The Canada鈥檚 awards are presented annually by Delta Management Group to recognize leaders who have made significant contributions to the clean economy over the previous two years. The Lifetime Contribution Award recognizes senior sustainability leaders whose careers have advanced environmental protection and climate resilience in Canada. 

Recipients are selected from more than 1,000 nominees nationwide.

Winfield, a professor at the , was recognized for a career spanning governance research, institution building, public engagement and student mentorship.

"I really see this as a recognition of the contributions of all of the people I have worked with over the years: colleagues and students at EUC, but also through the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy, the Pembina Institute, and the Canadian Environmental Network," says Winfield.

Gavin Pitchford, CEO of Delta Management Group. says to receive a Clean50 award is truly indicative of nation-wide and personal leadership in the Lifetime Contribution category. "The individuals we chose for the Clean50 this year are true leaders and should be an inspiration for all Canadians.鈥�

Winfield has played a significant role in Canadian environmental policy since 1992, beginning with the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy and later the before moving into academia. He served as a civil society member of Government of Canada delegations to international environmental negotiations and has worked with the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD) on international environmental initiatives and projects.  

At 91亚色, Winfield's research has focused on sustainable energy, climate change, environmental law and public policy. He serves as co-chair of 91亚色鈥檚 and is co-founder of the and helped establish the Energy Modelling Hub as a nationally recognized resource. 

As a graduate supervisor and program leader, Winfield has mentored generations of students who have pursued careers in government, environmental organizations, law, research and public policy. 

鈥淭hrough supervising graduate students, he has also built a small army of policy professionals, sending them off into government, law and the non-profit world," says Pitchford. "Three decades in, he is still building the institutions the next generation will need, for the long haul.鈥� 

He is the author of two books and more than 50 chapters and articles. His research has contributed to policy development discussions in Canada and abroad, from testimony before Canada鈥檚 Senate and House of Commons to questions from the Australian Parliament about nuclear energy in Ontario.  

Winfield has also served as an advisor to environmental oversight bodies and contributed to research collaborations examining community energy planning, energy storage, low-carbon transitions and climate governance. He is co-editor of Carbon Federalism: Canadian Climate Governance in a Disrupted World, submitted to the University of Toronto Press last month.

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鈥淲hen we think of environmental sustainability, we often immediately think about newer energy-efficient technologies. Organic waste treatment becomes rather an afterthought,鈥� says Reema Kumar, a PhD candidate at 91亚色's and lead author of the study.

That perspective is beginning to change as researchers look for new ways to recover value from organic waste. Instead of sending food waste to landfill 鈥� where it can contribute to greenhouse gases and other forms of pollution 鈥� scientists are exploring how it can be converted into useful resources.

One promising approach uses microorganisms to break down discarded food and produce chemicals that are typically made from petroleum-based sources, creating an alternative to landfill disposal and fossil-based production.

While researchers have tested adding microorganisms to increase the production of useful compounds from discarded food, most of that research has focused on systems that operate at relatively warm temperatures. Much less is known about whether the same process can selectively produce compounds under colder, lower-energy conditions.

According to Kumar, maintaining warmer operating conditions can require significant energy input, particularly in colder climates. Seeking a more energy-efficient approach, Kumar and her colleagues turned their attention to lower-temperature systems.

鈥淲e were inspired to optimize this natural system of microorganisms using food waste to produce volatile fatty acids under lower temperature conditions to make it more energy efficient as well as provide a targeted approach for production,鈥� says Kumar.

They honed in on Clostridium butyricum, a bacterium known for generating butyric acid and a commercially valuable chemical commonly used in food, pharmaceutical and industrial products. Yielding such chemicals from organic waste could provide a more sustainable alternative to conventional manufacturing methods that rely on fossil-fuel-derived raw materials.

Their work questioned whether introducing the bacterium into a low-temperature food-waste fermentation system could increase production of butyric acid.

In a study published in , Kumar and her collaborators tested the idea using food waste and wastewater sludge. The research was co-supervised by Lassonde Professor Satinder Kaur Brar, along with Guneet Kaur, associate professor at the University of Guelph.

The team created a series of small-scale experiments using food waste collected from restaurants in 91亚色 Lanes and sludge sourced from the Humber Wastewater Treatment Facility. Together, the food waste and sludge created conditions that allowed naturally occurring microorganisms to break down the waste.

Clostridium butyricum was then introduced into some of the samples to see if the bacterium could steer the process toward producing more butyric acid.

鈥淲e wanted to show that you can 鈥榞uide鈥� a complex microbial community, made up of many different bacteria naturally found in wastewater sludge, toward a specific, useful outcome just by introducing one well-chosen microorganism,鈥� says Kumar. 鈥淚t's a bit like steering a crowd by adding a few people who know where they're going.鈥�

The approach worked even better than the researchers expected. The system that received the bacterium produced more than twice as many acids overall and more than five times as much butyric acid compared to the control.

鈥淲e didn't expect such a strong response at a temperature of 17 C," says Kumar. "That was a genuinely exciting result."

The findings, she adds, point to a future where discarded food can be viewed as a resource rather than waste.

Increasing the production of commercially valuable compouds at lower temperatures could pave the way for more energy-efficient waste-treatment systems that recover greater value from discarded food. Over time, it may help keep organic waste out of landfills while creating renewable alternatives to some petroleum-derived chemicals.

鈥淲e hope it helps move the needle toward low-cost, low-energy ways of recovering value from food waste, especially in colder countries,鈥� says Kumar. 鈥淥nce this approach can eventually be scaled up, it could support local biorefinery systems that turn organic waste into useful chemicals without requiring expensive heating infrastructure. That has real implications for both sustainability and economics.鈥�

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Data centres 鈥� large industrial facilities that power cloud computing and AI 鈥� have become critical infrastructure supporting the world鈥檚 growing digitization. Everything from streaming video and online banking to scientific research and generative AI depends on their ability to store, process and move enormous volumes of data.

As demand for digital services continues to rise, these centres sit at the root of that growth. And, as they become more pervasive, conversations about broader implications are growing.

鈥淒ata centres are increasingly part of public debate because of concerns about energy use, environmental impact, local economic effects and data sovereignty in Canada,鈥� says Lyndsey Rolheiser, an assistant professor at the .

Despite the growing significance, there remains a notable gap in publicly available information about these facilities.

鈥淭here is very little systematic evidence to inform that discussion,鈥� says Alexander Carlo, a postdoctoral researcher at Schulich. 鈥淎t a basic level, we do not have a clear picture of where data centres are located in Canada or where new ones are being developed.鈥�

Rolheiser and Carlo set out to address that gap by creating the first comprehensive map of Canada鈥檚 data centre landscape. Their work, now and to be included in the forthcoming Schulich School of Business Real Assets Research Paper Series, documents both existing facilities and the growing pipeline of projects that have been announced or are under construction.

The authors built their analysis around a proprietary dataset from Aterio, a data intelligence firm that aggregates information on large鈥憇cale infrastructure projects. Using permitting records, utility filings and company disclosures, they tracked facilities from initial announcement through construction to full operation, then layered in census and provincial electricity data to assess location, scale and energy implications.

Once completed, they mapped out a much clearer picture of how Canada鈥檚 digital infrastructure is changing. The analysis shows that while Canada鈥檚 current data facilities footprint remains relatively modest, the pipeline of planned facilities is nearly 10 times larger 鈥� and those new centres are far bigger than older ones, reflecting a shift toward hyperscale infrastructure designed to support AI.

Future development is also highly concentrated: Alberta alone accounts for more than 90 per cent of planned capacity, despite relying on a comparatively high鈥慹missions electricity grid. At the same time, new facilities are increasingly being built far from major cities, often hundreds of kilometres from urban cores. Meanwhile, provinces with cleaner electricity systems, including Quebec, Ontario and B.C., have begun restricting or carefully managing grid access for large new data centres.

These patterns reflect a set of broader concerns the authors explore in the paper. Data centres consume enormous amounts of electricity 鈥� often equivalent to tens of thousands of households per facility 鈥� while creating relatively few long鈥憈erm jobs compared with the scale of public infrastructure they require. Their expansion can reshape provincial power systems, raise emissions concerns and crowd out other users. The authors also point to questions of data sovereignty, since most large facilities are owned by foreign firms and to the risk that some projects could become stranded assets if AI demand slows or climate policy tightens.

While Rolheiser and Carlo do point to these risks, the aim of the research is to ground future discussions in evidence. 鈥淭his is a necessary first step for any informed policy or public debate,鈥� Rolheiser says.

鈥淎t a minimum,鈥� Carlo adds, 鈥渢he paper should help clarify what the current landscape looks like and where development is taking place.鈥�

Both researchers hope their work contributes to more informed discussions about data centres in Canada, and provides a solid evidence base that helps policymakers and the public better understand these sites and their impacts on grid access, emissions and economic benefits.

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Ciuying Jian (associate professor, ), Trevor VandenBoer (associate professor, Faculty of Science) and Daanish Mulla (postdoctoral fellow, ) are three of 34 delegates selected to engage in dialogue with policymakers during the 2026 Science Meets Parliament 鈥� Ontario Program (SMP-ON).

The event creates opportunities for in-depth knowledge sharing, in which delegates from the academic scientific community gain insights into the legislative process and learn how to effectively communicate research to policymakers.

This is the second year for the Ontario cohort, which is an expansion of the SMP federal program launched by the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) in 2018. It serves as a non-partisan initiative to benefit scientists, members of provincial parliament (MPPs) and Ontarians.

The three 91亚色 representatives will bring research expertise in water and energy, air quality and chemical instrumentation, and human movement to the Spring 2026 delegation.

鈥淭his initiative is important because it creates a structured space for direct exchange between researchers and policymakers,鈥� says Jian, a professor of mechanical engineering. 鈥淭his type of engagement helps ensure that decisions are informed by evidence and allows researchers to better understand how policy is shaped in practice.鈥�

Jian鈥檚 research explores innovative ways to use carbon and water more effectively. Specifically, her research examines how to sustainably produce carbon-based functional materials and use them to clean wastewater and improve environmental monitoring and green energy systems. Her lab also uses computer modelling to understand the behaviour of materials and interfacial systems at a microscopic level.

She plans to highlight to policymakers the importance of supporting both applied and fundamental research and hopes to help build mutual understanding between scientists and MPPs about how each approaches complex decision-making. Jian says she will share insights learned with Lassonde and the wider 91亚色 community, as well as external partners such as the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering. She will incorporate these new perspectives into her research practice moving forward, she says.

For VandenBoer, the delegation is an opportunity to help ensure that 鈥渟cience is a non-partisan entity in politics,鈥� and looks forward to scientists and MPPs working together to serve Ontarians

Atmospheric and analytical chemistry is the focus of VandenBoer鈥檚 research at 91亚色, which develops new tools to track nitrogen from use as fertilizer to grow crops to the air, as well as in the air quality of urban environments including indoor spaces. The research team working with VandenBoer studies how these chemicals travel and change from microscopic interactions at atmospheric interfaces to impacts at a global scale.

VandenBoer notes that by giving MPPs access to experts, and CSPC teaching scientists how to translate research for policy relevance, the program ensures that provincial decisions can be grounded in the best available evidence.

鈥淭he collaboration aims to benefit all Ontarians by bringing a wide range of diverse, expert voices into government to solve real-world problems,鈥� says VandenBoer, adding he plans to maintain relationships developed during the delegation.

Mulla, a postdoctoral researcher with Connected Minds at 91亚色, sees the delegation as an opportunity to ensure his research generates evidence that is scientifically rigorous, but also directly actionable for public health policy.

His research investigates how the brain and nervous system control movements. By using advanced computer models, he explores how individuals learn new skills or break old habits, with the goal of finding ways to help people learn physical tasks faster and safely.

"Visible collaboration between researchers and policymakers signals that evidence and governance are working together, not in silos,鈥� Mulla says, adding that he鈥檒l apply what he learns to his teaching and research, and will incorporate findings into lessons about science communication.

By participating in the initiative, 91亚色 researchers will help strengthen connections between science and policy at the provincial level.

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Led by Parmeet Singh Channe, a student, Enactus 91亚色 is empowering students to tackle social and environmental challenges through award-winning entrepreneurship and ventures.

When Channe, a third-year computer science student, was growing up, he was exposed early to stark inequalities. He recalls seeing children his age working in extreme conditions instead of attending school. Those experiences instilled in him a drive to make a difference that evolved into a desire to pursue socially minded entrepreneurship and build projects to create the change he wanted to see in the world.

That motivation led him to 91亚色 and, in April 2024, to a LinkedIn post by Enactus Canada, a registered charity. Channe learned the organization empowers post-secondary students to use innovation and entrepreneurship to advance social impact. Through a network of teams at more than 78 campuses across Canada 鈥� and a global network spanning 35 countries 鈥� participants develop projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and compete by pitching their ventures and demonstrating outcomes on a national and international stage.

鈥淒iscovering Enactus felt like finding a platform that perfectly aligned with what I had already been trying to build: using entrepreneurship as a tool for real-world impact,鈥� says Channe.

After learning that a previous Enactus 91亚色 chapter had dissolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, Channe became determined to resurrect it. Within a few months, he relaunched the chapter, which was officially ratified in September 2024. The group started small, with only two members. In those early days, Channe took on several roles: pursuing partnerships and funding, overseeing project development and working to recruit new members to grow the team into a thriving entrepreneurial community.

Today, Enactus 91亚色 has grown to more than 90 members, supporting innovative initiatives 鈥� each driven by a purpose that reflects what first inspired Channe. 鈥淥ur goal is to create ventures that benefit lives at scale while improving people鈥檚 standard of living,鈥� he says.

In its first year, the group demonstrated its mission through award-winning projects, such as: AR Home Builder, an augmented reality app that helps rural communities to construct sustainable, resilient housing; Modular Homeless Shelters, which redesigns existing shelters with factory-built units to provide housing solutions; and Energent, an intelligent energy management platform that helps property managers reduce consumption and costs while promoting sustainability.

Three more ventures are underway this year. LiftAID connects students with non-profits, helping communities access volunteer support while providing opportunities to develop applicable skills. Easysim helps professors teach economics through realistic simulations, making education more engaging and accessible. Dragoncure is exploring ways to support triple-negative breast cancer treatment 鈥� especially in low-income countries 鈥� by developing solutions that are affordable, low-risk and aimed at reducing relapse.

Earlier this year, Enactus 91亚色 took these projects to competition with team members Prabhkrit Singh (co-president of Enactus 91亚色), Mohammad Areeb (vice-president) and Samashi Munaweera (project manager of Dragoncure).

In its first appearance at the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition, the chapter earned three podium finishes: Easysim placed second in the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge, Dragoncure placed second in the Innovation & Impact Challenge and LiftAID placed third in the Desjardins Community Empowerment Challenge.

In addition to its Enactus achievements, Dragoncure also earned first place at the Hult Prize Qualifiers at 91亚色 鈥� part of a global competition that challenges student teams to pitch business ideas addressing major global problems. The qualifiers feed into national and international rounds, offering the team a chance to move on to the competition鈥檚 final stages and compete for seed funding.

While venture creation and competitions are the chapter's focus, it also serves as a hub. It organizes workshops, networking events and collaborative initiatives that provide opportunities to gain skills in market research, pitching and storytelling, project development and building partnerships. 鈥淭hese experiences not only support venture creation but also prepare students for careers in entrepreneurship and innovation,鈥� says Channe.

Looking ahead, Channe says Enactus 91亚色 will participate in the Hult Prize Nationals in Montreal in April, followed by the Enactus Canada National Exposition in May, where teams compete for a chance to advance to Enactus Global.

Channe envisions the chapter growing into one of Canada鈥檚 leading student venture ecosystems. It boasts more than 10 active projects creating measurable change for thousands of individuals internationally, with Enactus 91亚色 alumni leading startups and driving innovation across industries.

鈥淲e aim to contribute meaningfully to the SDGs while building a generation of students who see themselves not just as learners, but as problem-solvers and changemakers,鈥� he says.

By inspiring others to take action, Enactus 91亚色 aims to create a ripple effect one person at a time. 鈥淛ust one tree can provide shade to hundreds of people in its lifetime,鈥� Channe says.

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91亚色 has launched a new public resource designed to help people better understand electric vehicle (EV) charging and make practical decisions about where and how to charge.

The initiative, led by Hany Farag, a professor in the , is supported by a $139,294 federal grant from Natural Resources Canada through its Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative, which funds education projects that support cleaner transportation.

"The hub is meant to serve a wide range of audiences, from everyday drivers and prospective buyers to building managers and municipalities planning for more charging infrastructure," says Farag.

The is an online platform that combines plain-language explainers with interactive tools. It helps users explore common questions, such as how long charging might take in different situations or what it can cost to install a faster charger at home. It is designed as a practical starting point for anyone trying to make sense of EV charging without a technical background.

The site is organized into two main parts. The first features short explanations and briefs answering common questions about charger types, home charging and why charging speeds sometimes vary. Users can also download information as PDFs. The second section is a growing set of interactive tools that help users explore real scenarios, such as a charging simulator that estimates how a vehicle's battery level changes over time during a session.

"A key aim of the project is to also address common misconceptions that can make EV charging seem more complicated or intimidating than it needs to be," says Farag.

The hub reflects the University鈥檚 deep research strengths in clean energy systems 鈥� grounding EV charging within the broader electricity infrastructure that powers homes, buildings and communities. It supports diverse settings, including condos and apartment buildings, where planning becomes more complex when multiple residents charge simultaneously within a building's power capacity limits.

Some tools tailored to multi-unit and municipal planning are still in development, but progress is steady and intentional, says Farag. His team is actively engaging collaborators 鈥� including representatives from municipalities, dealerships and the EV charging sector 鈥� to ensure the hub is shaped by real-world needs.

Core development is on track for completion by June, with an official launch planned for March 2027.

The project is a 91亚色 community effort, with Abdullah Al-Obaidi, postdoctoral fellow, and Ahmed Abdelaziz, PhD candidate, leading the algorithms and software development that powers its interactive tools. Paulina Karwowska-Desaulniers 鈥� executive director of 91亚色's SmartTO initiative 鈥� supports community engagement, events and outreach.

The hub is being developed in collaboration with Moataz Mohamed 鈥� director of the Mobilizing Innovation for Transportation Lab at McMaster University 鈥� and the City of Mississauga, alongside industry partners EVA Canada and RideAlike.

Three years ago, 91亚色's Keele Campus was announced as a sustainability-focused 'living lab' where faculty, students and campus staff tested next-generation electric commuter vehicle prototypes. The hub builds on that momentum 鈥� supporting smarter, more practical planning for campus charging infrastructure, helping students and visitors navigate on-campus EV charging with confidence and keeping 91亚色 at the leading edge of sustainable campus innovation as EV demand grows.

Looking ahead, Farag says the team plans to build national awareness by sharing the hub鈥檚 mission and resources through workshops, partner networks and collaborations across Canada, ensuring the impact extends beyond 91亚色's campuses.

鈥淲henever there is a chance to advertise or publicize the project for any national effort, we will definitely take that opportunity,鈥� he says.

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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91亚色 will play an integral role in a national initiative supporting long-term energy and climate decision-making.

The (EMH) is designed to strengthen Canada鈥檚 analytical capacity around energy systems transitions.

Mark Winfield, a professor at 91亚色鈥檚 (EUC), will help guide Canada鈥檚 future in energy as one of five academics serving on the hub鈥檚 executive committee.

The investment of nearly $5 million was awarded to a consortium of 91亚色, the University of Calgary, Carleton University, the University of Victoria and 脡cole Polytechnique to establish a national energy modelling network to support evidence-based decision-making around the sustainable decarbonization of Canada鈥檚 energy systems.

Funding is provided through the Natural Resources Canada鈥檚 Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program. Additional funding for EMH is provided through the Trottier and Ivey Foundations.

Working together over the next four years, academics and industry experts will improve access to energy models, data and analytical tools so governments and stakeholders can better understand the implications of different pathways to decarbonization and energy sustainability.

鈥淭he Energy Modelling Hub serves as an independent enabler and capacity builder in Canada,鈥� says Winfield, who also co-chairs EUC鈥檚 Sustainable Energy Initiative. 鈥淚ts work focuses on connecting researchers and decision-makers, supporting open-source tools, improving access to data and providing opportunities for training and knowledge sharing.鈥�

Long-term planning, he says, will look at how to decarbonize energy systems while ensuring affordability and advancing sustainability.

EMH鈥檚 current work includes exploring the potential roles of connections between provincial electricity grids.

Contributing as 91亚色鈥檚 representative on the EMH executive committee, Winfield will help guide the strategic direction of the hub. Drawing on his extensive research on climate change, energy sustainability, and environment and energy law and policy, he will be part of a national effort to 鈥渁dvance the transition in the direction of sustainable energy systems.鈥�

In 2023, Winfield co-edited Sustainable Energy Transitions in Canada (UBC Press) exploring the technical, economic, political and policy dimensions of decarbonization and energy transitions. Winfield鈥檚 work with EMH builds on his participation research networks around energy storage, smart grids, distributed energy resources and community energy planning, He is currently co-editing Carbon Federalism: Canadian Climate Governance in a Disrupted World for the University of Toronto Press.

The December 2025 funding announcement builds on previous $5 million federal support for EMH and strengthen Canada鈥檚 momentum towards net-zero and decarbonizing its energy systems.

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Kamelia Atefi, an associate professor at 91亚色鈥檚 , believes engineers have a unique role in confronting climate change. A warming world brings heavier rains, hotter summers and shifting soils that crack roads, weaken bridges and damage buildings.

Engineers, who design and maintain much of that infrastructure, are uniquely positioned to respond with innovative solutions.

鈥淲e cannot use the standard design procedures that we鈥檝e been using,鈥� Atefi says. 鈥淲e have to redefine the way we are designing things.鈥�

For more than 12 years, Atefi has been contributing to that mandate. A specialist in geomechanics 鈥� the branch of civil engineering that studies how soil and rock behave under mechanical, hydraulic and thermal forces 鈥� she is reshaping the field through a climate鈥慺ocused lens. Instead of treating the ground merely as a foundation, her work examines how it can actively reduce carbon emissions, improve resilience and support sustainable construction.

For example, among her projects, Atefi is exploring innovations through geothermal energy 鈥� the heat stored beneath the earth鈥檚 surface 鈥� as an alternative source for electricity, heating and cooling.

Making shallow geothermal cooling systems work safely and efficiently requires understanding how underground heat, water and soil pressures interact; miscalculating any of these forces could cause failures to infrastructure, reduction of energy efficiency or even damage to the nearby ground.

Atefi is pursuing this through a collaborative $7鈥憁illion project led by the University of Waterloo and funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation's Innovation Fund (CFI-IF). With $500,000 dedicated to her team at 91亚色, she is collaborating to build the largest geothermal energy and energy geo-storage research centre in Canada.

Using state-of-the-art triaxial testing equipment funded through the CFI-IF project, Atefi will replicate underground conditions in the lab, applying realistic heat, water flow and pressure to soil and rock samples. This allows her team to study how porous materials respond to thermal and hydraulic loads 鈥� including those found in geothermal systems and in conditions created by climate change 鈥� ensuring that designs can be both safe and efficient for real-world settings.

Atefi's also leads a collaborative project with the University of Guelph, Carleton University and the University of Waterloo that received $250,000 from the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) 鈥� Exploration stream. In this project, she is building on a technique called microbiologically induced calcite precipitation (MICP), which emulates a natural process in which bacteria produce calcium carbonate, a mineral that binds soil grains together.

鈥淭he whole idea behind MICP is to use natural microbes that exist in this environment, feed them some nutrients and let them grow,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭hey produce a very natural cement 鈥� you can call it bio鈥慶ement.鈥�

Engineers can use this process in situations like mine tailings, which are the leftover materials after valuable minerals or metals have been extracted. If unstable, tailings can collapse or leak toxic water; MICP, however, can turn loose, dangerous tailings into something more solid and safer, using bacteria instead of cement.

While bio鈥慶ementation has been successfully demonstrated in field trials and pilot projects around the world, it is not yet a standard ground improvement method 鈥� especially in the contexts Atefi is exploring. 鈥淲e are looking at northern communities, which are completely isolated,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey have gravel roads, and we want to improve the quality of those roads in harsh environments using a method that is environmentally friendly, without introducing grouting or chemical鈥慴ased materials.鈥�

Atefi is tackling these challenges by engineering new bacterial strains and developing tools to monitor and model how the process behaves under real鈥憌orld conditions. 鈥淭he goal,鈥� she says, 鈥渋s to understand these behaviours better so bio鈥慶ementation can be promoted and tailored to be stronger in harsher environments.鈥�

Though many of these innovations are still in academic or research settings, Atefi says engineers are uniquely positioned to bridge theory and practice. For her, this means actively contributing beyond the lab as Chair of the Climate Change Committee for the Canadian Standards Association code, which sets technical requirements for engineering, construction and safety across Canada. Through this work, for example, she helped revise the foundations code to incorporate climate鈥慽nformed design, translating research insights into standards that guide real鈥憌orld engineering projects.

Those solutions are what drive Atefi's work. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about finding ways for engineering to not only respond to climate change in practical, real鈥憌orld ways, but to re-think design and construction techniques to help mitigate its effects,鈥� she explains. 鈥淲e want our work to not just stay in the lab but to actually help communities be safer and more sustainable.鈥�

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In recent years, AI tools have become widely adopted across a range of sectors, supporting many applications. Many of these tools are powered by deep learning (DL) models, which learn patterns directly from large volumes of data by adjusting internal parameters 鈥� the settings a model changes as it learns. An example of this is the large language model (LLM).

For some organizations, however, adoption can prove challenging. 鈥淥ne main challenge is the cost and time required to train billions of parameters from collected data, and the cost of using LLMs for interference, which generate text answers, images, voices and vidoes based on requests,鈥� says Cheung. 鈥淚ts sheer scale translates to large daily operation costs for businesses.鈥�

There are also environmental considerations. The longer it takes to train an AI model, the more electricity is consumed. 鈥淭his is why AI tech companies currently demand huge energy supplies and are building nuclear plants to meet their needs,鈥� he says. Much of this electricity comes from carbon鈥慽ntensive sources, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact.

Over the last several years, Cheung, a faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has worked with international partners to develop smaller, more efficient alternatives.

His research focuses on miniaturizing transformer models, a type of deep learning model that excels at discovering complex patterns in data 鈥� from language and images to time鈥憇eries signals 鈥� by analyzing relationships across all parts of the input.

鈥淚f we can miniaturize DL models by one to two orders of magnitude, that would mean much smaller training and operation costs,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t would also save a lot of electricity and thus be environmentally friendly.鈥�

To date, Cheung鈥檚 research group at 91亚色 has applied miniaturized models to a variety of areas, including imaging, traffic and weather data, and even brain signals measured by EEG. They have already reduced model sizes by up to 100 times without noticeable drops in performance. Their smaller models can perform image processing tasks, such as denoising and interpolation, as effectively as much larger state鈥憃f鈥憈he鈥慳rt systems, while using only a fraction of the model parameters.

Recently, Cheung and his collaborators received an opportunity to explore a new application of their innovative methods: LLMs, some of the largest and most widely used AI systems today. These models are trained on massive collections of text to understand and generate human language.

Last summer, Cheung connected with Eugene Wen, vice-president and global chief data scientist at Manulife, a multinational insurance and financial services company investing in advancing its AI capabilities and applied AI research.

"Our goal is to build advanced AI solutions that balance high-speed and accuracy with low energy consumption to reduce costs and our carbon footprint," says Wen.

The company was seeking an LLM that could answer customer queries quickly and accurately while using minimal computing resources and electricity, helping to keep costs and energy use low. Manulife provided funding for Cheng's research, including support for PhD students to participate, continuing its commitment to parter with universities on joint research projects.

Now, in partnership with Manulife, Cheung is pursuing this project in collaboration with his graduate students and Professor Vicky Zhao, a longtime friend and research partner from Tsinghua University in China.

Building on their previous work, Cheung and his collaborators are exploring a novel approach to applying their miniaturization techniques to LLMs. In an earlier project, they trained a parameter-efficient graph-based denoiser 鈥� an AI system that gradually removes noise from grainy images to produce a clear result using a learned similarity graph.

Generating text from scratch in an LLM can also be interpreted as a sequence of denoising steps, so that the developed denoiser can be redeployed in the language context. By training the generative model as sequential denoising stages, they hope to reduce the number of parameters needed, speed up training and lower energy use. This could create smaller, faster and more efficient LLMs.

Cheung says the work with Manulife also allows him to pursue his broader research philosophy. 鈥淭he main driver of my research is to understand,鈥� he says.

He notes that most off鈥憈he鈥憇helf LLMs operate like black boxes, with limited visibility into why different operations are stacked together in particular configurations. By applying his miniaturization techniques to LLMs, he can test these ideas on a new type of AI system, learning what the model truly needs to know and reducing unnecessary complexity.

鈥淎s signal processing researchers, my colleagues and I strive to understand systems in a more fundamental way so that we learn only what needs to be learned 鈥� the 鈥榢nown unknowns.鈥� In so doing, we reduce model parameters,鈥� he says. This approach helps create smaller, more efficient language models and furthers his goal of understanding AI at a foundational level.

Manulife data scientist are part of the research team, providing data and experience in building generative AI solutions to solve business challenges. This arrangement allows Cheung and his team to continue research and refine models for real-world imipact, while Manulife can explore practical applications, such as reducing operational costs and environmental footprint. It also enables Cheung to pursue the broader objectives that drive his work.

鈥淲e hope that the long鈥憈erm impact of the research is to enable more frugal model learning that is more energy鈥慹fficient and environmentally friendly,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat way everyone can benefit from the power of AI without paying a substantial environmental price.鈥�

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The University鈥檚 endowment fund, which supports long-term funding, is managed with a strong commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.

The fund鈥檚 purpose is to ensure stable financial support for the University鈥檚 future, while also making a positive impact on society and the environment. Each year, the University publishes a sustainability report to share progress, promote transparency and encourage responsible investment practices across the academic community.

According to the report, the endowment fund鈥檚 investment strategy is closely aligned with sustainable practices. Over the past year, the fund continued to reduce its environmental footprint, with Scope 1 and 2 emissions from equity investments now 43 per cent lower than the Paris Accord target. Scope 1 emissions refer to direct greenhouse gases released from sources that a company owns or controls, such as fuel burned in its facilities. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions resulting from the electricity, heating or cooling a company purchases and uses.

Since 2016, carbon emissions from equity investments have dropped by 88 per cent, and since 2021, fixed income investments have seen an 81 per cent reduction. The fund also recorded a 10.6 per cent investment return for the fiscal year, which is attributed to the integration of ESG factors in investment decisions.

To ensure the University鈥檚 ongoing commitment to sustainability, investment managers are expected to support organizations that consider their material impacts on the environment and society in addition to their financial performance. Annual reviews of fund managers鈥� ESG and stewardship activities ensure alignment with the fund鈥檚 sustainable investment goals.

Looking ahead, the report states that the University will continue to engage actively with fund managers and prioritize ESG integration to enhance risk-adjusted returns and support sustainable business practices. The University has committed more than $130 million to sustainable infrastructure and impact funds, reinforcing its role as a leader in responsible investing.

Reflecting on these achievements, Narin Kishinchandani, vice-president finance and administration, shares: 鈥�91亚色鈥檚 commitment to sustainable investing is rooted in our responsibility to future generations. By integrating social and environmental priorities into our investment strategy, we are protecting the value of the fund while helping to build a more just and sustainable world. We will continue to work with our partners to advance these goals and ensure the University鈥檚 long-term success.鈥�

The full Sustainable Investing 2024-25 Progress Report is available online for those who wish to learn more about the University鈥檚 approach, results and future plans.  

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