FEGRS 2024 Program at a Glance

View the schedule for Oral and Poster Presentations »

Tuesday, August 13

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Wednesday, August 14

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Thursday, August 15

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Keynote Speakers

Speech location: DICE building, Room 8-207

Barry Sanders
Professor
Faculty of Science
Department of Physics and Astronomy

Presentation Title: Quantum Computation
Abstract: I present the essentials of quantum computation, including motivation, quantum
computational resources, and how quantum computation is performed. Furthermore, I discuss
the advantages and limitations of quantum computation, both fundamental and practical.

Biography: Barry Sanders is Scientific Director of Calgary’s “Quantum City”, hosted by the University of Calgary and tasked with building a strong quantum ecosystem in Alberta. Barry was awarded two Diplomas of Imperial College in 1985 and 1987 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1988 from the University of London plus a Doctor of Science from Imperial College London in 2018 in recognition of career achievement in quantum optics and quantum information. His
postdoctoral positions were in Australia and New Zealand, and he was a professor at Macquarie University Sydney for 12 years before moving back to his Alma Mater University of Calgary in 2003. Barry’s theoretical research includes quantum sensing and metrology, quantum and quantum-resilient communication, quantum computing and quantum optics. He has held numerous distinguished international visiting professorships and affiliations in Canada, the USA, China, India, Israel, Austria and elsewhere, and is a Scientist with the Creative Destruction Lab sites at the Universities of Toronto and Calgary. Sanders has served as an Expert with the Canadian Council of Academies, is Chair of the Board for Deep Tech Canada, an affiliate of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Canada, and is a member of the Scientific Board for the Banff International Research Station. He is on the advisory boards for Switzerland’s Open Quantum Institute and for the XPrize in quantum computing. Sanders is co-lead of the International Research Network: Canada-France Quantum Alliance involving France’s Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Barry serves on expert panels in Canada, the USA and both the European Commission and countries in Europe. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, of the United Kingdom Institute of Physics, of the American Physical Society, and of Optica, and he received the City of Calgary International Achievement Award in 2022.

Xuehua Zhang
Professor
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Alberta

Presentation Title: Hydrogen Micro/Nanobubbles in Interfacial Gas Evolution Reaction
Abstract: Liquid organic hydrogen carrier is a promising option for the transport and storage of hydrogen as a clean energy source. This study examines the stability and behaviour of organic drops immobilized on a substrate during an interfacial hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) at the drop surface and its surrounding aqueous solution. Hydrogen microbubbles form within the drop and rise to the drop apex. The growth rate of the hydrogen in-drop bubble increases with the concentration of the reactant in the surrounding medium. The drop remains stable till the buoyancy acting on the in-drop bubble is large enough to overcome the capillary force and the external viscous drag. The bubble spontaneously rises and carries a portion drop liquid to the solution surface. These spontaneous rising in-drop bubbles are detected in measurements using a high-precision sensor placed on the upper surface of the aqueous solution, reversing the settling phase from phase separation in the reactive emulsion. The findings from our work may provide helpful insights into the behaviours of drops and bubbles in many interfacial gas evolution reactions in clean technologies.

Biography: Professor Xuehua Zhang completed her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. She first worked as an Endeavour Research Fellow in the Department of Applied Math, at the Australian National University in Canberra (the capital of Australia). She was then awarded with an Australian Research Council (ARC) Postdoctoral Fellowship in her early career, and later with the highly prestigious ARC Future Fellowship. From 2017 to the present, she was a Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) at the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta. Dr Zhang is focusing her research efforts on developing eco-friendly and sustainable technologies for clean energy and water treatment. She is an Associate Editor for Soft Matter, a RSC journal.

Afsaneh Lavasanifar,
Professor
Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Alberta

Presentation Title: Functional materials for precision medicine. 

Abstract: The future of medicine is anticipated to be highly individualized. This presents  numerous opportunities and challenges for material scientists towards development of targeted therapeutics and more effective diagnostics. The focus of this talk is on recent advancements made by an interdisciplinary research team from University of Alberta towards development of traceable nanomedicine for precision medicine in cancer therapy.

Biography: Lavasanifar's area of expertise and interest is pharmaceutics and drug delivery. Her research is focused on the design and development of polymer based delivery systems that can increase solubility, modify the pharmacokinetic pattern, reduce toxicity and increase the efficacy of different therapeutic agents. The ongoing research projects in her laboratory include development of novel polymeric nano-carriers and stimulus responsive gels for application in cancer chemo and immunotherapy or deliver of anti-inflammatory agents. Her research has been funded by grants from Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI); Alberta Innovates Health Solutions (AIHS) and Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF). Dr Lavasanifar has currently >170 peer reviewed published/in press manuscripts in highly ranked journals in pharmaceutical sciences, 3 book chapters, several abstracts and numerous conference presentations. Her research has been highly cited with an H index of 55. She is an inventor in 10 patent/patent applications on novel polymer based formulations for drug delivery. She has been the recipient of the 2007 GlaxoSmithKline/CSPS Early Career Award; the 2009 Sanofi-Aventis/AFPC award in recognition of outstanding research in Pharmacy and the 2013 and 2016 TEC Edmonton Innovation makes sense prize.

WORKSHOPS + PD SessIONS

NOTE: All workshops will be counted as Professional Development (PD) hours

Aug 13 

Presenter: Ana Sabo, Career Advisor

Title: Networking for Tomorrow – Building Relationships in Academia and Industry

Abstract: Networking for Tomorrow" will explore the importance of networking in both academia and industry, with a focus on professional growth. The discussion will focus on how effective networking can foster research collaborations, provide access to resources, offer mentorship, and open up job opportunities. Practical strategies for success will be provided, including goal setting, developing a personal value proposition, and leveraging connections, complemented by adapted networking scenarios and examples from practice.

Aug 14

Presenter: Nazanin Campbell, Student Integrity Education Officer

Title: Academic Integrity and the Ethical Use of AI Tools, including ChatGPT

Abstract: This session will focus on the intersection between the use of artificial intelligence in scholarship and the principles of academic integrity. Participants will learn about the challenges of using artificial intelligence and how to navigate its use in an ethical manner. Special attention will be placed on how the principles of academic integrity apply to professional roles such as those in engineering.

 

Aug 15

Presenter: Dana Ouellette, Librarian, Faculty of Engineering

Title: Where Should I Publish my Research?: Research Impact, Predatory Publishers, Article Processing Charges, and Other Ways the Library Can Help

Abstract: Deciding where to publish your research can be a daunting task, and this is even more challenging now than it ever has been due to rapid changes in academic publishing. So in this brief talk, I will talk about tools and services that University of Alberta Libraries offers to help you in deciding where to publish, including understanding and finding information about journal impact, open access vs. traditional publishing, avoiding predatory publishers, and how you can reduce or totally avoid paying article processing charges.