Innovative Projects Realized

Promoting Gender Equality through Social Innovation

From women-only taxi companies in New Delhi to smokeless stoves in Uganda, innovation can transform the lives of women and girls around the globe. While it is well known that social innovation and women’s empowerment are each processes that drive change, there is little research to date connecting social innovation to the empowerment of women and girls. This project will identify how social innovation connects to women’s empowerment through a partnership with MATCH International. This project will support MATCH through the launch, development and growth of the Women’s Fund for Social Innovation. As the first of its kind in Canada, the fund will invest in innovation projects proposed by women and girls in the global South. Through an extensive literature review, interviews with key players in the fields of social innovation and gender and development, and detailed case studies of the projects funded by MATCH, this project will help to shape the emerging field of “women and social innovation,” produce key recommendations, identify future areas of research and provide new insights to help empower women and girls in the developing world.

Mapping Intangible Cultural Resources through Reading Culture Analysis

In 2011, the City of London started developing a cultural resource database and mapping capability to provide a calculation of the economic impact of culture in the city and an assessment London’s cultural facilities infrastructure, with focus on tangible cultural resources. Although potentially more valuable than the tangible cultural assets, intangible cultural resources have not been explored in equal depth as they require specific methodologies and approaches to be captured and mapped out. The aim of this post-doctoral research is to define and apply a new methodology to discover intangible cultural resources of the City of London based on assessment of library and museums habits obtained via statistical analysis of public library and museums databases.

Electrodialysis treatment of Kraft black liquo rusing Bipolar membrane

The production capacity of the Kraft process is one of the important measures in the pulp and paper industry. A promising method for increasing the production capacity of the Kraft process is to lower the load of the recovery boiler by means of extracting lignin from the black liquor (BL).

One of the sustainable methods for this purpose is employing membrane separation processes such as electrochemical extraction. In particular, electrodialytic treatment with bipolar membrane leads to separation of various elements based on their chemical, physical, and electrochemical properties and production of caustic soda. BL consists of electrolytes such as well as non electrolytes such. Hence, electrodialysis with bipolar membrane (EDBPM) is an effective way for lignin extraction from BL.

The set of experimental work planned in this internship provides valuable knowledge for a practical EDBPM design and allows us to reflect on the potential and operating window of EDBPM as an alternative method for lignin extraction from Kraft BL.

Development of a standardized assay for after cooking darkening by which to support cultivar selection for breeding program and timing from storage for optimum processing

Two types of color changes occur in potato, raw potato darkening and after cooking darkening. We are investigating the factors behind each type of darkening in three potato cultivars (Chieftain, Goldrush, and Yukon Gold). Effect of digging method (hand/mechanical) and storage time (after 3,5, and 7 mo) were studies to find if the digging method and/or storage has any effect on darkening. In addition we are developing a digital photography system and color intensity measuring software to use in industry as inexpensive, quick, and more accurate determination of potato discoloration. Digital photography and color measuring software will eventually replace visual scoring of potato discoloration which is currently used in industry.

Management of ecosystem services of Haute Mauricie region in Quebec

Forest ecosystems are not only a source of timber, it also provides other societal benefits such as regulation of water quality, soil quality maintenance, climate regulation and pollination among many others. However, these services are not static and they change across time and space depending on the nature and extent of the changes in land use and land cover. This study in Mauricie region of Quebec will examine how ecosystem services has changed over the past decades, how they look like at present and what are the possible future scenarios. This study is expected to generate valuable information for sustainable management strategies that will enhance the resilience of forests in the Mauricie administrative region to future disturbances.

Addiction Neuromodulation System

In the prior Mitacs funding cluster, a clinical trial of opioid addiction was initiated and approved by both Health Canada and the ethics board of the Saint Joseph General Hospital. This research project expands upon that work. A smoking cravings reduction program using SmartStim transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been initiated by NorDocs, and Quit4 (an established smoking cessation program) is an early adopter. The projects in this cluster all focus upon optimizing and studying this new business. Each intern’s project is related to investigating this novel paradigm for reducing cravings with tDCS, and investigating the details of the efficacy of this program. The benefits of this project to NorDocs include 1) the potential for improved adoption ofSmartStim technology by customers, 2) a better understanding of how to improve procedures related to SmartStim, and 3) the ability to identify trends in the cravings clinics and to adapt quickly in response to identified market needs.

Weather and Climate Information for Snow Recreation

Individuals and organizations use weather information to help inform day-to-day decisions. This project focuses on the use of weather information by winter recreationists in the Province of Ontario. Based on survey data, the project will identify the main sources of weather forecast information, the importance placed on this information, and the influence of specific aspects of such information in decision making. Analysis of climate weather-station data will also be completed to understand the influence of micro-climatic factors on observed weather at one Ontario ski resort. Both the Ontario Snow Resort Association and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs serve their members by being a provider of key information for strategic and operational planning. The proposed research will address some of the knowledge gaps related to weather information utilization by winter recreationists, including skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers.

QU02 MRI: a new window on mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease

This project seeks to develop new methods for imaging oxidative and vascular function in the brain. The methods under development are based on widely available MRI hardware, which will make them feasible for use in future clinical drug trials, an application that is of interest to the partner organization CQDM. Before the approach is ready for commercial application, a number of methodological issues must be addressed to achieve optimal sensitivity, specificity, and tolerability in patients. The project thus consists of an initial development phase, during which MRI acquisition procedures will be optimized, followed by a clinical phase in which 100 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients as well as 100 age-matched controls will undergo imaging with the final protocol. The new data provided on oxidative and vascular changes in the brains of AD patients will provide a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms in AD, and new biomarkers of potential interest in future clinical trials of AD drugs. Ultimately, Canadians suffering from brain disorders would benefit from a personalised therapeutic intervention depending on their disease’s specific signature.

Sea spray icing and its Impacts on assets operating in harsh environments

Sea spraying icing is one of the ongoing problems in offshore operations. It may cause hazards and operational problems for both supply vessels and offshore drilling units. It is well known that spray icing leads to instant heat loss, sudden temperature drop, and rapid ice accumulation. However, there is lack of knowledge about the mechanism of this effect. The intern will undertake a detailed study on spray icing mechanism and its effects based on historical record, past field experience, and laboratory tests. This work aims to develop a protocol to further test and validate sea spray icing mechanism and its effects on assets operating in cold regions. This project is valuable to improvement of understanding of sea spray icing and will be help for American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to develop effective strategies for prevention and mitigation of icing in their future practices.

This research project was undertaken and completed with a grant from and the financial assistance of Petroleum Research Newfoundland & Labrador.

Risk-based Winterization of Assets Operating in Harsh Environments

The proposed project is an extension of an ongoing project with American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), which aims to develop a performance-based winterization guideline for assets operating in harsh environments. The project has led to a novel approach of assessing need of winterization and evaluating extent of winterization required to maintain assets in safe operating condition. The main objective of the proposed project is to further validate the developed approach through a real-world case, i.e., winterization of a ferry operating in offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. The outcome of this project will be useful for ABS to validate and improve the developed risk-based winterization method.

This research project was undertaken and completed with a grant from and the financial assistance of Petroleum Research Newfoundland & Labrador.

Growing Up With Cerebral Palsy: Transitioning from Childhood to Adolescence in the Healthcare System

Children living with NDDs are often dependent on their parents and healthcare providers. As these children reach adolescence and prepare to transition from the pediatric to the adult health care system many issues affecting their autonomy are currently not being addressed. In addition to feature articles, sidebar articles with multimedia components will further examine these social and ethical challenges. Additionally, monthly articles about NDD science and related social and legal issues will be produced. Work will appear in The Vancouver Sun, in print and online versions. Ultimately, this work aims to benefit The Sun’s audience by explaining complex science and ethical concerns in plain language that accurately reflects the facts and issues. The articles will include stories of real people and their struggles and provide an opportunity for empathy, interest, and understanding of children, adolescents, and adults affected by NDD and their families.

Hog Urine Treatment by Membrane Distillation

The objective of this project is to test the feasibility of the membranes for membrane distillation (MD), developed recently by University of Ottawa researchers, to treat hog urine for the production of clean water in lab scale as well as with a demo unit. The MD process is eventually integrated as a part of the ATD waste management system to produce clean water, which is recycled to the barn or used for irrigation.

Approximately 84,000 tonnes/day of hog urine are produced by the hogs in Canada. Currently, it is discarded without treatment causing severe pollution problems, while there is scarcity in water to be supplied to pigs and also required for irrigation of the farm. Therefore, the successful outcome of the project will have an enormous impact on the pork production industry of Canada. There is also potential of export of technology to China.