Author: Pod Volunteer

Topic: H2Only: Smart Filters for Efficient Oil/Water Separation. Overview: In a world that relies heavily on the use of crude oil as an energy source, clean oil recovery and spill remediation is of dire importance. Removing oil from surfactant stabilized oil-in-water emulsions has become an issue in numerous industries as current separation processes are tedious and wasteful of resources. Our research group has developed functionalized ‘smart’ filters that can selectively and efficiently separate the oil from oil-in-water emulsions.  I will discuss the environmental and operational advantages of this novel filter and its potential to improve the cleanliness of a normally dirty industry.

Topic: How to gain access to energy stored in plants by designing biological nanomachines which can efficiently release trapped energy. Overview: With the continued depletion of fossil fuels the search for new sources of renewable energy are growing ever more urgent. One possible source of energy is the vast repository of carbon found within plant biomass. We aim to gain access to this functionally limitless pool of energy by designing biological nanomachines which can efficiently release their trapped energy

Topic: “The Future of Work” Overview: I am interested in the future of work and the changing nature of work more specifically how employees are beginning to use artificial intelligence at work through interactions with chatbots (i.e. IBM Watson) and intelligent employee assistants (i.e. Alexa for Business, Google Home at work, etc.). What is the work of tomorrow shaping to be like?

Topic: Developing the Continuous Online Leaching Method for use in Bioaccessibility Risk Assessments Overview: When soil is contaminated, we must perform a risk assessment to determine the potential for hazard towards humans who may work, play, or live in contact with the soil. A common method for modeling this soil exposure is through a bioaccessibility study, which can be performed in-lab without the need for animal subjects. My work is on validating a continuous on-line leaching method. Conventional methods use a batch method of analysis, which can take hours to complete, but we have seen results with the online leaching method take as low as 30 minutes!

Topic: “Academic literacy in first year college (the necessary “language” for communicating successfully in college)” Overview: I’m researching the perceptions teachers and students have of academic literacy in the first-year of college.

Topic: “TEDx Annual Conference Overview: Grad students discuss what it means to do a TED talk

Topic: Understanding and Supporting the School Transitions of Military-Connected Adolescents Overview: The purpose of my two-phased sequential qualitative study is to (1) provide an in-depth, multi-perspective understanding of the school transition experiences of military-connected adolescents in Ontario, and (2) provide recommendations to inform policy and practice related to the school transition experiences of military-connected adolescents across Canada

Topic: “Handing Over The Keys: Intergenerational Legacies of Incarceration Policy in Canada, Australia, and Aotearoa/New Zealand.” Overview: I use critical policy analysis to unpack the legacies of incarceral policies in three countries, where generations of people within one family or community can be criminalized and experience institutionalization.

Overview: It’s New Year’s Eve but we are still on the air! Hear what is in store for grad studies in 2020

Overview: It’s a special day, so with that comes a special edition of Grad Chat as we wrap up 2019.