Pioneering research in civil engineering, green chemistry and autonomous systems contributing to technological progress in Canada
Lakehead University researchers have been awarded a total of $1.4 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), one of Canada's federal research funding agencies, for projects over the next five years. The funding will enable exploration in a variety of areas - from chemistry to physics to engineering and geology.
One of the researchers who secured a NSERC Discovery Grant of $147,500 is Dr. Mohammed El-Gendy, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. His research program looks at using fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) to enhance resiliency and prevent deterioration of concrete infrastructure.
"We often associate climate change with impacts on the environment; however, climate change also accelerates infrastructure deterioration due to more frequent and severe weather events," described El-Gendy.
Dr. El-Gendy's program examines the performance of fibre-reinforced polymer reinforced concrete bridge deck slabs under manmade and natural conditions to test their resiliency and reliability as a long-term solution in the construction industry. "We hope these insights will lead to more sustainable concrete structures capable of withstanding extreme conditions," he explained.
This year's NSERC funding also supports projects being led by Dr. Pedram Fatehi, Canada Research Chair in Green Chemicals and Processes (Tier 2), Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) Industrial Research Chair in Green Chemicals and Processes, and Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Dr. Xing Tan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science.
Dr. Fatehi is the lead researcher on a $320,000 Discovery Grant project investigating the potential of lignin-based mixtures and compounds as alternatives to fuel-based polymers in the cosmetic and food packaging industries. According to Fatehi, lignin, a renewable, biodegradable by-product of the pulping industry, has promising application due to its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and high thermal stability nature. Over the next five years, his research team will chemically create new lignin nanoparticles to explore their potential use in large-scale materials fabrication.
Dr. Tan has been awarded a $132,500 Discovery Grant for his research on vehicle routing problems, focusing on complexity analysis and algorithm design. His project addresses important challenges in constrained vehicle routing and multi-agent pathfinding, taking into consideration real-world limitations like fuel, sparse charging infrastructure, collision avoidance, and more. The research holds practical applications in areas such as autonomous vehicle coordination, automated warehouse operations, and traffic management, aiming to contribute to safer, more efficient, and sustainable transportation systems that advance both industrial innovation and environmental objectives.
"Our NSERC grant recipients demonstrate the breadth of high-calibre research happening at Lakehead University," said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Vice-President, Research and Innovation. "These researchers are exceptional scientists seizing opportunities to excel their research and make their mark on the world."
In 2023/24, Lakehead University received almost $2.5 million in assistance from the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, research facilities, and research security.
The following Lakehead researchers have also received NSERC grants:
Discovery Grants (five-year grant)
Dr. Mitchell Albert, Lakehead University - TBRHRI Chair in Molecular Imaging and Advanced Diagnostics, Department of Chemistry, "Hyperpolarized Xenon MRI Biosensors Development Program", $145,000.
Dr. Ahmed Bediwy, Department of Civil Engineering, "An Innovative Housing Solution for Remote Communities Using Waste Mine Tailing in 3D-Printed Green Concrete", $147,500.
Dr. Oleksandr Bubon, Department of Physics, "Solid-state Technology for Organ-targeted Positron Emission Tomography", $137,500.
Dr. Philip Fralick, Department of Geology, "Sedimentological Processes Operating in Deep Time, 1.4 to 3.0 Ga", $150,000.
Dr. Yurii Shepelytskyi, Department of Chemistry, "Advanced Multiferroic Materials for Photoinduced Magnetoelectric Effect Investigation and Medical Application", $157,500.
PromoScience Grant (two-year grant)
Dr. Christopher Murray, Department of Physics, Farm Lab, $79,800.
Co-applicants:
- Dr. Ellen Field, Lakehead University
- Jacob Kearey-Moreland, Lakehead University
