EaRTH District Collaborative Research Grant (EDCRG) – An EaRTH Initiative
This EaRTH Initiative aims to develop collaborative projects with industry and government partners in the eastern GTA including Scarborough, Durham Region, and Peterborough. It will explore synergies that can strengthen and enhance the Canadian clean technology sector, and provide increased opportunities for economic development that will foster the creation of highly skilled jobs and support the transfer of knowledge to society. The Initiative includes shared research facilities, joint research projects, and collaborations on teaching and learning.
EaRTH District Webpage: www.earthdistrict.ca
The University of Toronto Scarborough, Centennial College, Fleming College, Ontario Tech University and Trent University are pleased to announce the 2022-23 call for research projects in the EaRTH District Collaborative Research Grant (EDCRG) competition, an exciting research opportunity that was launched in February 2021.
The overall aim of this opportunity is to provide initial seed funding for the development of high-quality collaborative research projects in areas of mutual strength and shared interest that advance the Environmental and Related Technologies Hub (EaRTH) Initiative. This seed funding is available for faculty/staff at the participating institutions to undertake short-term visits to initiate, deepen and extend collaborative research links with the goal of enabling principal investigators to make joint proposals to external funding sources for the next phase of their research.
The theme for the 2022-23 year is Sustainable Transportation, Mobility, and Electric Vehicle Innovations.
The call will focus on collaborative research in areas including but not limited to:
- Connected Vehicles
- Connectivity and connective communications
- Cloud computing and data analytics
- Telematics
- Ethics and cybersecurity
- Data management and storage
- Autonomous Transportation
- Sensors and sensor data
- Human-machine interface
- Safety
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Autonomous vehicles and their impact on industry (construction, mining, warehousing etc,)
- Shared and Integrated Mobility
- Shared transportation and mobility solutions (ride sharing, car sharing, collective use, etc.)
- System and/or network optimization
- Logistics and supply chain integration
- Vehicle networks
- Electrified and Zero Emission Technologies
- Batteries and fuel cells
- Charging and alternative fuelling technologies, equitable availability of charging and fuelling infrastructure for remote, and underserviced communities.
- Lightweight fibres and materials
- Critical service network development and skilled trades training requirements to transition to low-carbon transportation alternatives
- Powertrains and lubricants
- Critical minerals
- Supply chain of materials
- Impacts of new technology transition on transit networks.
Research may be in the areas of science, technology, policy, culture, communications, networks and systems, economy, environment, or other areas as they relate to sustainable transportation, mobility, and electric vehicles.
Click here for the detailed guidelines
Click here to download the LOI
Eligibility
A proposal must involve a team of participants that includes at least one representative from each of the five collaborating institutions. The funding envelope comprises CAD$50,000 per project, with up to three (3) projects selected for a funding period of 18 months.
Timeline
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Call for proposals (LOIs) opens |
December 15, 2022 |
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Deadline for submission of LOI |
February 1, 2023 |
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Deadline for submission of proposal |
March 6, 2023 |
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Communication of results to applicants |
Spring 2023 |
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Project start and end dates |
May 1, 2023 to November 1, 2024 |
2021-22 Competition Results
The 2021-22 competition focused on the theme of Water and awarded $50,000 to each of the following projects:
Project Title: Impacts of physical processes on water quality in urban ponds: Development of a monitoring framework.
Team: Paul Frost, Project Lead, Trent University; Mathew Wells, UTSC; Jing Ren, Ontario Tech University; Sajjad Din, Centennial College
Description: The purpose of this project is to develop a field monitoring and data analysis framework to better understand the physical environment and its effects on water quality in storm water ponds in the urban landscape. This project has implications for the ecology of these ponds and could help support design decisions made by municipalities and conservation authorities responsible for managing urban ponds.
Project Title: Demonstration of Smart Water Systems for Sustainable Cities
Team: Hossam Gaber, Project Lead, Ontario Tech University; Julian Aherne, Trent University; Maria Dittrich, UTSC; Connie Zehr, Centennial College; Sajjad Din, Centennial College; Andrew Baer, Centennial College
Description: This research project will discuss smart water infrastructures to analyze, plan, and manage water networks. The short-term objectives of the proposal include the analysis of water networks and their interactions with other systems in community applications.
Project Title: Optimal Best Management Practices for managing nutrient losses
Team: M. Catherine Eimers, Project Lead, Trent University; Karen Thompson, Trent University; George Arhonditsis, UTSC; Maria Dittrich, UTSC; Andrea Kirkwood, Ontario Tech University; Steve Boloudakis, Centennial College
Description: The overarching goal of this project is to identify effective Best Management Practices to address nutrient enrichment by taking a multi-nutrient, collaborative, and community-based approach, using the Bay of Quinte (which routinely experiences harmful algal blooms caused by excess nutrient inputs) in Lake Ontario as a test case.
2020-21 Competition Results
The inaugural 2020-21 competition focused on the theme of Integrated Sustainable Energy Technologies and awarded $50,000 to each of the following projects:
Project Title: Electro_EaRTH
Team: Dr. Sanela Martic, Project Lead, Trent University; Dr. Brad Easton, Ontario Tech University; Dr. Ruby Sullan, UTSC and Dr. Padmaja Shastri, Centennial College
Description: Electro_EaRTH will lead to discovery of new materials, processes and system design that will be beneficial to industrial partners to enhance the yield, titer or productivity of target fuels and chemicals in novel, green and sustainable ways.
Project Title: Growing Change Through Energy, Education and Equity
Team: Chef Sam Glass, Project Lead, Centennial College; Sowmya Kishore, Centennial College; Dr. Daniel Bender, UTSC; Dr. Karen Thompson, Trent University and Dr. Daniel Hoornweg, Ontario Tech University
Description: Off-Grid Food Production On-Campus addresses the intertwined challenges of (a) energy efficient and localized food production, (b) equitable campus food systems and student food security, and (c) critical sustainability education.
Project Title: Development of Improved Regenerative Braking Systems and New Batteries for Hybrid Hydraulic and Electric Heavy Vehicles
Team: Dr. Yuping He, Project Lead, Ontario Tech University; Dr. Oleksandr Voznyy, UTSC; Alan McClelland, Centennial College and Dr. Kenzu Abdella, Trent University
Description: This project aims at exploring a hydraulic-based regenerative braking system for hybrid hydraulic heavy vehicles and lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric heavy vehicles.
Institutional Contacts
Interested faculty with questions about this opportunity should contact their institutional representative, identified below.
UTSC: Jason Darby, Research Partnership and Business Development Officer (j.darby@utoronto.ca)
Centennial College: Jonathan Hack, Executive Director, Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Services (jhack@centennialcollege.ca / 416-289-5000: Ext. 8152)
Fleming College: Brett Goodwin, Vice President, Applied Research and Innovation (Brett.Goodwin@flemingcollege.ca / 705-324-9144 x 3093)
Ontario Tech University: Jennifer Freeman, Executive Director, Office of Research Services (jennifer.freeman@ontariotechu.ca / 905-925-9966)
Trent University: Inna Seviaryna, Research Facilitator, Office of Research and Innovation (innaseviaryna@trentu.ca/ 705-748-1011: Ext. 6186)