In this riveting edition of Scientia, we showcase the work of many dedicated researchers across the globe who are solving the world’s greatest challenges through engineering and technology research.

To open the edition, we feature an exclusive interview with representatives of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) about the latest Gender Summit, whose aim is to make equality in research and innovation the norm. Here, we speak with the chairholders of the Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering Program, along with NSERC’s president, who discuss some of the key outcomes of the Summit, the latest success stories and the challenges ahead for achieving full equity within the STEM community.

Our first section showcases the latest research into clean energy technologies. Here, we feature a selection of promising projects, from developing thermoelectric generators, which convert wasted heat into electricity, to ensuring the safe implementation of marine renewable energy technologies. Such research efforts promise to reduce and even eliminate our reliance on fossil fuels, in an effort to curb the most devastating impacts of climate change.

Next, we feature a collection of research initiatives that aim to develop innovative sensor technologies. Such novel sensors can help us address many significant societal challenges, from making healthcare more accessible to preventing environmental damage.

Our third and fourth sections celebrate two crucial fields within the world of engineering – fluid mechanics and materials engineering. Here, we meet an ensemble of dedicated engineers, who are driving progress in these fields towards diverse real-word applications, from semiconductors to aviation to building construction.

Last but not least, we celebrate the researchers who are spearheading the latest innovations in computing technology and data science. An overarching theme that pervades our final section is utilising the latest computing technologies in the quest to drive scientific discovery.

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