Suzanne Lacroix and Nicolas Godbout, both full professors with Polytechnique's Department of Engineering Physics, obtained a three-year grant of $293,845 for their project "Optical front-end for decoding advanced modulation formats." The research will be carried out in partnership with EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering and ITF Labs.

The project consists of developing all-fibre components for telecommunications, biomedicine and sensor applications. The multiple input/output components will replace those currently on the market, which entail substantial losses in addition to being costly.

Pierre Carreau, a full professor with the Department of Chemical Engineering, obtained a three-year grant of $354,000 for his project "Development of bio-composites made with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC)." He will work with Université Laval full professor Bernard Riedl, Université de Sherbrooke professor Michel Huneault, and Charles Dubois and Marie-Claude Heuzey, both full professors with Polytechnique's Department of Chemical Engineering. AS Composite Inc. and FPInnovations are partnering the project.

The research aims primarily to develop a new family of biocomposites based on renewable materials that have equivalent or superior properties to traditional composites.

Benoît Robert, a full professor with the Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, received a three-year grant of $334,800 for his project "Engineering organizational resilience." The research will be carried out with University of Ottawa professor Louise Lemyre and the Ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec.

This project aims to structure a process for assessing government organizational resilience. Resilience is based on the principle of maintaining or regaining a level of acceptable performance in all critical systems (water, energy, food, finance, etc.) in the face of disruptions or failures.

In total, the federal government will invest $55 million through the SPG program in support of more than 120 research teams. The grants support early-stage project research led by at least one researcher and a supporting organization. The goal of the program is to increase research and training in areas that could strongly influence Canada's economy, society or environment in the next 10 years.

To visit the NSERC's Strategic Project Grant (SPG) website: www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/SPG-SPS_eng.asp

To read about Professor Lacroix's expertise:
www.polymtl.ca/recherche/rc/en/professeurs/details.php?NoProf=140&Langue=A 

To read about Professor Carreau's expertise:
www.polymtl.ca/recherche/rc/en/professeurs/details.php?NoProf=28&Langue=A

To read about Professor Robert's expertise:
www.polymtl.ca/recherche/rc/en/professeurs/details.php?NoProf=71&Langue=A