
Members
At MATTER, our team is the essence of our identity! Each current member, alumni, and honorary member has uniquely contributed to our vision and mission. Explore this remarkable group and all they have accomplished.
Principal Investigator
-
Hossein Kazemian
Associate Professor, Environmental Sciences Program, GEES Department, Faculty of EnvironmentOriginally from Iran, I now lead the Northern Analytical Laboratory Services at the University of Northern British Columbia, focusing on environmental and material chemistry. I am dedicated to mentoring scientists and advancing sustainable environmental solutions.
Current Members
-
Shohreh Mohammadi
Graduate studentShohreh is a PhD student working on the project titled “Development and Validation of an Analytical Method for Airborne Chromium Speciation and Field Comparison Study.” Her research focuses on developing and validating a robust analytical method to accurately distinguish and quantify trivalent (Cr(III)) and hexavalent (Cr(VI)) chromium species in airborne… -
Banchamlak Bemerw Kassaun
NSERC industrial PostdocBanchi specializes in polymer chemistry and material science, focusing on developing an eco-friendly Styrofoam substitute for sustainable food packaging. She is dedicated to enhancing eco-friendly packaging solutions. -
Ahmad Jalil
Graduate StudentPhD student at UNBC with an undergrad in health science, specializing in air quality research focused on characterization. Member of the Matter team since 2020, dedicated to advancing understanding of air quality impacts. -
Hossein Roohollahi
Mitacs Accelerate Industrial Post-doctorateHossein Roohollahi, Ph.D., specializes in chemical engineering with a focus on plant-based biopolymers for various applications. Part of the Matter team at UNBC since 2023, he is dedicated to advancing the development of sustainable materials. -
Tina Fathalipour Ardabili
Graduate StudentTina holds a BSc and MSc in Physics and is currently pursuing her second MSc in Environmental Science at UNBC. As a member of the biopolymers research team, her thesis project focuses on “FDM 3D Printing of Lignin/PBAT Biofilament: Optimization, Characterization, and Sustainable Valorization of Local Waste Streams.” Tina’s work… -
Muhammad Tahir
Graduate StudentMuhammad, a Masters student in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES) at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), joined the Matter team in 2024. With a background in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, his research focuses on testing new biodegradable and compostable biopolymers. His work aims to address environmental challenges… -
Prof. Aderonke O. Oyeyiola
Research Associate / Post DocAderonke O. Oyeyiola, Ph.D., a visiting researcher at UNBC (2023-2024), focuses on analytical and environmental chemistry. Her project involves the development, characterization, and optimization of low-cost, environmentally friendly adsorbents for nutrient removal and recovery in wastewater.
-
Prof. Siavash Nouroozi
Visiting International ResearcherDr. Siavash Nouroozi is a Visiting International Researcher at the MATTER Lab. His research focuses on automated flow analysis, optical sensors, and the development of bio and nanosensors, with a strong emphasis on green analytical chemistry. His work is dedicated to advancing sustainable methodologies in analytical science.
-
S. Fatemeh Nouroozi
Graduate StudentS. Fatemeh Nouroozi, a Ph.D. candidate in inorganic chemistry, specializes in nanotechnology and solid catalysts. Her research focuses on advancing applications in inorganic chemistry, with a particular emphasis on nanoscale materials and catalytic systems.
-
Habibollah Bahman
Graduate StudentHabibollah Bahman, a Master’s student and former international visiting Ph.D. candidate at UNBC (2022-2023), focuses on Polymer Engineering-Color Science and Technology. His research involves using Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH) to remove dyes like Malachite Green, Methylene Blue, and Rhodamine B from solutions.
-
Leila Doudey
Graduate StudentLeila Doudey, a Master’s student and former international visiting Ph.D. candidate at UNBC (2022-2023), focuses on the valorization of Tunisian dam sediments into zeolitic materials and their environmental applications, exploring sustainable solutions in chemistry.
-
Ariadna López
Graduate StudentAriadna López, a Mitacs Globalink Intern in 2021 and MSc student at UNBC (2023-2025), collaborates on Climate Catalytic research and carbon remediation technologies, enhancing environmental sustainability through innovative solutions.
Alumni Members
-
Oshini Kottagodage
Summer StudentOshini 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.
-
Prof. Aderonke O. Oyeyiola
Research Associate / Post DocAderonke O. Oyeyiola, Ph.D., a visiting researcher at UNBC (2023-2024), focuses on analytical and environmental chemistry. Her project involves the development, characterization, and optimization of low-cost, environmentally friendly adsorbents for nutrient removal and recovery in wastewater.
-
Prof. Ali Bumajdad
International Visiting ResearcherAli Bumajdad, an international visiting researcher at UNBC in Summer 2017, is a Professor of Physical Chemistry at Kuwait University. His expertise contributes significantly to the field through ongoing research and scholarly activities.
-
Prof. Siavash Nouroozi
Visiting International ResearcherDr. Siavash Nouroozi is a Visiting International Researcher at the MATTER Lab. His research focuses on automated flow analysis, optical sensors, and the development of bio and nanosensors, with a strong emphasis on green analytical chemistry. His work is dedicated to advancing sustainable methodologies in analytical science.
-
Ryan Koyanagi
Eco-Canada Summer InternRyan 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.
-
Saeed Bagherifam,
Mitacs Accelerate Industrial Post-doctorateSaeed 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.
-
Sahar Ebadzadsahraei
Graduate StudentSahar 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.
-
Saki Kondo
Graduate StudentSaki 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.
-
Sakshi Satish
Summer StudentSakshi 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.
-
Farideh Barghak
Graduate StudentFarideh 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.
-
Farzana Nargis
Graduate StudentFarzana 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.
-
Gangbin Yan
Mitacs Globalink InternGangbin 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.
-
Hanieh Askari
International Visiting PhD studentHanieh 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 po…
-
Harsh R Darji
Mitacs Globalink InternHarsh 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.
-
Helena Mirzabeigi
Graduate StudentHelena 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.
-
Hoorieh Jahanbani
Research Associate and Post-doctoral fellowHoorieh 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.
-
Hossein Zeinalzadeh
Graduate StudentHossein 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.
-
Lon Kerr
Graduate StudentLon 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.
-
Anara Omarova
International Visiting PhD StudentAnara 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.
-
Ann Duong
Graduate StudentAnn 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.