Exploring new horizons in research and innovation at CARIC

The inspiring inaugural Concordia Annual Research and Innovation Conference (CARIC) came to a successful conclusion on April 21.

Over the course of two days, student and faculty researchers and scholars showcased the latest findings from a wide range of disciplines, including history, psychology, biology, chemistry, cybersecurity and other fields. 

During CUE President and Vice-Chancellor Tim Loreman’s opening speech at CARIC he said, “The conference is driven by students and faculty working as one. CUE’s research has the power to change lives, and it’s our wider community that benefits.

“Student and faculty presentations during CARIC show that we are an ambitious university that doesn’t just want to understand the world – we want to change it.” – President Tim Loreman

Attendees had the opportunity to attend oral presentations and poster sessions that provided insightful understanding on research projects that expertly address societies many challenges. 

For a peek at some of the presentations covered please refer to the CARIC conference page. 

There were many engaging presentations from students, each of whom faced lively debates from the audience afterwards. The challenging questions did not faze the students who were competent in their research and welcomed any question posed. 

The poster sessions were very well-attended, and CUE even had a visit from the Minister of Advanced Education Demetrios Nicolaides who was excited to view posters and learn from the students themselves about the various projects they were involved in. 

We spotlighted a select number of oral presentations below. We encourage you to check our newsroom now and in the future to learn about the work of other CUE researchers along with their findings and accomplishments. 

First to kick-off the conference 

Brady Reid, an undergraduate history student, kicked off CARIC with a presentation on the Canadian Indigenous group called the Beothuk, who called Newfoundland home. 

Beothuk lives were deeply affected by European fishermen and settlers who arrived in the 15th century. The CARIC audience was told that the Beothuk were subject to violent attacks. In response, some Beothuk groups retaliated, however, these acts were often portrayed by European settlers as proof of the Beothuk’s supposed “barbarism” and “savage nature,” says Brady. Eventually the last of the Beothuk groups died from disease from which they were not immune to. 

Brady uncovered many possible reasons for their extinction in the 19th century and enlightened the audience on factors involving Canada’s harrowing colonial past and new evidence from excavations that provide insight into their culture and values, for example they wrapped salmon in caribou hide, meaning it was highly valued for consumption.

Vital research that can breakdown pollutants in our landfills

Dr. Deborah Hemmerling, a professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, gave an engaging talk on the work of “Team Superworm,” and joked “there will soon be exciting merch available!

The team discovered that superworms (Zophobas morio) are able to consume and digest polystyrene, a type of plastic commonly used in packaging and disposable products. 

Polystyrene is notoriously difficult to recycle and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, contributing to pollution and toxins that harm wildlife.

Deborah told the audience about the findings, that superworms are able to digest polystyrene because of a bacteria that lives in their gut. In particular, a strain of pseudomonas bacteria has been identified as playing a key role in breaking down the plastic. In the case of polystyrene, the bacteria are able to break down the plastic into smaller molecules that can be metabolized by the worm and excreted as waste.

While the discovery is promising, there’s a lot more research being done, and the funding our university and external partners are providing is vital so researchers can continue this promising work. 

Chemistry students making discoveries at CUE

Chemistry undergraduate student Seth Nobert, revealed interesting research regarding phytic acids’ ability to have metal chelation properties in aqueous solutions. Phytic acid is a naturally occurring organic acid found in many plants, including grains, nuts, and legumes. Its metal chelation properties mean it can bind to and remove certain metals from the body. 

Seth used technologies including X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) to measure the chelation efficiency of phytic acid with various metals. This important research is needed because metal chelation has been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in animal studies, and may have therapeutic applications for a range of diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. 

Fellow student, Cole Babcock, also presented his findings later that afternoon on the development of an environmentally friendly bioplastic support to be used in heterogeneous bioassays – used for rapid screening, such as pregnancy tests. Bioplastics offer a potential solution to the growing problem of one-use plastic waste and environmental pollution, while also providing functional materials for sensitive and selective bioassays. Cole’s important research is needed to optimize the properties and performance of bioplastic support materials. It was exciting for CARIC participants to learn about Cole’s research that could solve a world-wide issue. 

Vital research that could help a range of brain disorders

Biology student Kira Sviderkaia provided riveting research regarding Microglia, a type of immune cell in the brain and central nervous system that play a crucial role in maintaining brain function and responding to injury or disease.

Microglia dysfunction has been implicated in a range of brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. Inflammation and other factors affect brain metabolism. We learned of exciting research that shows lactate can play an important role in regulating microglial function, decreasing inflammation. Cannabidiol (CBD) has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, says Kira. 

MISSIM students took center stage during day two of the conference

Nine talented Master’s program students in Information Systems Security Management (MISSM) and one student from Master’s program in Information Systems Assurance Management (MISAM) student presented oral presentations at CARIC on the second day of the conference, including Ramnik Singh Reen.

When it comes to self-driving cars, secure wireless connectivity is important to ensure that the vehicle’s wireless network is secure, so sensitive data and communications can’t be intercepted by unauthorized parties. 

Ramnik told the audience about the primary threats to wireless security – man-in-the-middle attacks, where an attacker intercepts and modifies data. He explained ways to mitigate this threat and showed us a prototype of an autonomous vehicle to demonstrate how his research works – getting big applause from the audience. 

Although very complex for non-MISSIM attendees, student Deepa Thangavelu did an excellent job at explaining security analysis of CRYSTALS – Kyber Algorithm.  

She told us that one approach to security analysis involves evaluating the key size and other parameters of the algorithm to ensure it is sufficient to provide the desired level of security. For example, the key size of CRYSTALS-Kyber is chosen to be large enough to prevent attacks by both classical and quantum computers. Deepa answered complex questions in the Q & A period and her colleagues were excited by her discoveries. 

Deepa, as well as other students, are being recognized internationally for their research, as several of them have been accepted to present their findings at international conferences such as……We are excited to see what they discover next!

Understanding the constraints white men face in respect to love

In closing, Dr. Teresa Fowler, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education, presented her work “Making a case for white male love.” She explained the stereotypes men adopt such as stoicism, loyalty, aggression and not expressing emotions. Teresa argues that because men are socialized into unhealthy forms of masculinity, they struggle in their relationships with love. In her qualitative research she discovered male participants were constrained by masculine domination and did not step outside of expressions of love because it might risk their relationship with masculinity. 

During the Q & A period participants were curious about how and why we should define white men, and Teresa expressed that defining white male power is largely under-studied. Her philosophy is that studying those who have the power can be beneficial in uncovering why our society is the way it is, only then can we work to change those power dynamics that will create a healthier society – for both men, women and marginalized groups. 

CARIC was a success thanks to the strong mentorships made at CUE

Overall, the conference was a great success, providing a forum for researchers, to exchange ideas and collaborate on cutting-edge projects. It was evident from the quality of the presentations, the depth of the discussions, and the level of engagement that the conference had achieved its objective of promoting research and innovation excellence at CUE.

“Our student-professor mentorships enable us to have such an innovative approach to research. It’s our small class sizes that allow us to provide exceptional attention and guidance to students,” said President Loreman.

“I’ve heard many inspiring stories from students who have found their calling at CUE. They never knew that research was an area they would excel in. With the right guidance from our Office of Research and their professors, students are being recognized.”

CARIC 2023 succeeded with the purpose of connecting and celebrating the fantastic research and innovative scholastic activities being done by students, staff and faculty. 

The conference required countless hours of work and team effort from many folks across campus. “This conference could not have happened without the support and input from the CARIC 2023 Organizing Committee. To all the members – Eslam AbdAllah, Sergey Butakov, Makan Golizeh, Teresa Fowler, Isha Katyal, Holli-Anne Passmore, Sabrina Prova, Meghan Staal, and Colette Storms – a HUGE thank you for their commitment and work to ensure a successful event”, said Carla Craveiro Salvado, CUE’s Associate Vice-President, Research. “We must also give a shout out to the Marketing and Communications team, the IT team, the volunteers, the event sponsors, and several others for their vital contributions to CARIC 2023.” 

CARIC is a platform for CUE’s researchers, scholars, and innovators to share their findings, so to all of them I send a heartfelt thank you for allowing us to learn from them and for sharing their interests, findings and passion with us. To all the folks that attended CARIC to support our incredible researchers – THANK YOU for your support,” Carla added.

A special congratulations to the student presentation winners at CARIC.

Looking ahead to CARIC 2024

Looking ahead, the conference organizers are already planning for next year’s event, which promises to be even more exciting, with new speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities. 

CARIC has established itself as a must-attend event for the CUE community and anyone interested in staying up-to-date on the latest research and trends in their field. See you all at CARIC 2024!