Memorial University of Newfoundland | Clean Technology

Key facilities

Centre for Chemical Analysis, Research and Training (C-CART) – provides research support, training and chemical analysis to students, researchers, government agencies and the private sector. Instrumentation is grouped into five areas: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-Ray Crystallography (XRD), Mass Spectrometry, Materials Characterization and Optical Spectroscopy.

Environmental Policy Institute (EPI) – uses theories, approaches, and methods from social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences to advance excellence in research on environmental policy issues. The EPI conducts research on environmental policy issues in topics such as water, forests, land, fisheries, minerals, oil and gas, energy, climate change, and biodiversity.

Major collaborations

MIP-Based Technology for Water Monitoring Researchers are developing devices to test for water contaminants using smart technology: thin films made from molecularly imprinted polymers, also known as MIPs. Enabled by a $1.2M investment, including ACOA funding, clean and cost-effective water-testing devices could be used by municipal waterworks operations or the oil and gas industry operating in harsh environments.

Northern Region Persistent Organic Pollution Control Laboratory – aims at developing innovative technologies and methodologies to solve environmental problems and support sound decision making. A multi-scale experimental system supports model development through simulating the transport processes of POPs and their degradation products, testing the effects of pollution control and remediation practices, and driving and validating models

Researchers

Greg Naterer, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science; recipient of the Julian C. Smith and Jules Stachiewitz Medals; elected fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Engineering Institute of Canada: Dr. Naterer has made seminal contributions to heat transfer and energy systems. He led an international team that developed a new thermochemical process of hydrogen production using nuclear, solar or industrial waste energy. His visionary foresight has used hydrogen as a clean energy carrier and storage medium for solar energy.

Baiyu (Helen) Zhang, Canada Research Chair in Coastal Environmental Engineering: Focusing on oil pollution control, her research team is among the very few globally that are developing new methodologies and bio-dispersants for studying and mitigating oil pollution in coastal soil, beaches and seawater under cold and harsh conditions.

Fran Kerton, Professor, Chemistry; North American New Horizons Fellow; Dean of Science’s Distinguished Scholar; Co-founder of the Centre for Green Chemistry and Catalysis: Dr. Kerton has a global reputation for her pioneering research on sustainable chemistry related to the oceans, in particular, her innovative, environmentally-friendly technologies to reduce plastic pollution and food waste generation. Her textbook, “Alternative Solvents for Green Chemistry”, has garnered international praise as one of the most significant books in the field.

Special programs and work integrated learning initiatives

Graduate Program in Sustainable Resources and Chemical Processes

Graduate Program in Environmental Policy

MASc in Energy Systems Engineering

Partners

Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador (PRNL)
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
SEAformatics
Suncor Energy
Manitoba Hydro
Nalcor