersion and its migration path after the leakage

SSE – QV Studio – Pritam Priyadarsi

We are pioneering a state-of-the-art instrument that enables 3D imaging of single electron spins in individual spin-labeled biomolecules with unparalleled nanometer spatial resolution in volumes as small as (50-nm)³. This innovative capability allows for the direct determination of coordination among spin-labeled molecules, providing unique insights into the structure of biomolecular complexes that existing technologies cannot achieve. Our instrument incorporates several advanced features to attain exceptional sensitivity in detecting single electron spins within biologically relevant volumes. We utilize ultra-sensitive silicon nanowire mechanical sensors for precise spin detection and employ nanoscale current-driven field gradient sources to facilitate 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Additionally, we implement optimal control pulse sequences to enhance spin control and achieve long spin coherence times, which are essential for high-resolution imaging. To further increase imaging efficiency, our technology employs compressed sensing measurement protocols, streamlining the data acquisition process and enabling detailed 3D imaging of nanoscale volumes. Collectively, these features position our instrument as a revolutionary tool in biomolecular research, offering unprecedented access to structural details that are critical for understanding complex biological systems. We seek seed funding to commercialize this cutting-edge technology, which has the potential to transform the study of biomolecules and pave the way for advancements in areas such as drug discovery and disease diagnostics.

Effets des variables environnementales et de la contamination sur la diversité et la distribution des ostracodes de la mangrove de la Guadeloupe

Les ostracodes sont de tout petits crustacés qui, grâce à plusieurs de leurs caractéristiques, sont de très bons indicateurs de la qualité de l’eau. Le projet de maitrise de l’étudiante a pour but de déterminer quelles espèces on retrouve dans les mangroves de Guadeloupe, un écosystème déclaré en danger par l’Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature (UICN) en 2024. Ce milieu est très important dans la lutte contre les changements climatiques, puisqu’il permet de grandement diminuer la quantité de carbone dans l’air en le stockant dans le sol. Une meilleure connaissance de l’état actuel de la mangrove et de son évolution dans le temps permettra un suivi environnemental plus rigoureux et pourra aider aux futurs efforts de conservation. Ainsi, ce stage aura pour but de former l’étudiante à l’identification des ostracodes dans le laboratoire du Professeur Peter Frenzel, expert dans le sujet, à l’Université de Jena en Allemagne. Cette expertise sera très utile à ramener au Québec, et même au Canada, où il n’y actuellement pas de spécialistes dans l’étude des ostracodes. En étant formée sur leur écologie et leur taxonomie, l’étudiante pourra appliquer ces connaissances aux environnements aquatiques québécois dans des projets de conservation futurs.