Innovative Projects Realized

Enhancing Knowledge Self-Awareness in Large Language Models through Self-Explanation and Self-Reflection

Large language models (LLMs) are becoming ubiquitous given their ability to excel at many tasks. However, there has yet to emerge a comprehensive understanding of their internal mechanisms, in particular with regards to how LLMs use the knowledge it possesses. Previous works have suggested that despite LLMs possessing knowledge, they can often be incapable of using it directly. However, additional works have also proposed the use of self-explanations as a way to induce LLMs to rationalize and explain their behaviour, enabling for the analysis of LLMs even without explicit access or understanding of their internal dynamics. For this end, self-explanations also provide an avenue to better understand whether LLMs understand the scope of their knowledge and if they can use this information to achieve factually correct responses, even if such information is not directly known. Using LLMs within self-reflective loops, we can uncover how LLMs understand the information it has been trained on, how it accesses this information for downstream purposes as well as whether or not it can understand when necessary information is missing, providing an improved understanding of LLMs and better utilizing them in more reliable ways in the future.

Optimizing Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste

In Canada every year, approximately 20% of the food produced becomes waste and food waste is Canada’s largest residual municipal solid waste category. Despite diversion strategies like composting, 28% of residential and 25% of industrial, commercial, and institutional solid waste is comprised of food waste and landfilled or incinerated. Food waste can be converted to valuable resources, for example anaerobic digestion relies on the activity of diverse groups of microbes to degrade food waste and convert it to biogas, which can be used in a similar manner to natural gas, and fertilizers useful for crop production. Although a useful technology, improvements to the anaerobic digestion process is possible by gaining a greater understanding of the relationship between various food waste feedstocks and the metabolic activity of different microbial groups. This project will analyze production of markers of microbial metabolism, lactic acid and volatile fatty acids, in response to different types of food waste. A greater understanding of the complex biological and chemical reactions occurring in anerobic digesters will lead to greater capacity to treat food waste and to increase the value of the biogas and fertilizer products via increased yields.

Machine Learning and Software engineer interns working with public and private sector organizations to develop and commercialize AI-powered solutions

THIS IS A GENERIC TEXT PUT IN PLACE AS THERE WAS NO PROJECT OVERVIEW

Double diplôme de doctorat : Effets d’entraînements d’exercices aérobie, avec ou sans gravité artificielle, sur la régulation de la prise alimentaire et de la balance énergétique pendant un analogue de microgravité de 60 jours chez l’homme sain

Lors des missions spatiales, les astronautes perdent souvent du muscle en raison de la microgravité, ce qui pourrait être aggravé par une balance énergétique négative, c’est-à-dire consommer moins de calories que celles dépensées. Pour les prochaines missions, les agences spatiales considèrent la gestion de cette balance comme essentielle. Cependant, peu d’études ont exploré comment l’exercice, un élément important de la dépense énergétique, influence l’apport énergétique en microgravité. Il se pourrait que l’exercice intense recommandé pour protéger la santé des astronautes entraîne aussi une perte de poids involontaire et non soutenable à long terme.

Notre étude vise à vérifier cette hypothèse en simulant la microgravité pendant 60 jours à l’aide du modèle physiologique le plus complet en ce sens ; l’alitement prolongé avec la tête légèrement inclinée. Ce modèle, couramment utilisé en recherche spatiale, permet de reproduire les conditions vécues par les astronautes. Nous évaluerons l’effet d’exercices aérobie et de gravité artificielle sur la régulation de l’énergie et la prise alimentaire. Ce projet aidera à mieux ajuster les prescriptions d’exercice et l’alimentation pour les futures missions spatiales et pour les personnes alitées sur Terre.

La dimension spirituelle de la naissance. Dialogue des épistémologies Nord et Sud pour une anthropologie transversale de la naissance

L’introduction des chirurgiens dans les couches des grandes familles à partir du XVIIe siècle qui peu à peu dressait une frontière entre la naissance et la nature a permis à une autre forme d’anthropologie de la naissance d’émerger en Occident : les pratiques obstétricales biomédicalisées. La science et la technologie remplacent les valeurs spirituelles qui définissaient l’être humain. Ces avancées deviennent des normes universelles, même dans les sociétés dites traditionnelles. Les discours sur la quête du sens et ce besoin spirituel face à l’adversité, la maladie, etc., montrent qu’il y a l’absence de cohésion sociale et de voies qui puissent aider les humains à se connecter avec les autres, la nature, etc. Cette étude mettra en dialogue Tillich et le vodou, qui postulent que l’être humain est pluralité afin de poser la question de naissance dans une compréhension plus large, selon les rites de passage. De la conception à la vie et de la vie à la mort, où à chaque période de l’existence humaine, une nouvelle naissance se produit. Les avantages escomptés sont la mise en œuvre d’une épistémologie de l’Autre, c’est-à-dire une vision du monde intra-relationnelle face aux cloisonnements culturel et religieux, qui serviront aux pratiques obstétricales techno-médicalisées.

Optical detection of free carriers in 2D materials

This project will focus on the optical detection of free carriers in 2D materials. The insights gained will enable the extraction of carrier numbers from the absorption and emission spectra of 2D crystals subjected to high magnetic fields. Understanding the optical responses of low-dimensional, many-body systems is crucial for advancing future optoelectronic devices in quantum technologies. Developing a theoretical framework for the optical properties of correlated electrons in 2D crystals will clarify the nature of the many-electron ground state in systems such as transition metal dichalcogenides, bilayer graphene-based field-effect transistors, and gated quantum dots. This progress opens pathways for controlling light-matter interactions through carrier density, exploring quantum sensing of single photons via trions in gated quantum dots, and designing novel optoelectronic devices for quantum computing applications.

Dreamcatcher Informatics: a Web-based and Mobile Information System to Support Land Management, Consultation, and the Preservation of History, Culture and Traditional Ecological Knowledge

The role of this internship is to assist in reaching the SSHRC goal for the Dreamcatcher system of capturing cultural data, traditional ecological knowledge, and traditional land use in order to create as full of a historical, cultural, and economic record as is possible as well as strong land use management/consultation, water management, asset management, and public health systems. This information will inform cultural research, treaty negotiations, and community development. This goal will be reached by the intern: 1) transcribing and upload source material from the various archives (Peter Jones, Library and Archives Canada, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation) to Dreamcatcher, 2) using this source material, researching family life of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and the role of Indian Agents in their lives, and 3) disseminate the collected data through narratives written for inclusion in the Dreamcatcher system and through co-authoring of articles.

High throughput tissue distribution study of polymer-lipid nanoparticle formulations using DNA barcode technologyy

Our project aims to develop polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (pLNPs) to enhance gene delivery to cells
throughout the body, addressing two major challenges: ineffective release of genetic material inside cells
and limited targeting of non-liver tissues. By incorporating a pH-sensitive material, our pLNPs are designed
to improve the release of their genetic cargo within cells while expanding their reach beyond the liver. This
innovation has the potential to significantly advance gene therapy, which involves delivering therapeutic
genes for various diseases. We will employ advanced techniques to create and test a diverse range of
pLNP formulations in living organisms, establishing a library of unique delivery systems. Ultimately, this will
enable us to select the most effective formulations for precise and efficient gene delivery tailored to specific
diseases.

Inner City Community Service Development

PCS is collaborating with The Forks to tackle the challenge of designing an inclusive safety strategy that brings together diverse stakeholder perspectives, fosters community involvement, and broadens the concept of safety to encompass cultural and social aspects. This initiative will directly impact the current security team, reshaping its role and focus to meet evolving community needs.

Adaptive fit of garments

THIS IS A GENERIC TEXT PUT IN PLACE AS THERE WAS NO PROJECT OVERVIEW

Development of a Targeted Delivery System for the Reduction of Anti- Drug Antibodies

THIS IS A GENERIC TEXT PUT IN PLACE AS THERE WAS NO PROJECT OVERVIEW

Stage chez Ivesco

Le projet vise à améliorer la stratégie marketing d’Ivesco, une entreprise spécialisée dans les additifs pour carburants. En tant que stagiaire, je vais développer et mettre en œuvre des initiatives pour attirer de nouveaux clients, optimiser les processus de vente, et renforcer la communication avec les clients actuels. Grâce à ce projet, Ivesco bénéficiera d’une visibilité accrue sur le marché, d’une meilleure fidélisation des clients, et d’une croissance de ses ventes, ce qui renforcera sa position face à la concurrence.