Research and innovation

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

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Student in a nuclear lab — Research and innovation

Ontario Tech is a trusted education and research partner for the nuclear industry to support growth and performance.

Ontario Tech – Leaders in research

Ontario Tech is recognized as the Number 1 research university in Ontario and Number 2 in Canada of smaller research universities. One third of all research at Ontario Tech is in energy, much of it in nuclear engineering and science, and related research that strengthens performance and deployment of nuclear power.

Our nuclear and energy researchers are recognized thought leaders within the industry, government and communities, where they work to support advancement on technical, environmental and social aspects of nuclear and clean energy development.

Brilliant Energy Institute (BEI)

Ontario Tech’s Brilliant Energy Institute in the Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation was created to advance technologies and connect people for an effective and equitable transition to net zero. Recognizing the importance of nuclear in clean energy systems, the institute, led by Director Jennifer Alsop, works with nuclear sector stakeholders to improve technical, social and economic outcomes so the benefits of nuclear power can be strengthened, better understood and shared by all.

BEI works with industry, community, academic and government partners regionally, nationally and internationally in three areas:

Development of knowledge management and data to support the pathways to decarbonized, effective energy systems.
A Community Energy Resource Centre that provides all communities and individuals the resources and information needed to make evidence-based decisions on energy infrastructure and decarbonization solutions.
A portal to energy research and workforce planning both across Ontario Tech and our partner academic institutions across Canada and globally.

Internationally-recognized nuclear expertise

Nuclear tunnels under the Energy Research Centre Expert researchers include Canada and UNENE-NSERC research chairs in nuclear engineering and there are more than 20 researchers whose field of expertise is specifically in the nuclear and/or energy systems areas.

NSERC-UNENE Health Physics and Environmental Safety

Dr. Ed Waller: UNENE Research Chair
Dr. Kirk Atkinson: UNENE Associate Chair, Director of the Centre for Small Modular Reactors

UNENE and CANDU Owners Group Collaborative Projects

Dr. Glenn Harvel: UNENE Research Collaborative Project: Waste management and radionuclide monitoring
Dr. Kirk Atkinson: Biodosimetry for retrospective assessment of low dose exposure and feasibility of in-vivo measurement of radiation exposures

Interdisciplinary research

Ontario Tech fosters a collaborative research environment, encouraging interdisciplinary projects and partnerships with industry, government, and other academic institutions. This approach enhances the quality and impact of the research conducted. In addition to the direct research in nuclear energy systems, there are several interdisciplinary areas of engineering, digital technology and social science research that strengthen nuclear excellence.

Many researchers, students, facilities and programs within these three other faculties working with the nuclear industries on clean energy advancement and operating effectiveness through areas like computer and software engineering including artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and robotics. Some of the university's researchers include:

Canada Research Chairs

Dr. Horia Hangan: Canada Research Chair in Adaptive Aerodynamics (Tier 1), Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS)
Dr. Sheldon Williamson: Canada Research Chair in Electric Energy Storage Systems for Transportation Electrification (Tier 2), FEAS
Dr. Peter Lewis: Canada Research Chair in Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (Tier 2), Faculty of Business and Information Technology

Energy Research Excellence Chairs

Dr. Ibrahim Dincer: Global leader in sustainable energy solutions and hydrogen, FEAS
Dr. Jennifer McKellar: Cost and Environmental Impacts in Energy Systems, Graduate Program Director (Energy and Nuclear Engineering Department), FEAS

Other researchers

Dr. Isabel Pedersen: Director, Decimal Lab and Director, Digital Life Institute, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities
Dr. Scott Nokleby: Innovating robotic technology to reduce human exposure to hazardous environments, FEAS
Dr. Marc Rosen: Researcher in sustainable energy, sustainability, and environmental impact, FEAS
Dr. Atef Mohany: Expert in aeroacoustics, fluid-structure interaction, flow-induced vibration and noise, turbulent flows, structural dynamics, and noise and vibration control, FEAS

Learn about more energy researchers at Ontario Tech

Along with our researchers, Ontario Tech has multiple energy and nuclear research facilities and institutes with research partners that range from Canada’s premier science and technology lab, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, to other academic partners across Ontario, Canada and internationally. Ontario Tech is currently exploring the opportunitity to further enhance the student experience through a new addition to our high-tech nuclear labs, specifically, the addition of a proposed subcritical assembly.