Innovative Projects Realized

Augmenting NVD-based Attack Path Generation with New Factors for Cloud Environments

To quantitatively assess the security level of a cloud environment, a common method is to construct an attack graph which tracks a potentail attacker’s moves through interconnected computing systems by exploiting vulnerabilities of each system, one after another. The state-of-the-art automatic attack graph generation suffers from two limitations: 1) low quality or inconsistency of vulnerability descriptions (as the generation relies on the description text in an automated manner for scalability), leading to inaccurate attack paths, and 2) the vertical layer of VMs/containers not reflected in the attack paths (as traditional approaches only consider horizontal network links between nodes, not exploits from a hosted environment to a hosting environment). Our project will address the two limitations by 1) using machine learning and specifically large language models to process multiple sources of vulnerability information/description (e.g., the IBM and Redhat reports) so that more accurate attack paths can be generated, and 2) reclassifying vulnerabilities into horizontal exploits and vertical exploits to take into account the hosted and hosting relationship, and constructing 2-dimensional attack graphs.

Director, Ethics Bowl Canada Student Department

The purpose of this project is to provide an Intern with the resources, structure, and support necessary to expand the Ethics Bowl Canada Student Department, a place in which alumni of the activity gain professional development experience, volunteer experience, and exposure to non profit governance. The Intern will be responsible for recruiting students, creating a strategic framework and leading projects which advance that framework.

Benefit Agreement Opportunities for the Newfoundland Start-Up Community

The goal of this research is to explore opportunities for the Newfoundland and Labrador government to optimize BAs with oil and gas companies in a manner that feeds the development of entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the province. IVC Consulting Inc. is a Newfoundland-based consulting group that helps clients find innovative, valuable and creative ways to improve their business. IVC often works with resource sector businesses to identify opportunities to increase their competitive advantage and public profile in the local market. IVC is interested in the opportunity to optimize the use of benefit agreements for its natural resource clients.

L’impact de la conversion des monographies de produit au format XML sur les petites et moyennes entreprises pharmaceutiques – Étude de cas : Mantra Pharma

Ce projet vise à analyser l’impact de l’obligation réglementaire imposée par Santé Canada concernant la soumission des monographies de produit au format XML, en se concentrant sur une entreprise de taille moyenne : Mantra Pharma.

Le projet analysera les processus actuels utilisé chez Mantra pour répondre à cette exigence, identifiera les obstacles rencontrés (techniques, humains, organisationnels) et proposera des pistes concrètes pour optimiser la transition. Il combinera l’analyse documentaire, l’examen des outils utilisés et des échanges avec les membres de l’équipe réglementaire.

Les résultats attendus incluent un rapport interne sur les impacts de la conversion XML, des recommandations pratiques pour améliorer l’efficacité et réduire les délais de soumission. Ce projet contribuera à améliorer la conformité réglementaire de Mantra tout en soutenant sa capacité à répondre aux exigences de Santé Canada.

Automating Web Application Security Testing for Enhanced Efficiency and Coverage

Forward Security is a cybersecurity firm focused on helping clients identify and mitigate application-level vulnerabilities. One of their current innovation priorities is improving the efficiency and accuracy of manual security testing practices by leveraging automation, particularly in alignment with the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS), a globally recognized framework for secure software development and verification. Traditionally, application security assessments—especially those using tools like Burp Suite and OWASP ZAP require significant manual effort to validate controls across ASVS categories. This creates operational bottlenecks and inconsistencies, especially as testing scales across multiple projects or teams. The challenge is to build intelligent automation tools that integrate seamlessly into existing security workflows while providing reliable, standards-aligned assessments. This is not part of the organization’s core product development or day-to-day consulting operations, but rather a strategic enhancement aimed at increasing internal capability and possibly contributing back to the security community. To solve this challenge, the partner organization requires an intern with a rare combination of technical skills: understanding of application security, familiarity with the OWASP ASVS, hands-on experience with the Burp Suite API, and the ability to write extensible, production-grade code in Java and/or Python.

Novel Graphene and Catalyst Materials

This project will work on the development of a plasma process for synthesis of carbon nanomaterials. The effort will focus on design of the entire core components to allow very low carrier gas flow rates. The low gas consumption was identified as the highest cost factor in the manufacture of graphene, fullerenes and nanotubes (using catalysts). These materials are used batteries, polymer additives, healthcare, agriculture and photovoltaic applications. This parameter space has limited review in literature. The properties of the synthesized nanomaterials, extractable fullerenes and the possibility of direct in situ recovery by sublimation will be made. The expected advantage of this approach is: i) lower carrier gas consumption, ii) more efficient energy utilization, iii) improved product recovery and iv) overall production costs reduced by an order of magnitude. Working with an established industrial partner will also validate commercialization opportunities.

Impact assessment for Women’s Centres Connect

Women Centre’s Connect (WCC) is launching a province-wide Impact Assessment Initiative that will rigorously measure—and transparently communicate—the economic and social returns generated by its programs, with the explicit goal of unlocking sustained government funding. This project will build a robust evidence framework that traces how WCC’s services move women from economic inactivity or precarious circumstances into stable employment, quantifying outcomes such as incremental tax revenues, public-service cost savings (e.g., reduced shelter use and crisis interventions), and downstream community benefits. Drawing on best-practice methodologies used in labour-market and social-finance evaluations, the assessment will consolidate fragmented data sources, introduce new outcome metrics, and apply a defensible return-on-investment (ROI) model that aligns with the province’s economic-development agenda. By producing an independently validated report and an easy-to-update dashboard, the initiative will equip policy makers with hard numbers—rather than moral appeals—demonstrating that every dollar invested in WCC yields multiple dollars in fiscal and productivity gains. Securing funding for this assessment is therefore pivotal: without empirical proof of impact, WCC risks losing the resources and legitimacy required to expand its work, whereas a credible ROI case will position the organization to secure a permanent, government-funded role in driving Nova Scotia’s economic growth.

A Multi-Agent System (MAS) platform for AI-Assisted Patient Assessment and Prognosis in Obesity

This project will develop a multi agent-based personalized healthcare platform that helps healthcare providers better understand and support people living with obesity. The tool will use artificial intelligence, large-language models to ask questions about a patient’s mental health, lifestyle, and quality of life, then use that information to suggest more tailored treatment options, such as drug responsiveness. By working on this project, the partner organization will gain a new, innovative way to support doctors and patients—going beyond basic tools to deliver smarter, more compassionate care.

Development of a software platform to connect brands with vetted vendors

The proposed project involves the intern supporting the development of NOUN, a software platform that connects beauty brands with trusted manufacturers. The intern will help improve how data is organized and shared between brands and vendors, making it faster and easier to manage product development. This work will help the partner organization, EC Studios, launch the NOUN platform more efficiently, saving time and reducing errors for both internal teams and external clients.

Optimized DAP Placement and WiMAX Planning for Smart Grid

Smart grid aims at improving the power grid performance, security and reliability through monitoring, controlling and protecting the grid dynamically. As communication infrastructure and technologies provide two-way data communication between grid endpoints, they are the key enablers for smart grid realization. WiMAX and 802.15.4g is among the dominant considered communication technologies for smart grid implementation. During this PhD internship, we intend to enhance and optimize these communication technologies and also provide a cost-efficient architecture towards the requirements of smart grid applications. New methods and algorithms are devised in order to adapt the communication technology with the smart grid system profile specifications. Powertech Labs Inc. is a BC Hydro subsidiary which provides clean energy and engineering consultation towards optimizing power systems and providing smart grid solutions. This project provides the partner with guidelines on optimized network planning based on the above-mentioned communication technologies. Our analysis and simulations help Powertech Labs Inc. to have a better understanding of the network before the actual implementation. It also enables Powertech Labs Inc. to introduce new services to customers and to facilitate new demand-side management and energy efficiency programs involving a higher degree of customer participation.

TRLUP – Triboelectric Measurement Devices

This project focuses on developing a novel triboelectric sensor to improve the efficiency and reliability of industrial processes specifically in gas-phase polyethylene production. In these reactors, plastic particles often accumulate electrostatic charge during operation, leading to dangerous buildups that can cause the formation of solid “sheets,” resulting in costly unplanned shutdowns.

The goal of this project is to design and prototype a next-generation electrostatic sensing system capable of monitoring the overall charge of particles in real-time instead of relying on very local measurements. By combining this new hardware with advanced signal analysis, we aim to give operators early warnings when static levels rise, allowing timely interventions to prevent problems in advance. Ultimately, the project brings together science, engineering, and innovation to solve a long-standing industrial challenge and support cleaner, smarter, and more efficient industrial operation.

Modélisation technico-économique multi-énergie pancanadienne

Le stage s’inscrit dans un projet R&D qui s’étend sur trois ans, porté par le consortium international “Hydrogen and Climate Partnership – A new hydrogen network between Canada and Germany as a key component of a climate-neutral energy system”. Ce projet a pour objectif d’analyser les relations et les effets de la restructuration des chaînes de valeur industrielle afin d’explorer la coopération entre le Canada et l’Allemagne basée sur l’hydrogène au regard des critères d’économie, d’écologie et de sécurité d’approvisionnement.
Les stratégies nationales de décarbonisation dans le monde entier intègrent l’hydrogène comme la meilleure solution pour atteindre les objectifs communs de réduction des gaz à effet de serre. Il est nécessaire pour les décideurs de mieux comprendre ses avantages et ses limites dans les futurs systèmes énergétiques. À ce titre, l’objectif du projet consiste à fournir une suite d’outils de modélisation pour évaluer l’impact de l’hydrogène et des stratégies de décarbonation au Canada. Le but est de s’adresser à la fois aux décideurs publics pour les aider dans le déploiement de leur stratégie hydrogène, et aux industries privées qui ont besoin de visibilité pour investir efficacement dans toute la chaîne de valeur en maîtrisant leurs risques.
Notre plateforme de modélisation Artelys Crystal intègre des modèles fins pour tous les actifs composant les systèmes et réseaux électriques et de gaz naturel. Un modèle de la région du Nord-Est de l’Amérique du Nord est déjà développé dans Artelys Crystal. Avec ce projet, nous visons à intégrer au modèle électrique tous les modèles liés à la chaîne de valeur H2, à savoir une représentation fine et des paramètres technico-économiques des différents types d’électrolyseurs, des réseaux H2 pour la transmission et la distribution incluant le stockage et la consommation. Il sera ainsi possible d’effectuer des analyses prospectives sur les comportements possibles des systèmes électrique dans une économie où l’hydrogène a une place prépondérante.