In-Class Project Showcase April 2025

Our industry partners, the City of Ottawa’s Recreation, Culture and Facility Services (RCFS) engaged our team through the City Studio initiative to address key challenges in their Youth Strategy. RCFS identified several priority areas requiring attention: improving youth access to spaces, developing effective communication channels for youth engagement, investigating reasons behind low participation rates in municipal programs, and creating youth programs that deliver meaningful long-term benefits.

When examining youth programs offered by the City of Ottawa, we observed a significant focus on sports (20.5%) and aquatic (69%) programs, with very little dedicated to art and general interest programs (5%) (City of Ottawa, 2024a). Arts programs – encompassing visual arts like drawing, painting, and pottery, as well as performing arts such as dance and music – along with general interest activities like cooking, crocheting, writing, and board games, are significantly underrepresented (City of Ottawa, 2024a). This imbalance presents a critical challenge: how can RCFS provide truly inclusive programming for youth who don’t gravitate toward sports-based activities?

Our study used a mixed-methods approach to understand youth participation in arts and general interest programs at Ottawa’s recreational centres. We engaged the community through the following methods:
An online survey with 58 Ottawa youth aged 16-18
In-depth interviews with 5 youth participants
Interviews with 14 subject matter experts including recreation coordinators, educators, and community leaders to understand programming challenges and opportunities.

We propose a community engagement plan that places youth at the center of RCFS’ youth strategy. This approach begins with RCFS actively engaging youth councils and collaborating with City of Ottawa departments that serve youth. These collaborations will be facilitated using design workshops to capture diverse voices in the community to share ideas. By integrating youth directly into the decision-making and planning process of recreational programs, RCFS will empower young people, strengthen community partnerships, and develop pilot programs that align with youth interests and local needs.
References

City of Ottawa. (2024a). Register Ottawa | Browse and register for courses and camps. Activecommunities.com. https://anc.ca.apm.activecommunities.com/ottawa/home?locale=en-US

The FIFA World Cup 2022 was a significant event for Qatar, marking the first time a Middle Eastern nation hosted the global tournament. However, the event was accompanied by major challenges, including labor rights issues, last-minute policy changes, and security risks. This case study critically examines how Qatar handled these crises, identifying both successful mitigation efforts and areas for improvement.

With Saudi Arabia preparing to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, many of these same challenges are expected. This study explores Saudi Arabia’s proactive approach in addressing infrastructure, security, labor laws, and sustainability, ensuring that lessons from Qatar’s experience inform their preparations. By analyzing Qatar’s successes and missteps, this case study provides valuable insights into effective crisis management strategies for mega-events in the Middle East.

Using dynamic editing and motion graphics, this project brings permaculture concepts to life. By enhancing provided content with refined visuals and smooth transitions, we created an engaging learning experience that makes complex ecological ideas more accessible and visually compelling for a wide audience.

In order to revolutionize trash management worldwide, our project presents a brand-new automated waste handling system. Our goal is to reduce pollution and landfill waste by improving the efficiency of waste identification, collection, and compaction

The Elder Care web app helps families manage senior care with appointment scheduling, medication reminders, and emergency alerts. It connects with a watch to monitor health metrics, ensuring real-time updates, seamless caregiver coordination, and peace of mind for loved ones.

Agricultural pests threaten global food production, often requiring chemical pesticides that harm ecosystems, degrade soil, and pose risks to human health. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) offer a sustainable alternative by targeting and killing insect pests without affecting non-target organisms. These microscopic roundworms actively seek out insect hosts, infect them, and release symbiotic bacteria that kill the host within days.

This study explores the genetic and behavioral factors influencing the effectiveness of various strains of EPNs as biocontrol agents. Molecular techniques, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA barcoding, are used to identify and differentiate between the nematode strains, providing insights into their genetic traits. Additionally, behavioral assays assess their responses to insect-emitted chemical cues, determining their host-seeking efficiency and infection rates. By comparing these responses, we aim to identify which strains exhibit superior pest-targeting capabilities.

Ecological factors are also examined, as these conditions impact nematode survival and performance. Understanding how genetic traits and ecological factors interact is crucial for optimizing their use in different agricultural settings. If specific conditions enhance EPN activity, farmers can modify soil management practices to maximize their impact, making biological pest control more practical and reliable.

This research supports reducing reliance on chemical pesticides, promoting sustainable farming practices, and enhancing soil health. By optimizing EPN deployment, we contribute to a more environmentally friendly and effective pest management strategy.

This study examines heavy metal levels in Ottawa’s waters using ICP spectroscopy and assesses macroinvertebrate biodiversity through PCR and qPCR techniques. By combining these methods, the study provides a comprehensive approach to monitoring water quality, detecting environmental contamination, and aiding conservation efforts.

Canada’s growing population, driven by immigration, puts increasing pressure on infrastructure—housing, healthcare, and education. This project develops a data-driven forecasting tool to analyze and predict the country’s ability to absorb new residents.

By leveraging real-world data (CMHC, provincial healthcare & education stats, Statistics Canada), we assess capacity vs. demand and provide insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers. Our interactive tool helps answer the critical question: How many people can Canada sustainably accommodate?

Mold Remediation: Addressing health and safety concerns within the clubhouse.

Lighting System Improvements: Enhancing visibility for extended play hours.

Outdoor Facility Enhancements: Upgrading courts, furniture, and surroundings.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is essential to the industrial production of bioethanol, a sustainable substitute for fossil fuels. However, metabolic pathways like the GPD2 gene, which regulates the synthesis of glycerol as a competitive pathway for carbon flow, and the ADH2 gene, which promotes ethanol oxidation in aerobic conditions, limit the amount of ethanol that may be produced. Improving the efficiency of ethanol production requires addressing these metabolic drawbacks. Even while genetic alterations such as ADH2 knockouts have shown favorable results, simultaneous GPD2 knockouts have still not been extensively researched for maximizing the production of ethanol from economical feedstocks like maize starch.
The goal of this study is to enhance the production of bioethanol by using homologous recombination to knock out the ADH2 and GPD2 genes in S. cerevisiae. Nourseothricin (NAT) will be used as a selection marker for the ADH2 knockout, and hygromycin will be used for the GPD2 knockout. To evaluate the effects of both genetic deletions on ethanol yield, the study compares the ethanol yields of wild-type and mutant yeast strains grown on glucose produced from maize.
PCR was used to create templates for knocking out the ADH2 and GPD2 genes. Transformation methods based on lithium acetate will be used to convert these templates into S. cerevisiae. Using colony PCR, nourseothricin (NAT) and hygromycin resistance will verify the successful knockouts of ADH2 and GPD2, respectively. As a substrate, glucose produced from maize will be used to ferment both mutant and wild-type strains. Using a spectrophotometer-based NADH-linked assay, which tracks the conversion of NAD+ to NADH during ethanol oxidation by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the amount of ethanol produced will be measured. To verify the samples’ ethanol concentrations, standard curves will be generated.
It is anticipated that the dual knockout approach will significantly raise ethanol yield by removing ethanol oxidation and decreasing carbon flux towards undesirable pathways like glycerol synthesis. Results agree with earlier research that demonstrated ADH2 knockouts could increase yield by up to 74.7%, more gains are anticipated when GPD2 deletion is included. This research is intended to promote the use of renewable feedstocks, like corn starch, in industrial biofuel applications and provide important insights for optimising yeast strains for efficient bioethanol production.