Research

Research in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences Office of Research spans our three faculties: Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, Engineering, and Science.

We are home to some of the most comprehensive research infrastructure and teaching facilities in the world, such as the Canadian Ice Core Lab; 25,000 acres of farm and ranch land; and a national, open-access facility for micro- and nanoscale fabrication. Our researchers push the boundaries of knowledge to create discoveries and innovations that improve our lives and the world, and help shape our future.

Research in our college focuses on:

  • creating and maintaining interdisciplinary and large-scale research programs;
  • facilitating complex partnerships with partners in industry;
  • supporting ethical and effective research practices;
  • documenting the impact of CNAS research; and
  • increasing overall levels of research funding in the college.

Key research areas

Key research areas of our college include:

Leadership

Jonathan (Jon) Veinot, Associate Dean STEM Research

Jon serves as associate dean STEM research, College of Natural and Applied Sciences. Jon is also a professor in the Department of Chemistry. Jon is an award-winning scientist whose research portfolio focuses on development of nanomaterials and their applications, such as medical impacting, batteries, display technologies, solar cells, sensors and more. He and his research team are currently exploring the development and application of high entropy nanomaterials with a focus on energy applications. Jon is an associate editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry journals Nanoscale and Nanoscale Advances and is a member of the editorial advisory board of Nanoscale Horizons. Jon is the Canadian director of the Alberta-Technical University of Munich International Graduate for Hybrid Functional Materials (ATUMS), a program that is supported by the NSERC CREATE and DFG IRTG programs as well as Alberta Innovates. Jon also has strengths in commercialization, and is the co-founder of multiple spinoff companies including Applied Quantum Materials Inc and Dark Matter Materials Inc. These start-up ventures aim to commercialize intellectual property developed in his and his colleagues academic labs while providing rewarding employment opportunities for highly qualified personnel from the University of Alberta and surrounding academic institutions.

In his role as associate dean (STEM research), Jon leads the College of Natural and Applied Sciences research strategy. Jon can be reached at cnasadr@ualberta.ca.

Goetz Dapp, Director, Office of Research

Goetz Dapp has an eclectic interdisciplinary background and has worked across several academic disciplines. Goetz started his academic journey in the arts, and holds a PhD in Theatre Studies from the University of Amsterdam, degrees from the University of Toronto and the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz, Germany, and a Professional Acting Diploma from Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario. He has taught as a Sessional Instructor at the Department of Drama at the University of Alberta, worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Chemical and Materials Engineering, was Associate Director of the Canadian Centre for Welding and Joining, and is excited to support interdisciplinary research as the Director of the Office of Research in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences

Goetz can be reached via email at dapp@ualberta.ca.