Innovative Projects Realized

Fundamental understanding of brewing phenomena and shelf-life extension of single-serve coffee – Year two

Brewing of premium coffee in single-serve capsule is challenging due to many design and machine constraints.
Moreover, parameters that affect the brew quality are not fully understood. By collaborating with Mother Parkers Tea
and Coffee Inc., this project will systematically evaluate the brewing parameters on the physical and sensorial
properties of drip and espresso coffees. Building upon the increased understanding of the single-serve brewing
process, and the research findings derived from a previous collaborative project with the industrial partner, novel
methodologies will be developed to enhance the quality of coffee brew, through applying creative designs on capsule
and brew system, as well as exploiting spent coffee ground – a significant by-product generated by the coffee
industry. Single-serve coffee capsule products have witnessed considerable growth over the past few years. Findings
from this project will allow the industrial partner to differentiate their products from those of their competitors.

Fundamental understanding of brewing phenomena and shelf-life extension of single-serve coffee

Brewing of premium coffee in single-serve capsule is challenging due to many design and machine constraints.
Moreover, parameters that affect the brew quality are not fully understood. By collaborating with Mother Parkers Tea
and Coffee Inc., this project will systematically evaluate the brewing parameters on the physical and sensorial
properties of drip and espresso coffees. Building upon the increased understanding of the single-serve brewing
process, and the research findings derived from a previous collaborative project with the industrial partner, novel
methodologies will be developed to enhance the quality of coffee brew, through applying creative designs on capsule
and brew system, as well as exploiting spent coffee ground – a significant by-product generated by the coffee
industry. Single-serve coffee capsule products have witnessed considerable growth over the past few years. Findings
from this project will allow the industrial partner to differentiate their products from those of their competitors.

Experimental and Computational Analysis of Explosion Risks in Hydrogen-Enriched Fuel Mixtures for Industrial Safety Applications

The global energy system remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, which continue to supply about 80% of global demand. While renewable energy is growing, combustion-based systems—such as gas turbines and engines—are expected to dominate for decades. This dependency contributes significantly to harmful emissions like CO and NO?. As a clean fuel with no carbon emissions at the point of use, hydrogen offers a promising alternative, but it introduces new technical challenges due to its high reactivity, which can cause combustion instability as flame flashback or blowout and increase NO? emissions.

This project investigates the laminar burning velocity (LBV) of hydrogen-enriched fuel blends under a wide range of equivalence ratios (lean, stoichiometric, and rich), temperatures, and dilution levels. LBV is a key indicator of flame speed, stability, and pollutant formation, and its measurement is essential for improving flame modeling and clean combustion system design.
Using the spherical flame method with high-speed imaging and the schlieren technique, the study will analyze flame structure, stretch, and instability. Results will support the development of predictive models and correlations, especially under elevated temperature, pressure, and turbulence. Ultimately, this work enables the safe, efficient integration of hydrogen into future combustion systems and advances clean energy transitions.

Scalable quantum computer for simulating nature

QV Studio specializes in creating and de-risking startups exclusively in the field of quantum innovation. The studio is deeply involved in transforming groundbreaking quantum technologies into commercially viable solutions, playing a key role in the creation, growth, and commercialization of quantum ventures. This is achieved through tailored programs and strategic collaborations with funding organizations, research facilities, and market experts, ensuring that each project has the tools and support needed to succeed. The technology challenge that will be explored in the plan is the development and investigation of quantum circuits suited for quantum computation, focussed on materials and chemistry simulation, specifically, fabrication of the chips, and experimental characterization of the chips, as detailed below. The anticipated benefits for QV Studio include the successful creation of a portfolio of commercially viable quantum companies, generating significant economic returns and solidifying its role as a central hub in the quantum ecosystem.

Drinking Water Treatment Infrastructure: Responding to Climate Change and Increasingly Variable Source Water Quality – Year two

As a result of climate change and other pressures that result in “extreme events” like wildfire and flooding, many
drinking water utilities are at risk of potentially catastrophic failure and need treatment adaptation strategies to
prepare for increasingly variable and potentially rapid deterioration in source water quality. Currently there are no
recognized tools for evaluating the anticipated impacts of such events on water treatment plant operations. This
research will enable Stantec Consulting Ltd. to become a leader in this area by 1) optimizing the performance of key
processes within a typical drinking water treatment plant facing these risks, 2) identifying water quality parameters of
critical import and their anticipated extremes, 3) optimizing key processes to address deterioration of water quality
while maintaining excellent baseline performance, and 4) developing a process optimization and costing tool to allow
“real time” assessment and process adjustment to maintain treatment plant compliance and performance.

herluma

herluma is a digital platform being developed in close collaboration with shelter staff in the homelessness serving sector and the unhoused community in the capital region of British Columbia. This digital platform enables shelter staff to manage bed availability, waitlists, and anonymous demographic data in real time.

Deuxième étape du développement commercial chez Ivesco

Ce projet s’inscrit comme la deuxième étape d’un mandat amorcé chez Ivesco, une entreprise spécialisée dans les additifs pour carburants. Après avoir élaboré une stratégie marketing et mis en place des outils de communication visant à structurer la prospection et à améliorer la relation client, cette nouvelle phase vise à concrétiser et étendre les actions engagées. Elle consiste à renforcer la présence commerciale de l’entreprise dans des marchés internationaux à fort potentiel, notamment en Amérique latine, en Asie et en Afrique francophone, tout en optimisant les outils de vente et de suivi client. Je travaillerai ainsi à structurer une approche plus systématique du développement d’affaires, à mettre en place un système CRM adapté aux besoins de l’entreprise et à adapter les présentations techniques aux différents contextes culturels et commerciaux. Ce projet permettra à Ivesco d’accroître l’efficacité de sa prospection, de mieux fidéliser sa clientèle et de consolider sa croissance à l’international, tout en me permettant de développer des compétences pratiques en marketing B2B, en stratégie commerciale et en gestion de projet dans un contexte multiculturel.

Drinking Water Treatment Infrastructure: Responding to Climate Change and Increasingly Variable Source Water Quality

As a result of climate change and other pressures that result in “extreme events” like wildfire and flooding, many
drinking water utilities are at risk of potentially catastrophic failure and need treatment adaptation strategies to
prepare for increasingly variable and potentially rapid deterioration in source water quality. Currently there are no
recognized tools for evaluating the anticipated impacts of such events on water treatment plant operations. This
research will enable Stantec Consulting Ltd. to become a leader in this area by 1) optimizing the performance of key
processes within a typical drinking water treatment plant facing these risks, 2) identifying water quality parameters of
critical import and their anticipated extremes, 3) optimizing key processes to address deterioration of water quality
while maintaining excellent baseline performance, and 4) developing a process optimization and costing tool to allow
“real time” assessment and process adjustment to maintain treatment plant compliance and performance.

Développement d’un agent d’intelligence artificielle pour l’automatisation de la facturation et du suivi des paiements au sein des PME

Le projet consiste à développer un agent intelligent qui aide à automatiser la gestion des factures et des paiements dans un logiciel comptable appelé SAGE. Cet agent imitera les actions des employés : il lira les messages liés aux paiements, enregistrera les informations dans le système et assurera un bon suivi des opérations. L’avantage pour l’organisme partenaire, AROUET Technologies, est de pouvoir offrir aux petites et moyennes entreprises une solution simple et abordable pour améliorer leur productivité. Cela leur permettra de gagner du temps, de réduire les erreurs et de rendre plus efficace le traitement des paiements sans changer leurs habitudes de travail.

Stage: Transport dans les cuprates dopés aux électrons, une étude sur les métaux étranges et la supraconductivité

La supraconductivité est un état quantique de la matière atteint à des températures frôlant le zéro absolu. Résistivité nulle, expulsion du champ magnétique et condensation des électrons sont autant de propriété émergent de la supraconducitivité qui sont exploité dans le développement de technologie comme les IRM, les trains magnétiques et les ordinateurs quantiques. Néanmoins, malgré ses applications multiples, la supraconductivité reste un phénomène mystérieux qui soulève beaucoup de question sans réponse chez les chercheurs.

Les cuprates, des matériaux dits: “supraconducteurs hautes températures”, forment une plateforme de base afin d’étudier la supraconductivité. En effet, ces oxides de cuivres ont l’avantage d’avoir de riches propriétés émergentes tout en étant relativement simples par rapport aux autres matériaux quantiques. Ces qualités en plus d’un état supraconducteur atteint à de haute température permettent aux chercheurs qui l’étudie de résoudre et d’étudier les différents problèmes qui à trait à la supraconductivité. Un de mystères les plus étudiés chez les cuprates est celui du métal étrange: une phase de la matière parente de la supraconductivité dont le comportement quantique est aussi étonnant que fascinant. Parmi ses propriétés, on compte notamment celle de diffusé les électrons d’une manière qu’aucune théorie ne peut prédire.

Développement d’un processus de standardisation des données pour le secteur des arts et de la culture

Face à la surabondance de l’offre culturelle en ligne, les contenus québécois peinent à rejoindre leurs publics. Le projet vise à renforcer la découvrabilité de ces contenus grâce à une meilleure structuration des métadonnées – ces descriptions essentielles qui permettent de faire le lien entre les œuvres et les publics. Porté par Synapse C, ce projet accompagne des organismes culturels (musique, livre, arts de la scène, cinéma) pour harmoniser leurs données selon les référentiels existants au Québec. Il combine analyse des besoins, enrichissement des données, modélisation analytique et développement d’outils concrets pour favoriser une visibilité accrue des contenus culturels francophones en ligne et hors ligne. Un stagiaire appuyé par l’équipe de Synapse C et la professeure Joëlle Pineau contribuera à toutes les étapes, de la collecte à l’analyse, jusqu’au déploiement de solutions personnalisées.

Imaging Biomarkers for Nanotherapeutics – Year two

Poor drug accumulation at tumor sites negatively affects the efficacy of many anti-cancer therapeutics. Development
of non-invasive strategies that can effectively monitor drug biodistribution is important, especially given the increasing
number and complexity of nanotherapeutic agents in clinical development. The use of positron emission tomography
in conjunction with a radiolabeled drug delivery system has the potential to achieve accelerated clinical translation.
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals focuses on the development of nanotherapeutic platforms for cancer therapy and
imaging. Their liposome-based chemotherapeutics have shown clinical benefit in breast and pancreatic cancer
patients. However, the overall efficacy of these compounds has been limited due to high inter-patient response
variability. Merrimack and our research group believe that the development of robust imaging-based methods to
quantify the drug distribution in patients can positively affect the therapeutic outcome as it allows for investigation of
patient-specific drug deposition and its potential for prediction of treatment response.