In November 2017, Mitacs Canada announced it will support a research and development partnership between the University of Northern British Columbia and Canadian Zeolite Corporation. Canadian government funding will allow the partners to develop a value-added product that eliminates bacteriological contamination in water.
Research grants have been provided through the Mitacs Accelerate program, which supports 4-6 month internships that help businesses access highly-skilled research interns to address internal technical challenges. The program provides eligible candidates up to 50% of a Master’s or PhD intern’s wages to a maximum $7,500 per 4-month internship period.
Academic researchers will use the Canadian Zeolite Corp.’s natural zeolite to develop a multifunctional adsorbent medium for decontamination of polluted environments. If successful, the new development will allow the industry-partner to target new international business and strengthen its competitive advantage.
Mitacs Accelerate Awards Research Grants for Innovative Environmental Solutions
Canadian Zeolite Corp. is a green technology business that specializes in environmentally friendly solutions for agriculture, water treatment, and aquaculture industries. The company uses zeolite, a mineral extracted from volcanic ash, to act as a natural filter in various industry applications, such as water purification and composting.
The company has partnered with the University of Northern British Columbia’s Dr. Kazemian and his academic research team to manufacture an enhanced adsorbent method for decontamination of polluted environments. Using zeolite green technologies, the partners will tackle affected areas that have been contaminated by micro-organisms and toxic heavy metals.
The Mitacs project will position Canadian Zeolite as a technical leader in the application of modified natural zeolite for water treatment applications in Canada. In addition, the company will expand its marketing efforts into the U.S. and global markets.
Mitacs Accelerate: Canadian Research and Development Grants
The Mitacs Accelerate program helps businesses gain a competitive industry advantage by collaborating with highly-skilled research expertise to solve a specific challenge. The program also allows academic interns and post-doctoral fellows to apply their theoretical knowledge to tangible industry challenges to develop outcomes that provide commercial and financial benefits.
Eligible research partnerships may receive up to 50% of a Master’s or PhD intern’s wages to a maximum $7,500 per 4-month internship period.
To learn more about the collaborative research process and how to access government funding for it, please download the Business Guide to Industry-Academic Research Projects.