“Canada’s science and research sector is solving some of the world’s most important problems, while driving innovation, growth and productivity,” says the Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. Programs like Discovery Research provide researchers with the flexibility they need to explore the most promising research avenues to ensure that Canada remains a world leader in of science and new technologies. Congratulations to all the exceptional researchers who will receive support! We look forward to hearing about your successes! »
Two new research chairs at Polytechnique Montréal
The Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry has created and renewed several Canada Research Chairs through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). The announcement concerns two new chairs from Polytechnique Montréal which receive overall support of $1.9 million.
Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs are held by exceptional researchers who are recognized by their peers as world leaders in their field. They benefit from annual funding of $200,000 for seven years and are renewable.
Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs are held by exceptional new researchers who are recognized by their peers as having the potential to become leaders in their field. These chairs benefit from annual funding of $100,000 for five years and are renewable once.
Foutse Khomh, full professor in the Department of Computer and Software Engineering, has been awarded the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in intelligent and trustworthy software systems. As intelligent software systems that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly deployed in large-scale critical systems, it is more critical than ever to ensure the reliability of these systems as numerous fatal incidents have occurred. products recently. Building trust in these systems requires ensuring that decisions made by their components (including AI-powered components) are reliable, fair, and cannot cause harm. The research carried out by Professor Khomh will aim to develop theories, methods and tools to support the development, deployment, maintenance and evolution of reliable and secure AI systems, thereby ensuring that they remain reliable throughout throughout their life cycle.
Bruno Blais, associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, is awarded the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair for computer-aided design and scaling of alternative energy vectors for the design of sustainable chemical processes ( nicknamed MMIAOW). While there is an urgent need to develop sustainable chemical processes using renewable energy sources to reduce the carbon footprint of the chemical and manufacturing industries, it is crucial to shift from hydrocarbons to electricity through process intensification. This makes it possible to use alternative energy vectors, such as microwaves and ultrasound, on a commercial scale. However, their industrial adoption is difficult due to scaling difficulties. Professor Blais’ research chair aims to accelerate the use of these technologies by creating models based on computational fluid dynamics and artificial intelligence. These models will make it possible to virtually design new processes, reducing the number of prototyping steps and accelerating the adoption of sustainable energy vectors to respond to climate and energy challenges.
New support from the FCI
The Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Quebec Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy and their partners have for their part committed to investing more than $600,000 to finance infrastructure research and the activities of Polytechnique researchers following the 2024 competition.
Professor Bruno Blais, with Daria Camilla Boffito, full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, received support of $399,669 for a multi-frequency ultrasound platform and a particle imaging velocimetry system for the intensification of chemical processes that will make it possible to build digital twins of reactors whose energy is provided by ultrasound stimulation.
Raphaël Trouillon, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, is receiving $228,488 in support for his research aimed at developing an advanced microelectro-analytical device to study the transient chemistry of the brain. The device, adaptable according to needs, will enable discoveries in neuroscience and innovative methods to analyze the chemical response of cells in normal or pathological conditions. Integrated into a technological research network, this device will be used from the cellular level to in vitro organs, and will allow high-resolution electrochemical recordings.
45 grants to accelerate scientific discovery
Through its various programs, 45 research grants are awarded by the federal government to Polytechnique faculty members in order to pursue their research activities. In total, 33 individual discovery grants, 10 Springboard to Discovery grants and 3 research tools and instruments grants are awarded to Polytechnique professors, for a total amount of $1.8 million. dollars.
Congratulations to the faculty members!
Learn more
Expertise sheet for Professor Bruno Blais
Expertise sheet of Professor Daria Camilla Boffito
Expertise sheet of Professor Foutse Khomh
Expertise sheet for Professor Raphaël Trouillon
Department of Chemical Engineering website
Department of Electrical Engineering website
Website of the Department of Computer Engineering and Software Engineering
