Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

29670 Completed Projects

2811
AB
4990
BC
801
MB
663
NL
825
SK
8841
ON
9197
QC
95
PE
568
NB
1088
NS

Projects by Category

Development of an in planta soybean transformation method

This research project aims at establishing a cheap and simple alternative genetic transformation method for soybean termed in planta. Three in planta methods, named (i) tissue-culture independent callus and adventitious buds generation (TCICABG), (ii) sonication and in vivo selection/regeneration (SivSR) and (iii) in vitro embryonic axis sonication and direct regeneration (EAR), will be tested to evaluate their efficiencies, success rates and levels of difficulty. The development of this method would enable us to perform high-throughput gene editing with CRISPR-cas9 and confirm the functions of candidate genes involved in a plethora of important field traits. Currently, there is no Canadian research institution that have found a high-throughput method for plant transformation in soybean although the crop is one of the most important for Canadian farmers. Consequently, the development of this protocol could be a major stepping-stone in the support of Canadian agriculture and would contribute to the expansion of the soybean sector.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Valerio Hoyos-Villegas

Student:

Partner:

CÉROM

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture and Food; Biotechnology

University:

McGill University

Program:

Accelerate

Post Harvest Antimicrobial Treatments of Cannabis sativa

In order to maintain the quality and safety of dried cannabis, it is essential to control microbial contaminants through post-harvest irradiation. This research study focuses on the identification of optimal dosages for effectively reducing fungal pathogens in dried cannabis using customized Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) technology, which employs a basic form of electronic beam (e-beam) radiation. Additionally, the study examines the effects of both low and high dosage irradiation on the chemical composition of cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis. By determining the appropriate dosages and understanding the impact on important cannabis compounds, this study aims to contribute to the development of a cost-effective alternative to traditional gamma irradiation methods, benefiting licensed producers by reducing operational expenses and benefiting the environment by reducing unnecessary energy consumption to achieve the high dose, and reduce environmental pollution due to transportation of controlled substances to and from distant irradiation facilities.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Mark Lefsrud

Student:

Partner:

Innokore Solutions

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

McGill University

Program:

Accelerate

Pyrolysis of forestry residues for the production of sustainable aviation fuels

The production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will be a critical step in reduction of CO2 emissions from the aviation industry, which currently lacks scalable solutions for emissions reduction. Greenfield Global has developed a process for production of SAF from biomass waste through a patented process that converts residues into fuel. However, transportation of low energy density feedstock such as biomass to a centralized biorefinery where the fuel is produced is energy intensive and releases high amounts of CO2. Therefore, pre-processing is necessary to reduce the CO2 emissions associated with transportation of waste to a biorefinery. Pyrolysis provides an inexpensive pathway for densification of waste residues by converting biomass into liquid and solid products with a high energy density and low volume. In this project, we will develop a pathway for the production of energy dense intermediates from forestry residues using our Continuous Pyrolysis Rotating Horizontal Reactor (PYROH). The project work will evaluate the potential for products made from forestry residues at Western University to be applied in Greenfield Global’s gasification process for making SAF.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Naomi Klinghoffer

Student:

Partner:

Greenfield Global

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program:

Elevate

Human well-being, ecosystem services and watershed management in the Credit River Valley: Web-distributed mechanisms and indicators for communication and awareness

The importance of ecosystem services to human well-being, and of management of water and other watershed resources in maintaining such services, is not commonly understood by the general public, and not well-enough articulated by environmental management and governance organizations. Beneficiaries of such services are often unaware of the nature of their dependence upon supporting ecosystems. This is particularly true in urbanized watersheds, to the point where researchers discuss “nature deficit disorder” as an aspect of this disconnection. Watershed management organizations are aware of such benefits to watershed residents, but they very rarely track and report measures of human well-being to demonstrate the efficacy of their work. This project will address both sides of this issue by identifying indicators of human well-being associated with ecosystem services, including economic valuations, developing an internet-based tool to communicate these indicators, and assessing the efficacy of this tool in an application to the Credit River Watershed, southern Ontario. Developing indicators and the corresponding communication tools will allow reporting to the communities to create awareness about key factors affecting their health and well-being. Concurrently, this project will contribute to enhancing community governance by encouraging engagement in stewardship activities.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Martin Bunch

Student:

Partner:

Credit Valley Conservation Authority

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

York University

Program:

Accelerate

Using individual traits to enhance predictions of mind wandering

Mind wandering refers to when attention shifts away from the task at hand towards unrelated thoughts, which can
interfere with learning. Researchers have identified various signs of mind wandering, such as changes in eye movements,
heart rate, and brain activity. These signs can then be utilized to train computer models that predict when mind wandering is
likely to occur. However, these models often face difficulties when applied to different tasks and different individuals.
Furthermore, some indicators, like brain activity, are challenging to measure in everyday situations. Accordingly, this project
investigates whether accounting for stable individual differences can improve the accuracy and practicality of these models.
This project, conducted in collaboration with Exo Insights, a company that uses virtual reality for training, could provide
innovative methods for monitoring attention.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Daniel Smilek

Student:

Partner:

Exo Insights Corp

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Access to Care in Nova Scotia: Addressing Health Disparities and Promoting Equity in Mental Health and Addiction Services

This research project aims to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and addiction care utilization in Nova Scotia. Mental health challenges have increased during the pandemic, affecting individuals’
well-being due to factors such as social isolation, economic strain, and heightened stress. Our study will analyze data on outpatient physician visits, community-based mental health and addiction care utilization, emergency
department visits, and inpatient hospitalizations. We will also explore the use of virtual care services compared to in-person care for individuals with mental health and addiction conditions. By identifying significant changes in
care utilization and assessing disparities among different subpopulations, we can develop targeted interventions to promote equitable access to mental health services in Nova Scotia. This research will greatly benefit our partner
organization by informing evidence-based strategies for improving mental health care in the region.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Cindy Feng

Student:

Partner:

Research Nova Scotia;Nova Scotia Health

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

Dalhousie University

Program:

Accelerate

Evaluation of Drug Checking Program

Including people who use drugs (PWUD) in research related to the use of substances and community harm-reduction
interventions is crucial for understanding the target population. This population can be difficult capture in research and may
be hesitant to participate due to the stigmatized nature of substance use. This scoping review will summarize the existing
literature on facilitating the engagement of PWUD in research, and identify the best practices and barriers to facilitating their
participation. The Sanguen CTS will be able to leverage these findings to inform the planning and implementation of further
research and evaluation activities within the site. It will provide recommendations for how to design research to maximize
participation from this unique population.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Zahid Butt

Student:

Partner:

Sanguen Health Centre Foundation

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

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 can empower women, through a partnership with the MATCH International Women’s Fund. This project will support MATCH through the launch, and development of first year of the fund. As the first of its kind in Canada, the fund will invest in social innovation projects proposed by women and girls in the global South. Through an extensive, multidisciplinary literature review, interviews with key players in the fields of social innovation and gender and development, the development of an evaluative framework, and profiles 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 through innovation.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Bipasha Baruah

Student:

Partner:

Match International

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

Western University

Program:

Accelerate

Exploring methods of intelligent development of P&IDs and generation of HAZOP notes

Safety is one of the greatest concerns during projects lifecycles, due to the potential risks and hazards inherent
in their activities. To reach an acceptable level of safety in projects and guarantee a hazard-free work
environment, some structured approaches should be applied. In this respect, Hazard and Operability (HAZOP)
analysis is a systematic process for identifying potential hazards and operability problems in projects. Piping and
Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) serve as the primary input for HAZOP analysis. By using P&IDs, HAZOP
analysis can be beneficial in identifying process deviations, human errors, equipment failures, and other factors
that may lead to any hazardous situation. However, the traditional HAZOP analysis is mostly based on manual
checklists and lengthy brainstorming meetings which make the process slow, error-prone, tedious, and costly. In
this respect, and with the assistance of AI technology, the hazard identification phase can be automated by
automating the information extraction from P&IDs. In the proposed research project, the main focus is on
carrying out a comprehensive literature review and an industry-wide related survey to capture the challenges
and opportunities, and bottlenecks of current methods and investigate potentials of using AI methods to make
the process smart.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Osama Moselhi

Student:

Partner:

Hatch Ltd

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Concordia University

Program:

Accelerate

Development of context-aware data analysis framework

In a complex environment like mineral extraction, it is difficult to back the cause-effect relationship between a specific process variable and the overall performance (output, cost, GHG emission) with scientific principles. Consequently, process data is used to deduce an empirical correlation between the process variables and their estimated effects. In the present project, process data from a mineral extraction plant will be used to analyse the cause-effect relationship of various plant variables on critical performance metrics like energy consumption, cost, GHG emission etc.. Furthermore, the analysis will factor in the contextual variables like environment, labour, market demands, etc. to make the framework adapt to dynamic changes. The project will advance NTWIST’s ML and AI based data analytics framework to provide superior solutions to their clients. The project will simultaneously help the Canadian mineral industry to enhance their efficiency, and the Canada goal of reducing GHG emissions.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Vinay Prasad

Student:

Partner:

NTwist

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Information and cultural industries; Manufacturing; Mining; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Elevate

Crabs and Community: A Co-Created Assessment of Early Dungeness Crab (Metacarcinus magister) Life Stages in Tsawout First Nation’s Waters

Dungeness crab occupy three distinct habitats over their complex life cycle as they progress from larval to juvenile to adult stages. To understand Dungeness abundance then, attention needs to be paid to each life stage and its
unique interactions with its environment. In the Salish Sea, studies addressing early Dungeness crab life stages, such as the final larval (i.e., megalopae) and juvenile stages are lacking. In this project, we attempt to address
these knowledge gaps by monitoring Dungeness size and abundance at these two early life stages using light traps and intertidal surveys. This project will be co-directed and co-conducted by the Hakai Institute, the University
of British Columbia’s Centre for Indigenous Fisheries, and Tsawout First Nation, focusing on study sites identified by Tsawout community members. By working together to assess early Dungeness life stages and the potential
environmental regulators of Dungeness size and abundance, this project will complement broad-scale work being conducted by Hakai, and will meaningfully support Tsawout in developing a Nation-specific Dungeness crab
stewardship plan.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Andrea Reid

Student:

Partner:

The Hakai Institute, part of the Tula Foundation

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Indigenous Innovation; Aquaculture and Fishing

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Question Answering over Long Clinical Documents

In traditional claim processing system, adjusters or claim handling specialists need to read massively number of medical reports like diagnosis report, medical assessment, prescription daily for different types of decision making. Such a manual review process is time-consuming and tiring, which causes slowness in serving claimants and consequently unpleasant customer experience. In the digitalization era, we aim to digitize the manual process of reviewing documents with NLP techniques. In this project, we aim at building an intelligent NLP system that can help the adjusters navigate and extract key information from the medical documents to accelerate the process. With the new system, the practitioners can ask questions and chat with the system to obtain desired information. This will enable adjusters to make proper decisions faster leading to better claimants’ experiences.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Wenhu Chen

Student:

Partner:

Intact

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Finance and Insurance

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Accelerate

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