Nano Ontario’s Mission
Our Vision:
- Nano Ontario is a trusted source of information for all nanoscience and nanotechnology activity in Ontario.
- Nano Ontario can advise government organizations on economic opportunity, policy, standards & regulations
that nanotechnology can offer, to enable Ontario to benefit and capitalize from its nano research, development,
and commercial capacity.
Our Objectives:
- Maps Ontario’s capacity in nanotechnology research, development, and commercialization.
- Serve as the main point of contact for Ontario’s community of practice in nanoscience & nanotechnology.
- Builds and facilitates new connections between nanotechnology groups in universities, government
organizations and industries within Ontario, across Canada, and internationally. - Coordinates public outreach activities to advocate the societal benefits enabled by nanoscience and
nanotechnology.
News and Events
Save the date for the 12th Nano Ontario conference
Members
Peter Mascher
Dr. Mascher is the current Chair of the Board of Directors of NanoOntario Inc (2023). He obtained a PhD in Engineering Physics in 1984 from the Graz University of Technology in Austria and joined McMaster University in 1989. Dr. Mascher holds the William Sinclair Chair in Optoelectronics and leads active research groups involved in the fabrication and characterization of thin films for optoelectronic applications, the development and application of silicon-based nanostructures, and the characterization of defects in solids by positron annihilation spectroscopy. Dr. Mascher currently is Vice-Chair of Nano Ontario and of the Dielectric Science and Technology Division of the Electrochemical Society. Since 2017, he serves as a Technical Editor for the ECS Journal of Solid-State Science and Technology.
Hind Al-Abadleh
Dr. Al-Abadleh has a been a Board Member of Nano Ontario since 2012 and currently serves as the Treasurer/Secretary. She is a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Wilfrid Laurier University, the 2019 Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry, Air Quality, and Climate Change, and the Chair of the Environment Division of the Chemical Institute of Canada. Her research interests focus on the environmental impacts of nanomaterials on the chemical balance of atmospheric and geochemical systems.
François Lagugné-Labarthet
Dr. Lagugné-Labarthet obtained his PhD in Physical-Chemistry at the University of Bordeaux, France in 1998. After a Post-doc at Queen’s University Canada he became in 1999 a Chargé de Recherche at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France where he developed optical experiments to probe polymers thin films and participated to projects in nonlinear optics and near-field optical measurements. In 2007 he started as a Professor at Western University where he obtained a Canada Research Chair in Photonics and Nanoscience in 2008-2018. Since 2011, he is the scientific director of the Nanofabrication Facility at Western, an open-user facility that aims at training the next generation of nanoscale scientists. He has been the Chair of NanoOntario Inc. from 2018 to 2022.
Simone Pisana
Dr. Pisana is Associate Professor of Nanoelectronics at York University since 2014. His graduate studies focused on electronic and spectroscopic properties of nanotubes, nanowires and graphene. After his Ph.D., Simone spent 6 years in the magnetic data storage industry where he worked on novel sensor concepts and energy assisted recording. Since joining York University, Simone’s research has focused on discovering paths to improve dissipation and energy efficiency of electronic devices though the study of nanoscale transport phenomena. Most recently this has been applied to nanoscale heat transport in 2D crystals and plasmonic devices, as well as high temperature magnetization dynamics in materials of interest to high density magnetic recording technologies.
John Dutcher
Dr. Dutcher is a Professor of Physics, Senior Canada Research Chair in Soft Matter and Biological Physics, and Director of the Nanoscience program at the University of Guelph. His research program focuses on the physical properties and applications of novel biological nanoparticles. John is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and serves on the Editorial Board of four journals. He is also a Founder of Mirexus Biotechnologies, a Guelph-based company that that commercializes phytoglycogen nanoparticles derived from sweet corn.
Maria DeRosa
Dr. DeRosa is a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Carleton University and current Dean of Science at Carleton. Her research examines a family of synthetic nucleic acids known as aptamers that can fold into 3D nanoscale structures capable of binding tightly to a specific molecular target. Her group is focused on developing a better understanding of how these systems work and using this information to design useful nanotechnology, such as biosensors, components for nanomedicine, or smart delivery devices.
Babak Shokouhi
Mr. Shokouhi is a proven entrepreneur with a number of years of experience in product development and management in the semiconductor field. Mr. Shokouhi is the recipient of multiple international and domestic awards for innovation and commercialization of nanotechnologies. He is the founder of Nanodevice Solutions Inc. (NDS) and chairman of the board at NDS. Mr. Shokouhi has years of hands-on experience in fabrication, characterization of nanoscale structures and materials, and holds a MASc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a BASc. in Nanotechnology Engineering from the University of Waterloo.
Gary Economo
Mr. Economo has a distinguished business leadership career, serving as CEO for a number of public and private high technology companies during the last 20 years. A former President and CEO of Dynasty Components Inc., Mr. Economo enjoys a long history of graphite marketing and sales for high-tech applications. He is also currently CEO, President, and COO of Focus Graphite Inc., a company he founded with Jeff York. Over the span of his business career, Mr. Economo provided strategic consulting and representation services to technology companies in North America and Asia. In particular, he has a track record of success and expertise in building shareholder value when tasked with bringing discovery companies to market. Born in Greece and raised in Montreal, Mr. Economo is tri-lingual and lives with his family in Ottawa.
Stefania Impellizzeri
Dr. Impellizzeri obtained a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Miami in 2012 and did her postdoc in photochemistry at the University of Ottawa. In January 2018, she became Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Ryerson University, where she directs the Laboratory for Nanomaterials & Molecular Plasmonics. She has researched in and experimented with different fields of chemistry, ranging from organic chemistry, to supramolecular chemistry, photochemistry and materials and nanomaterials chemistry. The potential applications of her work are wide-ranging, from uncovering new strategies in industrial catalysis, writing of data beyond current limits for information technology and memory storage devices, super-resolution imaging tools to probe cell structure and function, and engineering nano-enhanced fibers and textiles.
Gordon Harling
Gordon Harling received a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Science from the University of Toronto and a Maitrise en Ingenierie Physique from the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. He has worked in Research and Development at large companies such as Mitel, NovAtel, and DALSA. He has been a founder and CEO of several start-up companies including Goal Semiconductor, Elliptic Technologies, and Innotime Technologies. He was Director of Economic Development for ICT and Micro-Nanotechnologioes for Sherbrooke Innopole from 2010 to 2015 and is now the CEO of CMC Microsystems, a not-for-profit which provides software and services to 67 colleges and universities across Canada.
Malcolm Eade
Mr Eade is the CEO and Co-Founder of Spectra Plasmonics, a Kingston based company that develops chemical analysis products based on proprietary SERS technology. The company was founded in 2017 through Queen’s University’s entrepreneurial accelerator program. Malcolm’s academic background is in biomedical sciences where he gained direct research experience with biosensing using SERS. At the company, he has served as the official project manager for its past R&D projects and has been the main liaison with external research partners on collaborative engagements.
Mehdi Sheikhzadeh
Dr. Mehdi Sheikhzadeh is Vice President, Research & Innovation at Lambton College. He has more than 18 years of extensive background in teaching, research and university administration as well as industrial research and engineering. Dr. Sheikhzadeh obtained his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Western University in London. As a researcher and faculty, his area of research includes process systems, advanced process control, nonlinear modelling, real time optimization, process analysis and design subjects. As research executive, he has been involved in strategic partnership development, project development and research operations management. Dr. Sheikhzadeh is a Board Member for NanoOntario, Canadian Process Control Association, Lambton Manufacturing Innovation Centre and Bio-industrial Process Research Centre.
Muralee Murugesu
Dr. Murugesu is a Professor of Chemistry and the Research Chair in Nanotechnology at the University of Ottawa. He obtained his MSc at the University of East Anglia, England, and his PhD from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany. In 2006, Dr. Murugesu joined the University of Ottawa and established a dynamic synthetic chemistry research group comprised of highly qualified individuals dedicated to developing novel materials through unorthodox approaches. Dr. Murugesu’s work with energetic materials, molecular magnetic systems and porous materials, has gained him international respect and recognition as one of the leading researchers in his field. In 2016, he was elected a member to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.
Roman Maev
Dr. Maev is the founding Director-General of the Institute for Diagnostic Imaging Research, University of Windsor – a multidisciplinary, collaborative research and innovation consortium. Dr Maev is also a Distinguished University Professor. The diverse range of disciplines encompassed by Dr. Maev includes theoretical fundamentals of physical acoustics, research in ultrasonic and nonlinear acoustical imaging, nanostructural properties of advanced materials and its analysis. Dr. Maev is a Fellow of IEEE, a Fellow of the British Institute of NDT, a Fellow of RSNTTD and has served on the Nano Ontario Board of Directors since 2012. In 2018, Dr. Maev was the recipient of The Roy Sharpe Award (awarded in 2019) in recognition for his outstanding contribution to NDT by the British Institute of NDT. Following, in 2019, Dr. Maev based on his scientific contributions was elected as an Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Phil Whiting
Mr Whiting is currently CEO of Mirexus Biotechnologies Inc. He has a PhD in Science from McGill University and a strong background in technology commercialization and executive management. Most recently, Phil was President and CEO of a renewable energy company. Prior experience includes being President of an international robotics and automation company, President of a fuel cell and rechargeable battery company, and VP roles in R&D and Engineering with a global water treatment company and a multi-national forest products company. Phil has also served on the Board of Directors for a number of private and public companies and has held academic appointments at the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario.
Gilbert Walker
Prof. Walker is the Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Biointerfaces. He received his B.A. in Chemistry and Mathematics from Bowdoin College in 1985, and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1991. In 1993, he became an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh and was later promoted to associate professor in 2000. Walker joined the University of Toronto in 2005 as the Canada Research Chair in Molecular Microscopy and Nanophotonic Devices. Combining optics and mechanics, Walker has developed new nanoscale techniques for chemical imaging and mechanical mapping with nanometric resolution.
Hamdy Khalil
Dr. Hamdy Khalil holds a BSc with majors in chemistry and physics from the University of Alexandria in Egypt, an MSc in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cairo University in Egypt and a PhD from Windsor University. Dr. Khalil is the Senior Global Director for Advanced Technologies Research and Product Development and Innovation for the Woodbridge Foam Corporation at The Woodbridge Group. He pioneered the introduction and commercialization of renewable materials into the polyurethane chemistry used in the interior automotive parts manufacturing which is now the benchmark for the industry. Dr. Khalil sits on the scientific advisory committee of ArboraNano and on the NRC steering committee for Bio-products development. He is the Vice Chair of the Ontario Bioautocouncil Board of Directors and Chair of the investment committee for CRIB Board of Directors.
Mohamed Parpia
Mr. Parpia majored in Chemistry and minored in Physics and Mathematics from Linfield College in 2003. He completed his M.Sc in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 2006. Since graduation, Mohamed has undertaken research in the fields of nanolithography, microfluidics, biodiagnostics and medical devices. Mohamed Parpia is a SR&ED technical expert with over 10 years of experience. He uses his broad science background and curiosity to probe the activities of his clients to reveal all SR&ED opportunities. Using a “client-first” approach, Mohamed builds strong working relationships that result in added value for Ryan’s clients. At Ryan, Mohamed is a Director on the SR&ED team. Mohamed’s adaptability and ability to integrate his skills and science background allow him to prepare claims in a variety of industries such as such as nanotechnology, chemical manufacturing, bio-technology, oil & gas, food, pharmaceutical and energy amongst others.
Sushanta Mitra
Dr. Mitra is the Executive Director of Canada’s largest nanotechnology institute – the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN). He is also a Professor in Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo. His research interests are in the fundamental understanding of fluid transport in micro and nano-scale confinements with applications in energy, water and bio-system. For his contributions in science and engineering, he has been an elected fellow of number of key scientific organizations including the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American Physical Society and AAAS. He is also the recipient of 2015 Engineering Excellence Medal.
Jean-Michel Nunzi
Jean-Michel Nunzi graduated from l’Ecole de Physique et Chime, Paris in 1982, he joined l’Ecole Polytechnique for a PhD on the nonlinear optics of surface plasma waves (plasmons). He was then hired as full-time Researcher in Organic Photonics at the Atomic Energy Commission (Saclay) in 1984. He joined the Department of Physics at the University of Angers as Professor in 2000, where he built the Plastic Solar Cells Technology Research Team. He moved to Queen’s University as Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Chiral Photonics in 2006 and in Photonics for Life since 2013. He studies Self-organization, Organic and nano-Photonics, including the Chemistry, Instrumentation, Processing and Physics of nanomaterials and devices as well as their use for life, energy and sustainable development.
Taimur Qasim
Taimur Qasim is a Project Manager within the Health and Safety Standards team at CSA Group. Prior to his current role, he worked as a safety compliance engineer in CSA Group’s Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) Healthcare team for about 3.5 years. He focused on evaluating and certifying laboratory and medical equipment to the 60601 and 61010 series of standards. Before joining CSA, Taimur was a clinical nephrology technologist at St. Joseph’s Hamilton Healthcare. Taimur has completed both B.Eng and M.Eng. degrees in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering from McMaster University.
Robert Crawhall
Dr. Crawhall is Executive Director of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He has spent more than a decade in leadership positions in five industry/academic collaborative organizations across a broad range of technical fields including NanoQuébec. This followed 18 years in the private sector working on emerging technologies in automation, energy, telecommunications and semiconductors. He serves on a variety of Boards of Directors in the private and not-for-profit sectors, works as an innovation consultant and is active in Standards development. Robert holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ottawa, a Master’s degree in Electrical and Bachelor’s in Mechanical from McGill University. He has been a licensed engineer in Ontario for 38 years, is a Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a PMP in project management. Robert is a proud volunteer of the IEEE Ottawa Robotics Competition for Grades 5 through 12.
Ari Forman
Ari Forman is from Thornhill, Ontario. He has completed a B.Sc. (Honors) in Genetics at Western University. His honors thesis is seeking to detect a methylated CpG island in the GSTP1 gene implicated in prostate and breast cancers using Raman spectroscopy and multivariate techniques. Together with Alex Boukin, he founded SCATR, a company that develops and uses Raman spectroscopy and machine learning to detect dangerous opioids such as fentanyl and fentanyl analogs.
Lora Field
Lora Field has been working with Ontario’s cleantech and various manufacturing sectors at the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade for over twelve years. Based on her in-depth knowledge of Ontario’s cleantech sector and relevant government policy drivers, she engages with foreign and Ontario based companies to assist their growth in the province. Lora also works closely with partner ministries, on industry-relevant initiatives, including Ontario’s upcoming Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy. She has a PhD in chemistry and is currently a Board Member of the Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology.
Jeffrey Carson
Dr. Jeffrey Carson is passionate about solving complex optical imaging problems. He co-developed multispectral filter array technology used in snapshot multispectral cameras and co-founded Spectral Devices Inc to commercialize the technology. Spectral Devices manufactures and distributes camera products to universities and companies throughout the world. In his academic work, Dr. Carson led the development of intraoperative photoacoustic tomography, a technology capable of guiding breast cancer surgery and reducing the need for call back surgeries. He is currently developing a next generation photoacoustic imaging technology that rapidly captures 3D breast images without touching the patient
Stéphane Gagné
Mr Stéphane Gagné cumulates 25 years of experience in the fields of cosmetics, nutritional supplements, pharmaceutical products and active ingredients. He holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in economics, the other is multidisciplinary, as well as a master’s in business administration. Mr. Gagné played a significant role in the growth of several Canadian companies abroad through his international network of contacts and business acumen. He held senior positions in biotech, cosmetic and supplement companies, one being Atrium Innovations where he was VP Sales & Marketing from its inception in 1999. Atrium was later acquired by Nestlé in 2017 for 2.3 billion USD. Mr. Gagné is now the co-founder, President and CEO of Ovensa Inc., a private company that has developed a nanomedicine delivery platform focusing on fighting tough-to-treat diseases such as cancer and dementia.
Peter Wood
Peter Wood, P. Eng, P. Geo. is a geological engineer with over 35 years’ exploration and project management experience in the mining industry. During this time, he has worked with several major mining companies including Newmont, Homestake, and HudBay and has also been actively involved in the exploration and development of gold, base metal, platinum-group element, and magmatic nickel-copper deposits with many junior exploration companies. Peter graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours BASc in Geological Engineering in 1983 and an MSc in Geology in 1987. He joined the ZEN team as Vice President, Exploration in January 2013 and has been responsible for the successful completion of the company’s NI 43-101 compliant initial resource estimate and subsequent PEA study and, more recently, with the company’s market development and R&D initiatives. Peter was promoted to ZEN’s Vice President and subsequently President in 2018.
Jesse Greener
Jesse Greener graduated from the Chemical Physics program at the University of Waterloo and obtained a Ph.D. in surface science from department of Physics at the University of Western Ontario. Jesse held a post-doctoral fellowship in the department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto where he focused on microfluidic reactor technology and measurement platforms. Before leaving Toronto, Jesse co-founded and is the current CEO for FlowJEM Microfluidics, a Toronto-based microfluidics foundry which specializes in custom prototyping in polymer-based materials. Jesse joined the department of Chemistry at Laval University in May 2012. He has been an associate professor since 2017, where he leads an active research group in analytical microfluidics and biomaterials. He is the winner of the 2013 New Researcher Award from Quebec’s science and technology agency, a 2018 high risk/high reward Audace grant for his work in the area microfluidics and microbiology, and a 2020 Discovery Grant Accelerator for original and innovative research.
Norman Zhou
Norman Zhou is a professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier I) in Advanced Materials Joining and Processing in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada. His expertise lies in the areas of advanced welding and joining technologies, and nanomaterials and nanodevices such as self-powered IoT sensors for water leak detection. Norman is currently leading a group of more than 20 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other researchers. Prof. Zhou is a fellow of CAE, AWS and ASM. He has authored and co-authored more than 450 peer-reviewed papers and several books and is co-founder of two university spinoffs (smarteralloys.com, aquasensing.com).
Kazim Agha
Dr. Kazim Agha (PhD in Chemistry) is partner and patent agent at Ridout & Maybee LLP. Kazim is a Director of Local Sections of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC), and sits (as a Director) on the Board of Directors of the Chemical Society of Canada (CSC). He is also engaged with the American Chemical Society (ACS), presenting on intellectual property (IP) and as Chair-Elect of the Small Chemical Business Division (SCHB) of the ACS, providing support and guidance to small and medium sized chemical businesses. On the intellectual property side, Kazim regularly presents and teaches on IP, particularly patents, and is Chair of the Patent Agent Training Committee (PATC) of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and a member of the Standing Advisory Committee before the European Patent Office (SACEPO).
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