CREATE: Biomedical & Environmental Sensor Training (BEST) Program
The Biomedical & Environmental Sensor Training (BEST) program is primarily a graduate training program for the next generation of sensor scientists and engineers (referred to as highly qualified personnel or HQP) to research and develop new sensor technologies to address Canada’s needs for rapid, reliable, and accurate sensors and sensor networks. The program is funded from September 2025 through to August 2031.
The BEST program will be the first of its kind in Canada and will bring together a team of biochemists, chemists, physicists and engineers at Simon Fraser University and the University of Waterloo. BEST HQP will learn from biomedical and environmental sensor industrial companies and government agencies. Importantly, internships, one-on-one mentorship, and unique networking opportunities will provide enhanced professional skills to ensure HQP job readiness for careers in industry, government, non-governmental organizations and/or academia.
BEST is not a degree program but a suite of additional elements to aid HQP for industry readiness. If you are interested in becoming a BEST HQP or would like more information about the BEST program, please email the BEST program coordinator Dr. Mona Wu at mona_wu@sfu.ca.
Explore the Nodes
BEST research interests are grouped into five BEST NODES:
- Molecular Interactions (MI; Unrau, Paetzel, Forde & Yavuz): Detection of gases in air and solvents or biological molecules in liquids requires specific molecular interactions that can be transformed to a detectable signal. Such interactions in modern sensors typically take place within structured nanomaterials and / or upon nano-structured or -patterned surfaces. Visit Molecular Interactions (MI)
- Micro-Fluidics (MF; Gray, Yu, Forde & Yavuz): Molecular detection requires a mechanism to reliably deliver samples to the sensor unit from the environment. Such micro-scale engineering must be consistent with the sensor form factor and function. Visit Micro-Fluidics (MF)
- Sensor Fabrication (SF; Adachi, Gates, Kavanagh, Gray, Yavuz & Bajcsy): Miniaturized, electronically enabled sensors require advanced fabrication methodologies compatible with the molecular interaction strategies and fluidics delivery systems, to enable robust and high-fidelity signal processing at low cost. Visit Sensor Fabrication (SF)
- Nano-scale surface and particle Metrology (NM; Gates, Kavanagh & Forde): Nano metrology is essential for the development of reproducible detector material synthesis and sensor fabrication protocols that can meet the national and international standards required for mass production and government certification. Visit Nano-scale surface and particle Metrology (NM)
- Sensor Instrumentation (SI; Abdel-Rahman, Unrau & Gray): Innovative frequency-domain detection schemes and signal analysis methods will be used to improve the robustness and sensitivity of electronic detection. Visit Sensor Instrument (SI)