Join us in congratulating this year’s 11 International Research Seed Grant (IRSG) recipients!

The IRSG is an internal funding program that supports Carleton faculty members in starting new international research collaborations. Projects are expected to be innovative, globally focused, and lay the foundation for long-term international partnerships.

Click the profiles below to learn more about each recipient’s partner and project.

Dr. Alfonso Abizaid, Neuroscience. Project partner: Dr. Farhat Batool, University of Karachi, Pakistan. Drs. Abizaid and Batool are exploring how hormones that control food intake and metabolism can influence behaviours like food motivation. Combining their respective expertise, they are developing in vitro models to culture dopamine cells and examine their cellular responses when exposed to hormones like ghrelin and leptin, both of which modulate feeding in animals and humans. Their goal is to establish models that can run large-scale experiments. By deciphering these intracellular processes, they hope to find ways to manipulate them and ultimately develop drugs and other therapeutics to modulate food cravings. “The research will establish a bridge between our institutions and also provide opportunities for exchanges between students and faculty that can foster collaboration and training, especially for women.”
Dr. Eugene Fletcher, Biology. Project partner: Dr. Wendel da Silveira, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil. In Canada and Brazil, the dairy industry plays an important economic role but struggles with managing waste. Drs. Fletcher and da Silveira are exploring the potential use of brewer’s yeast to ferment lactose from dairy by-products into biofuels and lactic acid for making bioplastics. This research addresses environmental pollution from untreated dairy waste by converting it into industrially valuable chemicals. Furthermore, their work will identify the genetic modifications needed to enable yeast to metabolize lactose, representing a significant advancement in the emerging field of synthetic biology. “International partnerships offer the opportunity to explore ideas from diverse perspectives. Global issues, such as food security and environmental sustainability, often require coordinated efforts across borders.”
Dr. Fidel Khouli, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Project partner: Dr. Melike Nikbay, Istanbul Technical University, Türkiye. Sustainable and safe aviation hinges on recent advances in aircraft design. As they become lighter and more flexible, there is an increased risk of aeroelastic instabilities. One such challenge is aeroservoelasticity, the interaction between the aircraft’s structure, aerodynamic forces, and automated flight control systems. Thanks to the seed grant, Drs. Khouli and Nikbay have teamed up to strengthen the aerospace industries of both Canada and Türkiye. Together, they are investigating strategies to mitigate these instabilities through experimental methods and the development of robust and efficient computational techniques. “This collaboration leverages our respective expertise and extensive industry contacts to develop a unique joint research program between Carleton University and Istanbul Technical University.”
Dr. Stefania Maggi, Psychology. Project partner: Dr. Martina Giuffrè, University of Parma, Italy. Educators teaching climate change often encounter student distress regarding its impacts on our planet. Unfortunately, most educators have not received training on how to help young learners cope with this type of anxiety, raising questions about the responsibilities of teachers and mental health. Moreover, schools often lack the support to navigate the complexities of this global crisis. In response, Drs. Maggi and Giuffrè have set out to better understand how schools can offer climate change education that meets curriculum targets, while addressing student mental health needs. They are also exploring opportunities for effecting systemic changes. “We hope to determine the feasibility of future school-based research, while building a strong foundation for an international university-community partnership that will contribute to advancements in approaches to climate change education.”
Dr. Sangeeta Murugkar, Physics. Project partner: Dr. Jamie Lynn Inman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States of America. Drs. Murugkar and Inman are laying the groundwork to develop an effective biodosimetry method for assessing radiation exposure. Together, they aim to validate new optical spectroscopy and imaging techniques to identify biomarkers of ionizing radiation. Through multidisciplinary research and training approaches, their work will lead to the development of rapid, quantitative, and reliable diagnostics for clinical triaging and for monitoring individuals exposed to ionizing radiation in a hazardous or nuclear incident. It also has the potential to revolutionize radiation therapy, which is used for treating 50% of cancers worldwide. “This project will generate international experiential learning opportunities for current and future research trainees, thus aligning with the goals of Carleton’s International Strategic Plan.”
Dr. Luciara Nardon, Business. Project partner: Dr. Camila Bruning, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil. Migration in Latin America often occurs in multiple stages, with Brazil being a common transitory country on the way to North America. This trend highlights the need for a multi-level perspective to better understand the infrastructures affecting global migration. Through their new partnership, Drs. Nardon and Bruning will explore the impact of multinational migrations in Brazil and Canada by identifying the structures that enable this process, compare immigration service ecosystems, propose solutions to include migrants in the workplace and society, and capture a polyvocal narrative that raises awareness on global issues of human mobility. “We expect this project to lead to future studies, with multiple countries, that will map the trajectories of immigrants in the Americas and help us understand the impact of multinational migrations on individuals’ sense of self and wellbeing.”
Dr. Yuu Ono, Systems and Computer Engineering. Project partners: Dr. Shohei Mori & Dr. Mototaka Arakawa, Tohoku University, Japan. Dr. Ono has teamed up with Drs. Mori and Arakawa in Japan to develop wearable ultrasound sensor (WUS) technology, automated lung monitoring equipment that can detect acute respiratory failures, such as pneumothorax. Unlike conventional ultrasound imaging probes, the proposed WUS is flexible, lightweight, and hands-free, and offers a way to continuously evaluate the development of potentially life-threatening respiratory conditions for patients in ICU or even at home. The project is designed to reduce healthcare expenses, as well as help clinicians develop treatment plans and make timely decisions for medical intervention. “Tohoku University is a pioneer in various research areas and has a long history in medical ultrasound. As a faculty member originally from Japan, I would like to enhance our new collaboration by exchanging students and researchers.”
Dr. Carol Payne, Art and Architectural History. Project partner: Dr. Michael Bravo, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom The research team of Inuit anthropologist and author Deborah Kigjugalik Webster, Inuit artist and activist Bernadette Dean, and Drs. Payne and Bravo are leading a photo-based project that addresses Arctic climate change through visual culture. Collaborating with other Inuit leaders, artists, and museum curators, the project will reimagine the University of Cambridge’s influential and historic collections of expedition photography at the Scott Polar Research Institute Picture Library through critical engagement from Indigenous perspectives and by providing a forum for Inuit advocacy against climate change. “The research will result in publications, an educational guide, and an online exhibition (in addition to in-person) that will be accessible across Inuit Nunangat and the Circumpolar North, which will help enhance Inuit knowledge.”
Dr. Jeff Sahadeo, European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies. Project partner: Dr. Ketevan Gurchiani, Ilia State University, Georgia. Rivers are central to Georgia’s natural resources, powering hydroelectric plants and sustaining agriculture. They also play a vital role in the culture and social identity of the population. However, post-socialist and neoliberal visions of development often seek to exploit natural wealth against popular wishes. Examining a wide range of issues, such as irrigation, tourism, fish preservation, and tensions around land use, Drs. Sahadeo and Gurchiani are engaging state and local communities to learn about the nuances of river usage. They hope to open doors for future studies on water, power, and social relationships, while providing students with practical research opportunities. “I have been so impressed by the dynamism of faculty and students alike at Ilia State University. They offer local expertise, language skills (I am learning Georgian!) and a chance for us to learn from each other.”
Dr. Alexis Shotwell, Sociology and Anthropology. Project partner: Dr. Kilian Jörg, FUTURAMA°LAB, Austria & Switzerland. In a world facing complex issues like war and global warming, many people feel helpless. To address these concerns, Drs. Shotwell and Jörg are exploring when and how it is appropriate to make moral demands on ourselves and others, while acknowledging the impossibility of solving these problems individually. As a result of this new partnership, they are co-writing a book and participating in a larger project alongside a consortium of scholars. Their goal is to make theoretical concepts more accessible, provide a framework on how we can live better as humans during challenging times, and to showcase practical examples of collaborative efforts that inspire collective moral action. “I was so delighted to receive funding! The team at FUTURAMA°LAB is grounded in some of the liveliest ecological conversations happening. I am thrilled to have a window into the work they do and their approach to collective transformation.”
Dr. Yue Zhang, Physics. Project partner: Dr. Miha Nemevšek, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Dr. Zhang works on model building and phenomenology to solve puzzles that the Standard Model of particle physics can’t explain, with the aim of unveiling new fundamental laws of nature. Alongside Dr. Nemevšek, whose team is engaged in complementary research, he is exploring relics of the Big Bang as a candidate for dark matter and dark radiation, mysterious substances that affect and shape the cosmos. The seed grant will fund in-person visits, provide opportunities for training, lead to joint publications, and generate new ideas for collaborating beyond the 2-year time frame of the award. “The next 20 years will be an extremely exciting time with numerous results coming from the cosmological frontier. The outcome of this research will provide an important guideline and benchmark for future exploration.”

Monday, September 23, 2024  |  Categories: News
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