Niloofar Shirali

niloofar.shirali@mail.utoronto.ca

PhD Student
Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
University of Toronto

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PhD Student, Chemical Engineering, University of Toronto (2021-Current)
Master of Science, Chemical Engineering, Queen’s University, Canada (2017-2019)
Bachelor of Applied Science, Polymer Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran (2012-2016) 

I received my BSc in polymer engineering from the Polytechnic University of Tehran, Iran in 2016. During my time there, I gained great knowledge of polymer properties, polymer processing and rheology. After graduation, I pursued my education with MSc of Chemical engineering at Queen’s University where I conducted scientific research on “An Efficient Process for the Cu(0)-Catalyzed Controlled Radical Synthesis and Subsequent Chain Extension of Poly(Methyl Acrylate) Macroinitiator”. In less than two years, I could introduce and develop a new processing method of PMA and publish a patent on the new technology. Showing success in my research project, I got an internship opportunity at Nippon paint company in Singapore to implement the developed method at their site. It was after graduation in 2019 that I started working as an analytical chemist at Toronto Research Chemicals. Two years of working in the industry gave me great experience in developing and performing a variety of analytical techniques.

Having a desire for continuous learning and research led me to continue my education as a Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto. I joined Dr.Werber’s research group to work on polymer membranes with applications in food waste and wastewater recovery which could have important environmental benefits that I have a passion for.