Faculty members in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry frequently look for students to help out with research projects. These projects are suitable for a Fourth Year thesis (CHE499Y, or ESC499Y), a project for a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree, or a Summer Research project in the Summer Research Abroad program.
All faculty have research projects for students. Not all projects are listed below. You can contact faculty members directly to inquire about other possible projects or to propose your own project.
Project Descriptions and Contact Information
Air pollutant emissions from the oil sands and impact on the local First Nations community: Fort McKay
Faculty advisor: Professor Jeffrey Brook
The Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring Program (OSM) operates a heavily instrumented atmospheric monitoring site in Fort McKay, a First Nations community surrounded by the oil sands development. Many pollutants are being measured with high time resolution, including some measures in the vertical and space-based measurements from satellites. Hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter, dust and odours are notably critical air quality issues. A large, publicly-available dataset is available which represents an important opportunity to improve understanding of how the oil sands is impacting the community, its people and its environment, and to apply a range of data analysis techniques.
Research projects of interest will harness novel data mining techniques to learn more about what aspects of the oil sands activities are responsible, when and why they occur (e.g., meteorology) and potentially which industries are responsible.
Contact: Jeffrey Brook at jeff.brook@utoronto.ca
Analysis of liquid and solid samples from a pulp and paper mill
Looking for an MEng student to analyze liquid and solid samples from a pulp and paper mill, specifically focusing on wood extractives and sulfur compounds. The aim of this project is to uncover the underlying processes behind the formation of organic deposits within the black liquor evaporation system at a collaborating pulp and paper mill in New Brunswick. These deposits have consistently posed a challenge across multiple mills, leading to significant equipment downtime and revenue loss.
The chosen student will have the opportunity to visit the mill and gain insight into the operational procedures and machinery. Cutting-edge analysis techniques, such as Pyrolysis-GC/MS, LC/MS, ICP, and/or MALDI-TOF-MS, will be employed for the investigation. Analyses will be implemented by the student within our labs, or by other UofT labs. Furthermore, the student will be tasked with integrating the outcomes from all analyses into a cohesive understanding.
Knowledge about organic chemistry and experience with any of the aforementioned techniques is an asset but not a requirement. The ideal MEng candidate is meticulous and committed to producing repeatable and publishable data.
The project duration is flexible, but an immediate start date is preferred.
Contact: Torsten Meyer at torsten.meyer@utoronto.ca, and Nikolai DeMartini at nikolai.demartini@utoronto.ca
Applying machine learning to biomaterials design
Contact: Interested students should contact Professor Gu (f.gu@utoronto.ca) with a copy of their resume and unofficial copy of their grades.
Aspen Simulations
To do simulation on the scalability of several materials we have developed for organic solar cell applications and for applications within the dye and pigment space. You may be aware of Aspen simulation and why we do it to also look into things as an engineering perspective.
Contact: Professor Timothy P. Bender
Centre for Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship (CMTE) projects using machine learning and data science related to operations and finance with industry sponsors
Chemical Engineering Education: Chemical Engineering Curriculum Revitalization Project
The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry is in the process of reviewing and renewing it's undergraduate curriculum. This project involves:
-
- Completing a short review study on chemical engineering curriculum in North America. The focus will be looking at content and delivery and to learn about others recent attempts at curriculum modernization (frameworks used in their review and implementation)
- creating short surveys for students, staff, and faculty. Surveys will be develop in collaboration with the Department Curriculum Committee, Teaching Lab Committee and Jessie Richards, Curriculum Development Specialist in the vice-Provost Office.
Contact: Professor Jennifer Farmer at jennifer.farmer@utoronto.ca or Professor William Cluett at will.cluett@utoronto.ca
Comparing encapsulation processes by spray drying and for interface coagulation
The pharmaceutical and polymer industries developed a number of techniques for producing microcapsules containing active drugs or micronutrients. the student will review the literature of these technologies with a view to developing a technique for encapsulating iron in hot and cold beverages such as tea and fruit extracts, useful in International Development
Contact: Professor Levente Diosady at l.diosady@utoronto.ca
Data Science and Analytics in Engineering Education I
Data science and AI technologies have enabled educators to make data-driven decisions on policy and best practices. This MEng project is aimed to develop a supervised machine learning algorithm and apply data mining techniques, including descriptive statistics, to discover factors impacting students’ academic performance.
Contact: Professor Ariel Chan ariel.chen@utoronto.ca
Data Science and Analytics in Engineering Education II
The “Leaky Pipeline” Effect in Higher Education: Attrition in Underrepresented Graduate Students in the STEM field
The term “leaky pipeline” refers to a phenomenon where there is a disproportionate attrition, of women (including minority women) as they progress in their careers in fields such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Historically, women are under-represented in doctoral programs and faculty positions, and the disparity becomes even more obvious at higher-level faculty positions. Reportedly, this trend is more pronounced in STEM fields. The Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) reported in May 2022 that women only represent 12% of full-time STEM professorships in Canada and an even smaller percentage are found at higher-level faculty positions. Blacks and other minority races are also disproportionately underrepresented in higher-level positions in STEM academia. In a previous study by Figueiredo (2023) in which the intersectionality of being female and belonging to the Black or other minority races was considered, an even greater disparity was observed as progress was made along the academic pipeline.
This study aims to identify the key stressors that might contribute to the “leaky pipeline” effect for first-generation female immigrant doctoral students who self-identify as black or other ethnic minority groups as they progress in their academic careers. The effect of different stressors on the willingness to continue in academia will be evaluated using a mixed-method research, mata-analysis approach, interviews and surveys. The project will also deploy data analytics approaches to process the large dataset and find unique patterns in this study.
Contact: Professor Ariel Chan ariel.chen@utoronto.ca
Development of method for field testing for folic acid in salt
There is need for folic acid fortification of salt due to very high prevalence of infant mortality in Ethiopia and some Central American countries. we have a technique for adding the folic, but need a way of confirming its presence in the field - qualitatively, but preferably quantitatively.
Contact: Professor Levente Diosady at l.diosady@utoronto.ca
Development of method for field testing for iodine in salt
Salt iodization programs are now in place in some 190 countries. UNICEF needs a robust technique for field testing the efficiency of salt iodization programs. We will define a simple, inexpensive technique that can reliably estimate iodine content of salt without electronic instrumentation. We will work with one of our grads who is a senior scientist at UNICEF and one of our LLE speakers this year.
Contact: Professor Levente Diosady at l.diosady@utoronto.ca
Engineering Education Research
Collaborative Specialisation in Engineering Education
The following opportunities are for BASc and MEng students:
- Student perspectives on remote learning
- Data Mining of student educational experience
- Development of instructional videos and other digital learning objects
- Development on-line instructional modules
For more information about any of these projects, please contact Greg Evans at greg.evans@utoronto.ca.
Engineering of organic solar cells
Engineering of organic solar cells. Also potentially taking the organic solar cells onto the roof of the Wallberg Building.
Contact: Professor Timothy P. Bender
Enzyme discovery and development for the functionalization of industrial lignins
Faculty advisors: Professor Elizabeth Edwards, and Professor Emma Master
The broad objective of this project is to discover and develop novel biocatalysts or enzymes to upgrade and functionalize intact biomass components, specifically, under-utilized industrial (or technical) lignin sources. The enzymes under study will be derived from fungal and bacterial species that are known to be naturally active on diverse lignin sources and will be biochemically characterized. These will include oxidoreductases (laccases, peroxidases) and novel o-demethylases (catalyzing phenyl-methyl ether demethylation) from anaerobic environmental metagenomic sources. This study targets modifications that increase the hydroxyl content in lignin so that it can be effectively used as a substitute for fossil-fuel derived phenol polymeric blends.
We are seeking an M.Eng student to help with the anaerobic enzyme discovery module of the project. The purpose of this module is to discover novel enzymes from anaerobic microbial cultures that have been maintained in-house for several years on lignocellulosic biomass and have a unique repertoire of enzymes that would be especially useful for lignin modification and valorization. There will be a multi-step screening approach taken towards enzyme discovery using firstly, biochemical methane potential assay and next, specific chemical assays for o-demethylation activity.
In this module, there will be opportunities to train on the maintenance and analysis of the biodegradability potential of these cultures when grown on different, industrially important, lignin substrates. Specific tasks will involve biogas measurements, biogas composition analysis using gas chromatography and acetate measurement using ion chromatography. Next, protein extraction will be done from promising cultures demonstrating lignin biodegradability. Finally the trainee will assist in the development of high-throughput, robust chemical assay aimed at testing crude and purified protein extracts for o-demethylating activities.
The project duration is flexible, but an immediate start date is preferred. The student will be supported by other students working on the project.
Contact: Elizabeth Edwards at elizabeth.edwards@utoronto.ca, Emma Master at emma.master@utoronto.ca and Anupama Sharan at anupama.sharan@mail.utoronto.ca
Evaluating hot-water extraction samples from industrial biomass feedstocks
Hot-water extraction of agriculture and forest feedstocks could facilitate the application of enzymes in converting these renewable substrates into valuable biochemicals. Our lab has recently developed a two-enzyme, one-pot technology to transform underused feedstock streams to a diacid. In a partnership with biorefinery companies, we are analyzing their biomass after hot-water extraction to evaluate their suitability to this enzymatic technology.
The prospective M.Eng student will work closely with Dr. Thu Vuong in characterizing hot-water extraction samples, including pH value, dry mass content, chemical compositions (monosaccharides and acidic sugars)… The student would conduct: chemical and enzymatic treatments of hot-water extraction samples, lyophilization or Rotovap, HPLC analyses with different detectors (UV, IR or PAD), TLC analyses, enzymatic colorimetric assays (using a plate reader)…
The project is going, so the student is welcomed to join at the moment.
Contact: Prof. Emma Master at emma.master@utoronto.ca and Dr. Thu Vuong at thu.vuong@utoronto.ca
Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Ionic Clays
Faculty advisor: Professor Vladimiros Papangelakis
Aqueous Process Engineering and Chemistry Group
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
Rare earth elements (REE) are critical commodities with high accessibility risk due to monopolistic practices of suppliers and increased demand. The development of green and hi-tech applications such as clean energy and advanced catalysis created ongoing requirements for REE in the international markets, with an emphasis on identifying new resources to ensure adequate supply and access.
The present project investigates the use of ionic clay ores as an economical source for REE. Rare earth ions are physically adsorbed on clay minerals, with concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.5 wt.%, and can be easily recovered under mild, ambient conditions via ion-exchange leaching with monovalent salt solutions (such as ammonium sulphate or sodium chloride). This project is of high interest for the mining industry, as it addresses the recovery aspect of REE from ores, as well as the processing industry, as it provides an additional REE supply alternative.
A standardized desorption procedure will be established to systematically investigate the influence of leaching conditions such as lixiviant type, concentration and pH on desorption kinetics and REE extraction levels, aiming to identify the optimum conditions that achieve maximum REE recovery.
The MEng student will be tasked with performing the leaching experiments under various conditions and have the opportunity to be trained in Inductively-Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analytical technique. Furthermore, the student will be tasked with integrating the outcomes from all analyses into a cohesive understanding, by processing and plotting data, discussing/comparing trends and findings, and preparing presentations. The prospective student will work closely with Dr. Georgiana Moldoveanu, who will provide training and ongoing support.
Knowledge about aqueous chemistry and previous laboratory experience are an asset but not a requirement. The ideal MEng candidate is meticulous and committed to producing repeatable and publishable data. The project is going, so the student is welcomed to join at the moment
Contacts:
Prof. Vladimiros Papangelakis: vladimiros.papangelakis@utoronto.ca
Dr. Georgiana Moldoveanu: georgiana.moldoveanu@utoronto.ca
Feasibility Study of Producing In-House Biodiesel to Supply Fuel on Campus
Faculty advisor: Daniela Galatro
In this feasibility study, we will perform a techno-economic evaluation of existing facilities (ChemEng labs) and/or potential modular plants, considering different raw material sources, blending and standalone options to produce in-house biodiesel for transportation purposes. This project includes elaborating process engineering design deliverables (e.g., equipment sizing, process flow diagram, process simulation, utility analysis), cost analysis, and vendor selection.
Requirements: Knowledge of process engineering/design and simulation (Aspen Plus or equivalent).
Contact: Daniel Galatro at daniela.galatro@utoronto.ca
Green synthesis nanofiber membrane for efficient oil water separation
Faculty advisor: Professor Ramin Farnood
Context: The project aims to develop a green synthesis of nanofiber nonwoven superhydrophobic fluoropolymer membrane
By using safe and green fabrication process, resulting membranes possessing excellent chemical and thermal stability and are used in efficient oil/solvent and water separation via gravity based separation process to replace traditional separation process such as sedimentation or solvent extraction.
Contact: Yaozhong Zhang at yaozhong.zhang@mail.utoronto.ca
Improving performance of a solar-battery powered remote air quality monitoring site
Faculty advisor: Professor Jeffrey Brook
In the oil sands region the pollutant emissions spread far beyond the fencelines and impact remote areas. Monitoring in these areas is difficult because no power is available. The Fort McKay First Nations community has developed a solar-battery powered system to address this challenge, but due to limited solar energy and extreme cold in winter months the system experiences downtime.
This design project will involve exploring ways to insulate the batteries to increase their lifetime to reduce or eliminate downtime. Other ideas to improve solar energy input or harness wind energy could also be explored in order to assist Fort McKay in their monitoring.
Contact: Jeffrey Brook at jeff.brook@utoronto.ca
Intelligent Design of Biomaterials for Mucoadhesion
We are looking for an MENG student to work in Professor Gu’s group on a project briefly described below.
The student will work in Professor Gu's lab on this project will work directly with a PhD student (Jeff Watchorn).
The interactions between materials and proteins are fundamental to the biological fate of bio-interfacting materials yet these interactions are not well understood. Our work focusses on understanding these interactions by mapping them with atomic precision leveraged by nuclear magnetic resonance. These maps are then used to elucidate the underlying structure-activity relationship that governs their biological fate. We are seeking a flexible M.Eng student with interests in both wet lab and simulations experience to prepare NMR samples as well as to work on refining our machine learning models.
Contact: Interested students should contact Professor Gu (f.gu@utoronto.ca) with a copy of their resume and unofficial copy of their grades.
Investigation of Pichia Pastoris strains for the successful production and characterization of Auxiliary Activity family 7 enzymes (AA7s)
Auxiliary activity enzymes are oxidoreductases that catalyze the oxidation of carbohydrates (and other compounds) through the action of a Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) co-factor. They are crucial players in the goal to valorize oligosaccharides derived from biomass processing and for building novel functional biopolymers. Pichia Pastoris is a popular expression system for protein production, with relatively cheap growth medium and a high growth rate, compatibility with shake flasks and large-scale bioreactors, and comparatively easy genetic manipulation for heterologous expression.
The prospective M.Eng student would be directly involved in the genetic manipulation phase of the project. This phase involves producing gene constructs for multiple AA7 targets, transformation into multiple strains of P. pastoris, and the validation of protein expression levels. This phase of the project is truly the heart and would directly lead to the successes of the downstream activity screens and biochemical characterization.
The prospective M.Eng student would work closely with a Post-doctoral fellow and other graduate students, which would provide numerous training opportunities in biochemistry and molecular biology. In this increasingly biotech world, genetic engineering, protein production, and protein biochemical characterization are valuable experience to have for a highly competitive job market. Tasks that the student can expect to perform include PCR amplification of genes, insertion of genes into vector constructs, validation of plasmid integrity via RT-PCR and gel electrophoresis, transformation of plasmids into P. pastoris strains, and validation of positive clones via colony and western blotting. Along with these tasks, training on various related instruments should also be expected.
The project timeline has an expected start date in Summer 2021, but a flexible start date could also be accomodated.
Contact: Emma Master at emma.master@utoronto.ca and Olan Raji at olan.raji@utoronto.ca
Making of proteins for diabetes prevention from granado beans
Granado beans grown in Chile may have an ability to prevent diabetes. We will work with a colleague who was my post doctoral fellow, in refining technology to isolate proteins from Granado beans, based on ultrafiltration.
Contact: Professor Levente Diosady at l.diosady@utoronto.ca
MEng Student Researcher - Literature Review for Selenium Removal Cost Analysis
Faculty advisor: Professor Frank Gu
Overview:
We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Meng Student Researcher to assist in conducting a comprehensive literature review aimed at gathering cost analysis data related to selenium removal from water treatment processes (both active and passive treatment). This position will play a pivotal role in supporting our ongoing research efforts to assess the economic feasibility of various selenium removal technologies.
Key Responsibilities:
Literature Review: Conduct a systematic and thorough review of scientific literature, academic journals, research papers, reports, and relevant publications to gather data on the costs associated with selenium removal from water sources.
Data Extraction: Extract and compile cost-related information from identified sources, including capital costs, operational expenses, maintenance costs, and any other pertinent economic data.
Data Synthesis: Organize and summarize the collected data in a clear and structured manner. Create comprehensive databases or spreadsheets to facilitate data analysis.
Quality Assurance: Ensure the accuracy and reliability of the gathered information by critically evaluating the sources and methodologies used in the original studies.
Documentation: Maintain detailed records of all information sources, data extraction processes, and any assumptions or limitations associated with the gathered data.
Report Preparation: Collaborate with the research team to prepare reports or presentations summarizing the findings of the literature review, emphasizing cost-related aspects.
Data Analysis: Support data analysis efforts by assisting in the interpretation of cost data and contributing to discussions regarding the economic viability of different selenium removal methods.
Team Collaboration: Work closely with senior researchers and fellow team members to align the literature review with the broader research objectives and provide input into research strategies.
Qualifications:
- Strong research and literature review skills, with the ability to critically assess scientific literature.
- Familiarity with water treatment processes, environmental science, and chemistry.
- Proficiency in data extraction, organization, and analysis.
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to work independently.
- Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Familiarity with active and passive water treatment technologies, specifically nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, electrocoagulation, photocatalysis, and saturated rock fill is a plus.
Contact: Professor Frank Gu at f.gu@utoronto.ca
Metabolic Engineering for Bio-Nylon Production
Faculty advisor: Professor Radhakrishnan Mahadevan
Nylon is an essential component of modern life and is made from a polymer of adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine. Current methods of production are accompanied by a significant release of greenhouse gases (such as N2O) and are energy intensive. Hence, there is significant interest in developing bioprocesses for the production of nylon.
As part of this project, the objective will be to engineer yeast strains for improved adipic acid production, tolerance, and high growth rates. The project will involve a combination of modeling and experimental methods to accomplish this goal. The successful candidate will learn a variety of approaches and tools from systems biology and synthetic biology including CRISPR-Cas based manipulation of the genome, metabolomics characterization and other assays including liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and will also learn fermentation techniques.
Pre-requisites: Basic knowledge of biochemistry and biochemical engineering; Knowledge of molecular biology tools will be a plus.
Contact: Radhakrishnan Mahadevan at krishna.mahadevan@utoronto.ca
Microencapsulation of micronutrients for salt fortification
Salt is one of the very few staple foods that is universally consumed at a predictable rate. Building on our long experience of double fortification of salt with iron and iodine, we will test salt fortified with iron and a number of B vitamins tailored to specific regions with multiple micronutrient deficiencies. We can have 4 projects:
- Adding vitamin A to salt
- Microencapsulating ferrous sulphate by spray drying then agglomerating to form salt grain sized premix particles;
- Microencapsuliating iron and B vitamins by extrusion followed by coating
- Developing a protocol to test the quality of encapsulation in iron premixes
Contact: Professor Levente Diosady at l.diosady@utoronto.ca
Microencapsulation of micronutrients for tea fortification
Tea is widely consumed in South and East Asia. We will develop techniques of adding iron to tea by encapsulation to prevent the formation of off-colours and flavours that would form iron - tea polyphenol complexes.
Contact: Professor Levente Diosady at l.diosady@utoronto.ca
Multifunctional sensors array for smart skin applications
Human skin is the largest sensory organ in our bodies allowing us to safely maneuver within our surrounding environment. This physical barrier which enables us to interact with our physical world comprises several sense receptors through which information from a physical contact transduces into electrical signals. An artificial skin, also referred to as smart skin or electronic skin (e-skin), with human-like sensory capabilities can make a significant impact on the autonomous artificial intelligence as well as smart wearables. This can be achieved by providing a sensory perception even better than their tradional counterparts. In addition to force sensing as the primary function of human skin, other functionalities such as mechanical/electrical/thermal along with flexibility/stretchability are of great importance to be considered in an e-skin. The project will investigate the design and fabrication of a pressure sensor mimicking the main characteristics of natural skin, potential of using conducting and nanomaterials as piezoresistive sensors for electronic skin applications.
Duration: 2 to 3 terms
Contact: Professor Hani Naguib hani.naguib@utoronto.ca
Obtaining informative data of water contamination in the Thunder Bay area relative to known acute myeloid leukemia clusters
Fort William First Nation (FWFN) has identified a striking blood cancer cluster. The prevalence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in teens and young adults is noticeable, many of whom spent their early childhood living adjacent to lands used for industrial purposes. FWFN would like to know what is causing the high rates of AML in their community and if it is safe to live, work and raise a family in their current location. The area of concern (AOC) is a community located at the northern vertex of Lake Superior and close to the mouth of Kaministiquia River to Lake Superior. This AOC has been affected by a leachate plume from a bark dump migrating towards City Road and other point sources of contamination, with engineering reports confirming the presence of high levels of pollutants at monitoring wells.
This project aims (i) to obtain informative data from existing water quality assessments and analytical reports of surface and groundwater sources; (ii) to identify and link sources of chemical pollutants to the movement of pollutants through systems. These objectives will be achieved by (i) integrating and mapping combined multilayered information using non-supervised machine learning tools; (ii) discriminating and ranking different polluting sources affecting the AOC using multivariable statistical analysis such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA); and by (iii) unravelling the possible relationship between ground (soil and groundwater) contamination and air emissions, using supervised machine learning tools.
The results derived from this analysis will likely yield insight into the influence of specific contaminants on health, and hence, the leukemia cluster.
This project is in collaboration with ATOMS Lab and the Centre for Indigenous People.
Requirements: Knowledge in data analytics and machine learning (in MATLAB, R, Python, or equivalent).
Contact: Daniela Galatro daniela.galatro@utoronto.ca
Phosphorous in the Causticization Plant of Pulp Mills – Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies
Faculty advisor: Professor Nikolai DeMartini
Phosphorous enters pulps mills with the wood used in pulping and with biofuels burned in lime kilns. We are interested in the kinetics and equilibrium of phosphorous uptake by lime during slaking and causticizing reactions. This work will involve carrying out slaking and causticizing experiments under different conditions and analyzing both the solid and liquid products. An important aspect of this work will be solid phase identification using a variety of analytical methods including XRD, ICP and XPF which you will be trained to use. Additionally, the student will work with a research assistant (Maryam Mousavi). This work is important to the increased utilization of biofuels in lime kilns, the main source of fossil CO2 in the industry. It is also important as we attempt to find ways to recover P from the recovery cycle in pulp mills.
Please contact Professor DeMartini (Nikolai.DeMartini@utoronto.ca) with a copy of you resume and unofficial copy of your grades if you are interested in this opportunity.
Plastic waste and biowaste pyrolysis
Faculty advisors: Professor Donald Kirk
The world is facing a number of challenges in the sustainable energy field. Managing GHG emissions as well as wastes are often at odds. A belated realization that plastics do not degrade easily has added to the waste challenges. It is clear that some form of permanent sequestration of carbon is needed to rebalance CO2 emissions with CO2 bioabsorption. The research is focused on conversion of wastes containing sufficient carbon content to produce sequestrable char as a valuable soil amendment and eliminate the production of CO2 and CH4. Biowastes such as sewage sludge, have a limited lifespan in soil or landfills and hence returns to the carbon cycle. Non-recyclable plastics have a longer degradation time but it is clear that degradation producing micro and nano particulates causes global contamination with uncertain consequences. Therefore the conversion of these wastes to char which can be used to enhance crop growth, prevent fertilizer runoff, retain moisture and provide micronutrients for restoring degraded lands is desperately needed.
The research on conversion of some biowastes to char has been completed and demonstrated on a commercial scale in Ontario. More biowastes still need to be studied. Research on conversion of plastic wastes has just been started.
Contact: Donald Kirk at don.kirk@utoronto.ca
Postdoctoral Fellow opportunities in electrochemistry and corrosion control
Note: Candidates expected to work in a couple different areas.
- NSERC-UNENE Alliance grant – Corrosion Control and Materials Performance in Nuclear Power Systems (joint with Suraj Persaud, Queen’s University) – 1 or 2 positions
- NSERC-NWMO Alliance grant – Copper Corrosion Mechanisms and Prediction (joint with Queen’s University and faculty in MSE) – 1 position
- Qatar National Research Fund – Towards Science-Based Maps for Stress Corrosion Cracking (collaborative with Shell engineers) – partial position
- Applications of Nanoporous Metals to Sensing and Catalysis – partial position
Contact: Professor Roger Newman (roger.newman@utoronto.ca)
Project PS002-2022: Modelling and Simulation of Frosting Behaviour in Contact Ambient Air Vaporizers
The main objective of this project is to build a numerical model in MATLAB to predict the thermal performance of a direct-contact ambient air vaporizer for cryogenic fluids. This model will be validated with commercial vaporizers data.
Requirements: Knowledge in process engineering, heat transfer, and MATLAB. Knowledge in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) would be a plus.
Contact: Daniela Galatro daniela.galatro@utoronto.ca
Projects in Air Pollution, Health and Climate
Faculty advisor: Professor Greg Evans
Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR)
The following opportunities are for BASc and MEng students:
- Measurement of air pollutant exposure in micro-environments
- Statistical mining of air pollution data
- Development and application of inexpensive sensors for smart cities
- Studies of traffic related air pollution
- Occupational exposure to air pollutants
Contact: Greg Evans at greg.evans@utoronto.ca
Projects in Food Engineering
Faculty advisors: Professor Levente Diosady and Dr. Juveria Siddiqui
The Food Engineering Research Group at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry performs research on food fortification technologies. Double Fortified Salt (DFS) technology of adding iron and iodine to salt was developed at the Food Engineering Lab, UofT. This Double Fortified Salt aims to reduce anemia which is a major contributing factor to the 200,000 annual maternal deaths and more than one million annual infant and neonatal deaths globally. DFS technology is now pilot tested in India and is reaching more than 60 million people.
The following opportunities are for MEng students:
Iron Fortification: Approximately 2 billion people are iron deficient worldwide. This is best addressed through food fortification, which is transparent to the consumer. Fortification requires a carrier that is universally and uniformly consumed by the target population. For poor rural consumers in South Asia salt and tea are the most promising carriers. Unfortunately, both salt and iron salts are reactive, and the technical challenge is to maintain the bioactivity of the added micronutrients.
This project seeks to develop appropriate technology for adding iron and other micronutrients to either tea or salt.
Mustard Protein Processing: Mustard is a drought tolerant Canadian crop now used for condiments. Its protein content is well balanced and could be a useful food ingredient replacing soy proteins in manufactured food products. The oil is not allowed in food in Canada, but is a potential fuel feedstock.
This project seeks to further develop processes to simultaneously recover food proteins and biodiesel or green diesel from mustard seed.
Work Load: Both projects entail laboratory work in 5-6 hour experiments for 5-6 months.
Contact: Levente Diosady at l.diosady@utoronto.ca or 416-978-4137 and Juveria Siddiqui at juveria.siddiqui@utoronto.ca or 416-978-5231.
Projects in the Green Technologies Lab
Faculty advisor: Professor Charles Jia
The following opportunities are for BASc and MEng students:
- Microwave-assisted Combined Carbonization and Activation of Lignocellulosic Biomass
- Measurement of Conductivity of Porous Carbon Film for Electrode in Super-capacitor
- Targeted Activation of Carbon from Natural Sources for Sub-nano Porosity
- Recovery of Vanadium from Oil-sand Fluid Coke
- Temperature Effect on Sulphurdization of Carbon for Enhanced Hg Adsorption
- Visualization and Elucidation of Hierarchical Porous Structure of Carbonaceous Materials from Lignocellulosic Biomass
Contact: Charles Jia at cq.jia@utoronto.ca or 416-946-3097.
Sample Analysis and Mill Balances For Mill Sampling Campaign
We are looking for an MENG student to work in Professor DeMartini’s group on a project briefly described below.
The student will work in Professor DeMartini’s lab on this project will work directly with a MASc student (Adam Rogerson).
A sampling campaign will be carried out at a Canadian pulp mill in September. The MENG student will help analyze the samples and perform a steady state mass balance to help correct flows measured at the mill. This is part of a larger dynamic modeling project and these results will be used to help confirm the dynamic model of the mill.
Pulp mill samples will include wood chips, white liquor, pulp, black liquor, salt cake, recovery boiler ash, green liquor, dregs, and lime. Analysis techniques range from inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry, ion chromatography, bomb calorimetry, auto-titration, total organic carbon analyzer, organic elemental analyzer, auto diluter, and dry solids drying. In-person lab training will be provided on all the required analytical techniques.
Previous lab experience with any of the aforementioned techniques and knowledge of the kraft chemical recovery cycle is an asset but not a requirement. The ideal MEng candidate is meticulous, willing to capitalize on mistakes, committed to producing repeatable and publishable data, and will take personal responsibility to maintain a clean lab space.
Contact: Interested students should contact Professor DeMartini (Nikolai.DeMartini@utoronto.ca) with a copy of their resume and unofficial copy of their grades.
Scale up of a set of materials we developed in the dye and pigment space
Solar photocatalysis for chemical production
Faculty advisor: Professor Ramin Farnood
In the area of photocatalysis technology, the Farnood group is working to explore the use of visible light irradiation, semiconductor phototcatalysis, and combinations of approaches utilizing hydrogen peroxide as a supplemental oxidant in order to eliminate chemical contaminants from water.
Additionally, in recent years, there is a renewed focused on platform chemicals production via photocatalytic conversion of waste biomass to produce commodity chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements and polymer precursors. Farnood's group is actively involved in projects related to solar chemicals production via the synthesis of new hybrid semiconductor materials that are efficient solar energy harvesters.
Contact: Goutham Rangarajan at goutham.rangarajan@mail.utoronto.ca
Solubility studies for P in the recaust cycle of kraft pulp mills
We are looking for an MENG student to work in Professor DeMartini’s group on a project briefly described below.
The student will work in Professor DeMartini’s lab on the Phosphorus project and will work directly with a PhD student (Maryam Mousavi).
The project will involve conducting solubility experiments for P compounds using alkaline mill solutions, lime (CaO) and lime mud (CaCO3). Different analytical methods such as ICP, IC and XRD which all need a short training for the MEng student will be used. This project is in the experimental phase now and the MEng student can help with the new set of experiments. Another aspect of the project is to learn different preparation methods for the ICP analysis of solutions and solids. The prospective students will use acid digestion on the samples prior to ICP.
The student will be involved in running experiments and analyzing the results as well as conducting a literature review. This will help us to have a better understanding about phosphorus behavior in the chemical recovery cycle of pulp mills and the potential to recover the P from kraft pulp mills. The student will participate in our lab group meetings and have the opportunity to report to our industrial partners.
Contact: Interested students should contact Professor DeMartini (Nikolai.DeMartini@utoronto.ca) with a copy of their resume and unofficial copy of their grades.
Stability of Added Vitamins During Food Preparation
To combat birth defects and maternal mortality, iron and B vitamins can be added to salt. However, it is unknown, whether the added vitamins survive during traditional cooking. We will test the effect of cooking, frying and baking on the retention of B vitamins added through quadruple fortified salt. Analytical techniques including HPLC, ICP and wet chemical methods will be used. The candidate will work directly with a post doctoral fellow and/or senior doctorate students.
Contact: Juveria Siddiqui juveriam.siddiqui@utoronto.ca or Levente Diosady l.diosady@utoronto.ca
Testing a low cost air pollutant sensor system (AirSENCE) in the oil sands region
Faculty advisor: Professor Jeffrey Brook
SOCAAR has developed the AirSENCE monitor and it is being utilized in many urban areas. Its application in studying air quality in intensive resource development areas remains to be tested. An AirSENCE is available to deploy to the heart of the oil sands alongside sensitive, accurate monitoring equipment. Large amounts of data will be generated by this initiative.
This project will focus on validation and calibration of AirSENCE using multiple data analysis tools and then on exploring the optimal applications for low costs sensors in the oil sands region.
Contact: Jeffrey Brook at jeff.brook@utoronto.ca
The case for Blue Hydrogen: A carbon footprint study
Summary: Canada is a global leader in producing blue hydrogen, which is described as having low greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Alternatively, some climate assessments claim that blue hydrogen is 20% worse for GHG emissions than natural gas for heat. Several methodologies have been proposed to assess the life cycle of blue hydrogen with no consensus on GHG emissions. This 4th Year’s student thesis aims to compile and compare existing life cycle analyses (LCA), formulating solid assumptions and setting the basis to close the LCA gaps, and making a sound conclusion on the impact of blue hydrogen on climate. Chemical engineer students are equipped with the knowledge to elaborate a carbon footprint study by performing material and energy balances around blue hydrogen processes using process simulation software and estimating CAPEX and OPEX.
Contact: Daniela Galatro daniela.galatro@utoronto.ca
Using growth conditions to control the production of valuable products from algae
We are seeking a proactive, rigorous, and highly independent Master of Engineering Student to contribute to a project that involves using growth conditions to control the production of valuable products from algae.
The selected Student will work with Dr. Sofia Bonilla and others in the research group led by Prof. Grant Allen. The objective of this M. Eng. project is to develop a lab-scale cultivation process for the optimized production of proteins and specific amino acid profiles from red algae. The Student will help our group to gain a better understanding of growth kinetics and product yields of red algae under different salinities.
Daily activities include sampling and testing algal biomass for protein and amino acid quantification. In addition to experiments, the candidate will be continuously reviewing and summarizing literature. Preferred experience includes laboratory work cultivating, processing, and analyzing biomass. We are looking for a Student to start working on this project immediately.
Contact: Dr. Sophia Bonilla (sofia.bonillatobar@mail.utoronto.ca)