Exploring electrical outages earns opportunity for engineering undergrads Second-year engineering students Josh Martin and Nick Schembri presented their research into vulnerabilities in the electrical grid at a workshop last week. Nick Schembri and Josh Martin, students in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering, were eager to get research experience early in their university careers. The two began working with professors Rupp Carriveau and Jacqueline Stagner in their first year of study and now, in just their second year, had the opportunity to present their findings before a room filled with industry leaders and academic experts. The students were tasked with investigating North American grid outages and how the electrical grid is impacted at the neighborhood transformer level by new and disruptive loads. They were responsible for measuring grid vulnerability and providing a comprehensive analysis of their findings and writing journal papers. “The students were given a significant responsibility early on, and they rose to the…
Research chair to support exploration of neural disorder Biomedical science professor Jeff Dason is the Faculty of Science research chair. The Faculty of Science has named Jeff Dason as its 2024-2026 research chair. “I’m thrilled to receive this chair, as it will allow me to further expand my research program,” says Dr. Dason. The associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Science started at the University of Windsor in 2017. The award comes with a two-year grant of $40,000. The new position will allow him to further develop his research into the nervous system disease, Fragile X syndrome (FXS). “Fragile X Syndrome is a heritable neurodevelopmental condition that affects one in 3,000 to 6,000 individuals and is the leading contributor to intellectual disability and autism,” he says. “FXS is characterized by altered synaptic structure and function that results in various behavioural effects, including cognitive deficits.” No effective treatments for FXS currently exists even though the underlying cause of many of its symptoms…
Treatment of childhood neuroblastoma target of research project Celebrating a project to improve treatment of a childhood cancer are UWindsor researchers Dorota Lubanska and Alioune Ngom with ChildCan officials Suzanne Elliott, Sarah Dimitropoulos, and Lorraine Jewell. Using a combination of cutting-edge tools from biology and computer science, a Faculty of Science led research project will explore ways to improve treatment outcomes for the extracranial childhood cancer neuroblastoma. “In the neuroblastoma tumour, we know there are populations of cancer stem cells, immature cells that drive the aggressiveness and therapy resistance, and our lab focuses on the biology of those cells — especially cell cycle regulation,” says biomedical science’s Dorota Lubanska. “With this project we will be addressing different aspects of therapy resistance by collaborating with computer science.” Biomedical science researchers will grow novel 3D organoid models, or tumours, in a dish, with live-cell imaging. The study will focus on understanding cell cycle…
Join the Windsor-Essex Health Research Community at WE-SPARK After Dark Connect with the vibrant Windsor-Essex health research community at WE-SPARK Health Institute’s monthly networking event. It’s an excellent opportunity to meet others passionate about health research through casual conversations and formal networking opportunities. WE-SPARK After Dark runs from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, February 6, at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St. Whether you’re already part of the health research community or just curious to learn more, this event offers an informal and enjoyable way to make meaningful connections. The first hour will focus on getting to know like-minded individuals interested in health research. All attendees will have a chance to win two Health Research Conference tickets, a $450 value. Registration is encouraged but not required — bring a friend or colleague you’ve been wanting to connect with. Click here to register.
UWindsor researchers awarded $830,000 for quantum projects Engineering professor Mitra Mirhassani is one of the UWindsor researchers receiving a total of $830,000 in federal funding to support exploration of quantum science. Three University of Windsor professors have been awarded a total of $830,000 in federal funding to support their research into quantum science. Engineering professor Mitra Mirhassani, who specializes in automobile hardware cybersecurity, has been awarded $755,000 toward a project worth more than $5 million to develop secure cryptographic algorithms that can protect data from quantum cyberattacks. Fellow engineering professor Jalal Ahamed received $50,000 for a pair of one-year projects, one involving improved temperature monitoring of electric vehicle batteries and the other improving the high-precision sensing needed to make electronic devices work. Faculty of Science professor Drew Marquardt received $25,000 for a one-year project involving compact accelerator-driven neutron sources — an alternative to nuclear reactors…
February Think Tank to Ignite Health Research Collaborations A holistic approach to Black men’s health, using chess as an educational tool, and strategies to improve outcomes of patients with post-partum breast cancer are topics for discussion at the Feb. 14 online WE-Spark Think Tank. The next WE-SPARK Think Tank, Friday, February 14th, will offer an opportunity for researchers, students, healthcare professionals, and community organizations to come together and find innovative solutions. Hosted on Zoom, this virtual session will run from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and is presented in collaboration with the Black Scholars Institute at the University of Windsor. Attendees are encouraged to bring fresh ideas, actively participate in problem-solving discussions, and foster meaningful collaborations that drive impactful health research initiatives forward. Featured projects include: The Mental Health Hour (MHH) Initiative: A Holistic Approach to Men's Health Presenter: David Griffiths, MBA, B.Eng CEO & Founder, Brothers Who Care Overview: This session…
Researcher leading $1 million project to improve timing chips in electronic devices Engineering professor Jalal Ahamed is leading a project exploring a new material to keep electronic time. A UWindsor researcher is leading a $1 million project that could position Canada as a global source for the timing chips that make all electronic devices tick. Engineering professor Jalal Ahamed is partnering with Stathera Inc., a Montreal-based company that specializes in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Together they aim to develop an ultra-precise resonating oscillator to provide the stable reference frequency which is key for all communications and computation. The chip they are developing can be imbedded in microchips and mass produced for installation in cars, cell phones, computers, and every other smart electronic device imaginable. “We aim to increase Canada’s competitiveness,” Dr. Ahamed said. “This would be manufactured in Canada and create new economic opportunities.” Ahamed has been awarded $750,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council…
Understudied populations subject for neuropsychology doctoral research Taylor McEachnie, a doctoral student of clinical neuropsychology, is exploring how sex hormones interact and affect cognitive processes. Taylor McEachnie is a PhD student in the clinical neuropsychology program working under professor Carlin Miller. Like many students in the UWindsor MAPhD program, McEachnie came from away. She’s from Comox, B.C. and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria. “When I learned about clinical neuropsychology as an undergrad, I decided that's it. That's what I want to do,” she says. She knew from her coursework that she loved both the biology piece and the psych component. She also knew that she enjoyed working with people and that she wanted to help people through assessment and intervention. “I learned that I could combine these things perfectly in clinical neuropsychology. And then I learned that it would also be a challenging process. “When I was researching programs, I discovered that there are very few Canadian…
Cross-border collaboration seeking to improve community health Professor Kathryn Pfaff leads the Health and Wellness Friendly Communities project. The University of Windsor campus lies in the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit. For many of its researchers, collaborators are just across the fast-moving water that defines the Windsor-Detroit boundary. The free exchange of knowledge is just as important as the stream of trucks that pass through the international border every day. The Health and Wellness Friendly Communities project led by nursing professor Kathryn Pfaff used the border and the interconnectedness of Windsor and Detroit to begin to grapple with pressing health concerns that impact the cross-border communities. She established a team that included researchers from law, biomedical sciences, political science, and computer science, and pulled in partners from Windsor Regional Hospital, Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto with a goal of setting…
