October 17, 2008

BUILDING ONTARIO’S INNOVATION ECONOMY

Basic and Applied Research

Wilfrid Laurier University

Dr. Joanne Lee
Helping improve the way children learn math
Provincial Funding: $42,818

Math is an essential skill for success in today’s high-tech economy, but half of Canadian adults lack the minimum math skills necessary to cope with the everyday demands of an advanced society. Why is this and, more important, what can be done about it? Those are the questions Dr. Joanne Lee at Wilfrid University hopes to answer by studying how infants learn early math skills from their caregivers. Her research has important implications for parents, early childhood educators and policy makers in childhood development and education in setting children on the pathway to successful math learning. 

Dr. Kenneth Maly
Designing organic materials for new applications
Provincial Funding: $43,055

The interest in molecular organic materials is growing, driven by the need to find new materials with desirable properties. At Dr. Kenneth Maly’s lab at Wilfrid Laurier University, researchers are designing, synthesizing and characterizing new organic materials using an approach called dynamic covalent chemistry. Their research is focused on three areas: the petrochemical sector, the energy sector and advanced electronics and materials – and it has the potential to boost Ontario competitiveness in the area of materials science and technology.

University of Waterloo 

Dr. Thorsten Hesjedal
Developing next-generation devices with fascinating properties
Provincial Funding: $100,000

Nanomaterials are extremely tiny materials with fascinating and useful properties that can be exploited for countless applications. In fact, researchers are just beginning to discover the potential of nanomaterials. At the new Multifunctional Nanomaterials Lab at the University of Waterloo, Dr. Thorsten Hesjedal and his research team will manipulate and analyze nanomaterials for next-generation multifunctional devices, including sensors for pollution monitoring, global warming, medical imaging and high-bandwidth wireless communication.

Dr. Janusz Pawliszyn
Advancing on-site systems analysis
Provincial Funding: $270,230

An important goal of analytical chemistry is the ability to perform analysis where the system being investigated is located. This is known as on-site analysis and it’s a more efficient and accurate method than taking the sample, transporting it to a laboratory and then performing the analysis, as is common practice now. Dr. Janusz Pawliszyn of the University of Waterloo is revolutionizing sample collection by developing accurate, precise on-site devices for a variety of systems. His analytical developments will have important ramifications in both the health and environment sectors. 

Dr. Karim Karim
Developing clearer X-ray images with lower X-ray doses
Provincial funding: $100,000

Developing clearer X-ray images with lower X-ray doses is the focus of research being conducted by Dr. Karim Karim at a new digital X-ray facility at the University of Waterloo. Specifically, Dr. Karim aims to advance flat panel detector technology by increasing functionality at the pixel level, while using current industry standard fabrication processes. If successful, Dr. Karim’s research will have important applications beyond biomedical imaging in areas such as aerospace (aircraft inspection), automotive (non-destructive imaging of components) and defence (airport security screening and portable mine detection). 

Dr. Pavle Radovanovic
Creating better high-density data storage
Provincial Funding: $205,000

Nanotechnology holds the promise of improving leading technologies of our time, including how we harness renewable energy, improve medical diagnosis and utilize high technology. The area that interests Dr. Pavle Radovanovic at the University of Waterloo is the development of new technologies and products in the information technologies industry, in particular, high-density data storage and information processing. High-tech companies with interest in this research are abundant in Ontario – and Dr. Radovanovic’s research could well give them a competitive advantage.

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See also:

• News Release: Ontario Turning Ideas Into Stronger Economy
• Backgrounder: Supporting Basic and Applied Research
• Backgrounder: Basic and Applied Research Projects
• Recipients