The winner of the 2016-2017 Chemical Engineering Medal for Proficiency in Research (Park and Veva Reilly Medal) is Dr. Marzieh Riahinezhad. Marzieh Riahinezhad (PhD, Chemical Engineering, September 2015) received the international and extremely prestigious “Best Dissertation of the Year ADIPEC Award” in excellence in energy (November 2015). Marzieh’s PhD thesis was selected by an international scientific panel of 26 judges in the oil and gas industry as one of the top three best 2015 dissertations (from a record number of 501) in energy, worldwide.
Marzieh’s PhD thesis, entitled ‘Clarifying Multi-Component Polymerization Kinetics for Tailoring Properties of Acrylamide/Acrylic Acid Copolymers for Enhanced Oil Recovery’, under the supervision of Professors Alex Penlidis and Neil McManus, showed how to go full circle from polymerization kinetics (fundamental science) to the final desirable application properties (applied engineering phase). In her PhD dissertation, and in collaboration with Professor Laura Romero-Zeron of the University of New Brunswick, she designed tailor-made water-soluble polymers with specific desirable properties for increasing the efficiency of oil recovery.
Marzieh (currently with Kinectrics, Toronto, Canada) has 14 refereed papers and 2 book chapters along with 18 conference and other invited presentations. A recorded pan flute player, Marzieh received several other awards during her PhD studies, including the Institute for Polymer Research (IPR) award for academic excellence in Polymer Science and Engineering (Jan 2015), and the Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) award for excellence in teaching performance (March 2015).
About this award: This award was established by Dr. and Mrs. Park Reilly to recognize skill in research as measured by analysis of an engineering problem, planning an efficient solution of the problem and achieving the solution with superior insight into the science and/or engineering involved. Nominations originate from the PhD Examining Committee. The Graduate Review Committee members consider all nominations and submit a final nominee. The award consists of a silver medal and a cash award.