News

The Chemical Institute of Canada has awarded Professor Luis Ricardez Sandoval the D. G. Fisher Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of systems and control engineering. This prestigious award celebrates the lifetime achievements of exceptional researchers in Canada.

Ricardez-Sandoval spearheads research initiatives focused on optimal integration of planning, scheduling, control, and process design decisions for chemical and manufacturing systems in the presence of uncertainty. His pioneering work on CO₂ capture and conversion technologies aims to mitigate carbon emissions thus promoting sustainability and circular carbon economy and employing first-principles modelling couples with multiscale modelling techniques for the design of novel catalyst materials and valuable chemical products, e.g. thin films. This research is supported through the development of theoretical and computational tools aimed to predict the behaviour of complex and emerging systems.

Professor Boxin Zhao is this year’s recipient of the Ontario Professional Engineering Association (OPEA) Research and Development Engineering Medal.

Administered by OPEA, the Research and Development Engineering Medal is awarded to individuals who have advanced engineering knowledge and have developed useful and novel applications. Zhao certainly fits the bill.

Zhao's research is at the frontier of surface science and engineering. His work focuses on innovative soft matter engineering and bionanomaterials research aimed at advancing sustainable manufacturing. This includes the development of smart polymers, advanced adhesives, and coating materials.

Azin Adibi has always had a passion for working in the field of polymer science. During high school, she won the prestigious Khwarizmi Youth Award for a project which developed biodegradable plastics from potato starch. This achievement further ignited her interest in polymer engineering, particularly in sustainable and green materials. As a result, she pursued research opportunities in this field and eventually immigrated to Canada to pursue a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

“I was drawn to the University of Waterloo's Chemical Engineering program specifically due to the department's strong focus on polymer science and engineering, combined with the interdisciplinary approach of the Institute for Polymer Research and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, which offered me the ideal environment to explore my research interests,” says Adibi.

Professor Tizazu Mekonnen has been awarded the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Division (MSED)  Early Career Instigator Award. The award is sponsored by NOVA Chemicals.

This honour is bestowed upon researchers who have made substantial contributions to the polymer industry, aligning perfectly with Mekonnen's disruptive research in polymer engineering and sustainability.

Mekonnen spearheads a dynamic research program focusing on material sustainability. His initiatives range from developing polymers sourced sustainably to creating compostable plastics, crafting eco-friendly nanomaterials, and exploring low-carbon alternatives.

Developing sustainable and long-lasting solutions to meet our energy demands while preserving the quality of our environment is one of the grand challenges that society faces today. An essential part of attaining this goal is efficiently storing and releasing clean energy using rechargeable batteries and related technologies.

To this end, Professor Linda Nazar and Professor Michael Pope, researchers at the University of Waterloo, will build the Ontario Battery and Electrochemistry Research Centre (OBEC). This centre will be a hub for the vast battery and electrochemical researchers both at Waterloo and across Southern Ontario which houses the densest talent pool in Canada while enabling these researchers to effectively collaborate with the growing EV battery supply chain. This includes battery materials production, recycling, and advanced manufacturing.

Evercloak Inc., a start-up co-founded by Chemical Engineering Professor Michael Pope has secured $2 million in funding to expand the production of its energy-efficient building cooling membranes. Evercloak, a Velocity-based company, aims to significantly reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions associated with building cooling.

Pope co-launched Evercloak with University of Waterloo alumna and now Evercloak’s CEO Evelyn Allen, based on innovative technology that he and his team designed in 2015.  Pope, Evercloak’s Chief Scientific Officer, utilizes 2D nanofilms to improve energy cooling systems thereby increasing their efficiency and sustainability. 

The ubiquitous nature of plastic pollution in our environment is an alarming concern. The breakdown of plastics into smaller sizes, ranging from micro- to nano-sized material, raises concerns about their toxicity to the environment and humans. The impact of nanoplastics, which are a thousand times smaller than microplastics on fish, marine life and human life is under intense investigation, however, mitigating options are quite limited.

A team of researchers led by Chemical Engineering Professor Tizazu Mekonnen, at the University of Waterloo, have leveraged their expertise in polymer engineering to tackle this critical challenge. Mekonnen’s research is in polymer sustainability, and it endeavours to reduce the carbon footprint of the plastics industry.

Nanotechnology Engineering alumna CT Murphy (BASc ’23) created CELLECT, a new start-up which aims to improve access to cervical cancer and HPV screening. CELLECT's technology uses nanomaterials in menstrual products to diagnose HPV and cervical cancer using menstrual blood, potentially eliminating the need for Pap smears.

Murphy’s fourth-year design project served as inspiration for their Masters thesis under the supervision of Chemical Engineering professor Marc Aucoin. Murphy was awarded the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN)-Velocity scholarship for the project. They also received funding from Velocity’s Up Start Program and Cornerstone Program.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a unique technique to create the Janus structures in liquids. Chemical Engineering Professor Milad Kamkar in collaboration with the University of British Columbia leads the first research to achieve this duality with liquids.

This breakthrough can be utilized in a multitude of applications. It could be used in environmental remediation, to clean up oil spills in water or for wastewater treatment. One side could be treated with super absorbent nanomaterial to soak up the oil, while the other side might contain catalysts to degrade the pollution.

Dr. Elisabeth Prince is a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering who is working on a solution to the challenge of non-degradable and non-recyclable plastics. Her innovative research in advanced materials has the potential to make a significant impact on sustainability and environmental remediation. It also supports Canada's aim of achieving zero plastic waste by 2030.