Innovative Projects Realized

Developing Scalable QA Processes and Project Management Skills

Levis Tech is a custom software company based in Saskatoon that builds web applications for food banks, nonprofits, and eCommerce businesses. This project will bring on a Quality Assurance (QA) Tester to help improve how the company tests its software. Right now, testing is done manually by one of the partners, which slows things down. The intern will help build better testing processes and introduce automation using tools like Cypress. This will allow Levis Tech to deliver higher-quality software more efficiently as the company grows across Canada and internationally.

Investigating the Feasibility of Utilizing Aluminum Production Residues in Asphalt Pavements for Sustainable Road Construction

This research is highly beneficial to the partner organization, as it provides a sustainable approach to valorize its unused waste materials and offers insights into the feasibility of large-scale incorporation of APRs into road pavements, considering long-term applications. Furthermore, since processing APRs for use as filler in asphalt mixtures is costly, this project will help the partner find solutions to reduce costs by optimizing processing methods and exploring the use of unprocessed APRs in cold mix asphalt.

One Okanagan Watershed

The One Okanagan Watershed project explores sustainable financing mechanisms to support regenerative practices and watershed security in the Okanagan River basin. Led by SFU ACT – Action on Climate Team and Salmon Nation CoLabs, the project has fostered the Okanagan Catalyst Network, engaging diverse stakeholders, including regenerative farmers, organic wineries, Indigenous groups, NGOs, universities, and the Tri-Nation Bringing the Salmon Home initiative (Syilx, Ktunaxa, Secwepemc Nations).

The research focuses on two key areas: regenerative agriculture and salmon habitat restoration, investigating financial tools such as carbon credits, ecosystem service credits, and biocultural credit programs. A key question is how to design financing models that inspire municipalities, businesses, and individuals to invest in watershed health. There is a strong interest in exploring new financing pathways to support the implementation of nature-based practices and solutions.

By identifying opportunities, barriers, and trade-offs in financing nature-based solutions (NbS), this project lays the groundwork for innovative funding strategies that align economic activity with ecological and social well-being. The findings will contribute to broader discussions on watershed resilience, NbS financing, and climate adaptation, supporting further collaboration and implementation efforts within the Okanagan Catalyst Network and partners in the Okanagan watershed.

Improving the efficiency of identifying practice ready evidence and generating evidence summaries

EBSCO improves the dissemination of high-quality, clinically relevant content to healthcare providers through DynaMed, their online clinical textbook that is constantly being updated as new research is published. This process includes many experts and has many steps. McMaster University’s Health Information Research Unit’s (HiRU) literature surveillance program filters medical research studies and passes them to EBSCO. Clinical experts review the studies to determine how relevant they are to current practice across 1000’s of clinical topics (i.e., related to diagnosis, treatment, monitoring of health conditions) and triage them into add now, add later, or do not add. Studies to be added are meticulously evaluated by highly trained EBSCO staff who then generate a summary of the content for the authors who update the textbook chapters. The process is time-consuming and there are some steps that could be more efficient with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) approaches. In this project, student interns from McMaster will apply AI to improve 3 processes in this pathway: improving how well articles are triaged with the aim of having fewer ‘add later’ that are subsequently dropped; automating a standard quality assessment of the studies; and testing the reliability and trustworthiness of summaries that are generated by AI. Collectively, the projects will improve the efficiency of the article selection to summary preparation stages of the literature surveillance system.

Le soutien scolaire à distance: quels dispositifs et pratiques pertinentes pour les élèves ?

Les retards scolaires et décrochages constituent des défis majeurs pour le milieu de l’éducation. Offrir un soutien scolaire adapté à l’ensemble des élèves est donc nécessaire. Alors qu’Alloprof propose plusieurs manières de recevoir de l’aide à distance, notamment par téléphone, clavardage avec un humain ou un robot, nous souhaitons étudier les choix et la satisfaction des élèves concernant ces différentes formes de soutien scolaire. Plus précisément, nous souhaitons savoir comment les élèves en viennent à recourir à l’un ou l’autre service de soutien scolaire, à comprendre pourquoi ils persévèrent ou non dans cette démarche, à identifier les avantages et inconvénients perçus de l’usage de différents moyens de communication et la satisfaction éprouvée concernant le soutien scolaire reçu. Pour ce, nous proposons de faire une revue de la littérature et de mener des entretiens auprès d’une vingtaine d’élèves de secondaire utilisant les services d’Alloprof. À l’issue de cette recherche exploratoire, nous pensons avoir un premier état des lieux concernant les motivations, l’engagement, les usages, pratiques et préférences des élèves de secondaire concernant le soutien scolaire à distance. Ceci nous permettra de formuler certaines recommandations et de partager ces nouvelles connaissances dans les milieux de pratiques et de recherche.

Long-term high-resolution projection of extreme hydrological events

This research focuses on understanding and predicting extreme hydrological events, such as heavy rainfall and flooding, which are becoming more frequent due to climate change. It aims to improve long-term flood risk assessment by analyzing precipitation patterns, developing better climate projections, and refining flood modeling techniques. The study will use statistical analysis, climate models, and hydrological simulations to project future precipitation and flood risks under different climate scenarios. The key goal is to quantify uncertainties in these projections, providing more reliable data for disaster prevention and risk management.

Mechanical strength of 3D printed composite panels made of wood waste and recycled PET

The purpose of this work is to investigate the strength of composite panels made from waste wood and recycled PET, subjected to mechanical stress and 3D printed, which could be used in construction or in secondary products such as furniture, packaging and decoration. Working with wood waste is an alternative to disposing of this material in the environment, while at the same time helping to rationalize the use of forest resources. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a thermoplastic polymer, a type of plastic that is widely discarded in the environment. Widely used as packaging for drinks and food, plastic bags, mechanical components, etc., its improper disposal contributes to environmental impact and raises concerns about sustainability. PET is the most recycled plastic in the world. The use of 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, provides elements with complex and optimized geometries, through the superimposition of filaments arranged in successive layers as the structures are formed.

Monitoring the mental health of Canadians

The COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on the mental health of Canadians. Surprisingly, as of April 2022, self-rated levels of anxiety and depression were comparable to the ones observed during the worst periods of the pandemic, according to data collected by MHRC. Therefore, it is important that we continue to monitor the mental health needs and strengths of the general population in Canada. The goal of this project is to establish population-based mental health metrics within a long-term mental health surveillance system to monitor the mental health needs of the population and to identify indicators critical for expanding service delivery in Canada. In addition to risk factors of symptoms of anxiety, depression and psychological distress, this project will explore substance use, post-traumatic stress disorders, social determinants of mental health, and house and food insecurity, which have not been a focus of prior MHRC analytics and reporting. Moreover, we will conduct a detailed analysis of the use of mental health services and initiate qualitative surveys to better understand the impact of the pandemic among equity-deserving populations. Data collection will be conducted on an ongoing basis by MHRC through online surveys every three months for the next three years.

Disease management strategies for potato black dot in Canadian potatoes.

Potato diseases remain a major limiting factor in profitable potato production. The aim of this study is to conduct fundamental studies of potato black dot disease, caused by the soil-borne fungus Colletotrichum coccodes, and to evaluate management strategies to reduce the incidence of black dot in potato fields of Alberta. The study involves assessment of commercial potato fields for the presence and quantity of C. coccodes, evaluation of the efficacy of active ingredients, developed by Syngenta, to control disease development, and testing and characterization of C. coccodes isolates for sensitivity to azoxystrobin. Molecular quantification of the pathogen(s) will help determine a region-specific threshold(s) for initial inoculum of the pathogens in soils at which disease can develop. The findings of this study will help the industry identify specific strategies for effective control of black dot of potato.

Application of artificial intelligence to improve career profile to job opportunity matching

Gigsup, a career matching service, plans to improve how job opportunities are suggested using artificial intelligence. The project will be carried out by interns who will work on a new system that uses up-to-date job market data. This system will compare a person’s skills, work style, and values with current job openings to offer better career suggestions. The goal is to help job seekers make choices that match their personal and work needs, which can lead to greater job satisfaction and steady income growth. Employers will also benefit as they find more suitable candidates, reducing the risk of hiring mismatches. Overall, this work will make the job market clearer and more efficient for both job seekers and employers, adding value to Gigsup by offering a simple and effective way to match people with jobs.

Development of a state-of-the art approach for the cyanotoxin detection and quantification in water resources under the light intensity, nutrients and climate effects on the proliferation of Toxic Algal Blooms

Massive cyanobacterial blooms have been observed in several provinces of Canada including Nova Scotia and New Brunswick over the past few decades which is a significant environmental and public health concern. These blooms are a serious threat to human lives and the environment as the cyanotoxin released are deleterious for the human life and the livestock. The recurrent cyanobacterial blooms detected have highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive studies to understand their patterns and impacts. The key objectives of this project are: i) To develop new thresholds for cyanotoxins like anatoxin-a and microcystins in freshwater bodies by improving identification techniques. ii) To study the relationship between the spectral quality of light, the growth of Microcystis, and the production of microcystins and iii) to establish new criteria for anatoxin-a and microcystins in drinking and recreational water. As a part of this project, water samples from NS and NB will be taken to the lab in France to use LC-MS and the new developed methodology to test for the cyanotoxins present in the water, measure nutrient levels, and other relevant parameters. The new methodologies and criteria established will contribute significantly to decision-making processes for water resources management and public health protection.

Catalytic Hydroreforming Gasification of Low-Value Forest Biomass to Novel High-Value Biofuels (Hythane and Hydrochar)

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