Lon Kerr, an MSc student at UNBC from 2019 to 2022, focused on developing zeolite-based antibacterial compounds for water purification, enhancing methods for ensuring cleaner and safer water supplies.

Dorna Sobhani, an MSc student at UNBC from 2020 to 2023, specializes in environmental science and chemical engineering. Her research focuses on developing a dual-functional adsorbent for the simultaneous removal of cationic and anionic nutrients from contaminated water bodies, contributing to water purification and environmental health.

Mya Schouwenburg is a current MSc NRES student at UNBC, specializing in Chromium Speciation in Workplace Air. Her research focuses on the environmental and health impacts of chromium exposure in industrial settings.

Charles Bradshaw, an MSc student at UNBC from 2020 to 2023, focuses on nutrient removal and management, aiming to enhance environmental sustainability and water quality through innovative research.

Ann Duong is a former PhD student with the Matter team at UNBC, focusing on industrial hygiene testing. Her research involved assessing the equivalency of the Disposable Respirable Sampler to the IOM for inhalable and respirable dust and metals sampling.

Aanchal Alagh, Ph.D., specializes in nanotechnology with a focus on CO2 reduction and climate change mitigation. Part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2024, she is dedicated to developing nanotechnological solutions that address environmental challenges.

Saeed Bagherifam, Ph.D., specializes in environmental chemistry with a focus on arsenic removal from contaminated soil and its potential reuse. Part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2023, he is dedicated to developing sustainable solutions for soil decontamination.

Sunil Walia, Ph.D., specializes in material chemistry with a focus on developing novel adsorbents from foam glass for nutrient recovery from wastewater. Part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2022, he is committed to innovating sustainable water treatment solutions.

Aatif Ali Shah, Ph.D., specializes in advanced materials and chemical engineering with a focus on hydrogen production through water electrolysis combined with wastewater treatment. Part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2022, he is dedicated to developing innovative energy solutions.

Mohammad Kavand, Ph.D., specializes in chemical engineering with a focus on engineered clay as a novel phosphorus sorbent. Part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2022, he is dedicated to advancing environmental remediation technologies.

Nasim Ghavidel, Ph.D., specializes in chemistry and material science with a focus on developing an eco-friendly Styrofoam substitute for sustainable food packaging. Part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2021, she is dedicated to enhancing eco-friendly packaging solutions.

Hoorieh Jahanbani, Ph.D., specializes in organic chemistry with a focus on bio-MOF synthesis and applications. As a research associate and post-doctoral fellow at UNBC since 2021, she is dedicated to advancing the field of organic materials for diverse applications.

Dominic Reiffarth, Ph.D., specializes in natural resources and environmental studies with a focus on solid waste management best practices. As part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2023, he is dedicated to developing cost-effective, sustainable solid waste solutions for rural regions of BC.

Yinchun Guo, an MSc student in analytical chemistry, specializes in developing MOF-based adsorbents for SVOC sampling and measurement. As part of the Matter team at UNBC from 2023 to 2025, she is focused on advancing chemical analysis techniques.

Oshini Kottagodage, an undergraduate researcher at UNBC (2023-2024), focuses on developing MOFs for the removal of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) from wastewater, contributing to advancements in water treatment technologies.

Sakshi Satish, an undergraduate intern in 2019, focused her honor thesis on the synthesis of chitosan-coated MIL-100(Fe) for drug delivery, exploring innovative applications in biomedical engineering.

Harsh R Darji, a Mitacs Globalink Intern in Summer 2022, worked on using Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for CO2 capturing and conversion, contributing to climate change mitigation through innovative carbon capture technologies.

Alfonso Diego Garza Isla, a Mitacs Globalink Intern in Summer 2019, focused on air pollution monitoring and control for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), aiming to enhance environmental air quality management.

Melissa Becerril Medina, a Mitacs Globalink Intern in Summer 2019, worked on air pollution monitoring and control for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), contributing to advancements in environmental health and safety.

Adam Burkitt, an Eco Canada Intern in Summer 2022, focused on nitrogen detection in water and soil samples, validating methods that enhance environmental monitoring and assessment.

Madeline Clarke, a Canada Summer Job intern in 2022 and 2023, worked on two key projects: designing and constructing a rotating air sampler for workplace air quality research in 2022, and developing and characterizing novel biodegradable polymers in 2023.

Sophie Ngo, a Canada Summer Job intern in 2022, focused on the development and characterization of novel biodegradable polymers for food packaging purposes, contributing to sustainable packaging solutions.

Sarah Wood, an undergraduate research student at UNBC (2023-2024), focuses on developing Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for drug delivery, aiming to enhance the efficiency and targeted delivery of pharmaceuticals.

Ryan Koyanagi, an Eco-Canada Summer Job intern in 2023, focused on method development for wastewater analysis, aiming to improve techniques for environmental monitoring and safety.

Hanieh Askari, an international visiting Ph.D. student at UNBC (2023-2024), specializes in analytical chemistry. Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of novel nano-structured materials and microspheres, and the preparation of switchable hydrophilicity solvents for the preconcentration and removal of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from water.

Waranya (Ping) Wataniyakun, an international visiting Ph.D. student at UNBC during Summer 2023, is a Ph.D. candidate in polymer chemistry, microbiology, and biochemistry at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway. Her diverse academic background spans chemical and biomolecular engineering to food biotechnology.

Behrad Mahmoudi Saati, an international visiting Ph.D. student at UNBC (2022-2023), is a candidate in Coatings Science and Technology. His research focuses on the antimicrobial applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks and their composites, aiming to enhance protective coating technologies.

Farideh Barghak, a Master’s student and former international visiting Ph.D. candidate at UNBC (2022-2023), specializes in analytical chemistry. Her research involves synthesizing and characterizing modified yolk-shell and core-shell magnetic nanoparticles, with applications in dye and pesticide removal.

Mohammad Hossein Aboonasr Shiraz, a visiting Ph.D. student at UNBC during Summer 2019, focused on the facile preparation of porous carbon from a metal-organic framework (MOF) to confine selenium. His project also explored protecting the Se/CZIF composite with an alucone coating through molecular layer deposition (MLD).

Hossein Zeinalzadeh, an MSc student at UNBC from 2021 to 2023, focuses on CO2 capturing and conversion using Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), contributing to advancements in sustainable environmental technologies.

Farzana Nargis, an MSc student at UNBC from 2019 to 2022, focused on developing clay-based adsorbents for phosphate removal from eutrophic lake water, contributing to the restoration and maintenance of aquatic ecosystems.

Helena Mirzabeigi, an MSc student at UNBC (2022-2024), specializes in chemical engineering. Her research focuses on the development and characterization of novel biodegradable polymers for food packaging, aiming to advance sustainable packaging solutions.

Simisola Idim, an MSc student at UNBC from 2019 to 2022, focused on modifying the composting process of chicken manure using natural and Mg-modified zeolite to generate a high-nutrient product, enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Saki Kondo, an MSc student at UNBC from 2017 to 2020, focused on developing modified zeolite for phosphate removal from eutrophic lake water, contributing to environmental conservation and water quality improvement.

Sahar Ebadzadsahraei, an MSc student at UNBC from 2017 to 2020, focused on environmental PM2.5 air sampling and analyzing their chemical composition, contributing to air quality research and public health studies.

Anara Omarova, an international visiting Ph.D. student at UNBC (2019-2020), focused on the development of MOF-based SPME fibers for measuring volatile organic compounds in air, enhancing techniques for environmental monitoring and analysis.

Mostafa Marzi, an international visiting Ph.D. student at UNBC from 2019 to 2021, focused on nutrient management in soil and water using modified clay and zeolites, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and environmental conservation.

Gangbin Yan, a Mitacs Globalink intern during the summer of 2018, engaged in research that contributed to advancements in his field of study, furthering academic and practical knowledge through international collaboration.

Shaghayegh Naghdi, an international visiting Ph.D. student in 2021, focused on molecular material chemistry, specifically on selective ligand removal to enhance the accessibility of active sites in hierarchical Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), contributing to advancements in materials science.

Emily Brown first joined us as a summer intern in 2021, where she focused on the synthesis and utilization of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for the removal of glyphosate from water, contributing to the development of effective water purification technologies. She returned for the summer of 2022 to work on an analytical project providing data for one of NALS’ industrial partners.

Sara Haghjoo, an international visiting Ph.D. student at UNBC (2021-2022), focused on material chemistry, specifically developing CFA-derived zeolite for the removal of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from contaminated media, enhancing environmental remediation techniques.

Mandeep Kaur, an MSc student at UNBC from 2019 to 2022, focused on developing Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for CO2 capturing and conversion, contributing to climate change mitigation and sustainable environmental practices.

Navjot Kaur, an MSc student at UNBC from 2019 to 2022, focused on utilizing Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for CO2 capturing and conversion, aiming to advance technologies in carbon management and environmental sustainability.

Completing bachelor of science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UNBC, assisting in the NALS laboratory with ICP and EA processes. Also helping Leyla Doudey on her WorkSafe BC project, to determine the feasibility of using DRS to analyze both inhalable and respirable particulate fractions from welding shop fumes.

Maria De La Rosa, a bachelor’s chemistry student in Colombia, is a Mitacs Globalink Intern in 2024. She collaborates on a project focusing on air pollution monitoring and control for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) through materials such as Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).

Diana Carrillo Vazquez, a chemical engineering undergraduate and Mitacs Intern, focuses on a project involving air pollution monitoring and control of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs).