After completing a 2-year degree in Chemistry and a pre-engineering preparatory class in Paris, I joined ENSICAEN - an engineering school and research center in northern France - in 2021, to study materials and chemistry. I discovered an interest in environment-related material applications, such as renewable energies, sustainable building, or water treatment. Thus, I’m very enthusiastic about the idea of studying titanium-based catalysts for hydrogen production during this four-month internship. It will mark the end of my French equivalent 1st year of master. Besides, I am fond of music. I have a certificate of musical studies and have been playing the flute for 15 years.

Iris.colnot@ecole.ensicaen.fr

I was born in Montreal, but have spent most of my life in Edmonton. I started my Materials Engineering Undergraduate Degree in 2020 and will be entering my fourth year this fall. I am very excited to be joining NRGMATs for the summer through an NSERC award. This is my first experience working in a lab, and I am passionate about the topics that we are studying as they relate to climate issues. In my free time I like to travel, read, and attend live music events. I also enjoy spending time outdoors, and am currently training for a 300km bike tour in the mountains this summer.

igsmith@ualberta.ca

I am a material scientist and engineer who is passionate about interdisciplinary research. I began my journey at Ferdowsi University in Iran and during my master's, I led the development of an Electrospark Deposition machine. This machine produced both amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe-based coatings. In industry, I have managed diverse projects such as manufacturing power plant components, mass-producing Steering Column Assemblies, and implementing ISO 17025 standards. In 2019, I initiated my Ph.D. in Material and Electrochemistry in Montreal. During this time, I contributed to projects focused on Ti 3D skeleton structures for water electrolysis and an innovative method for creating Ni 3D skeletons for Alkaline water electrolysis. Currently, I am serving as a Mitacs postdoc fellow under Dr. Shiva Mohajernia, where I am focusing on AEM electrolyser development via advanced Ni 3D structures.

mfakouri@ualberta.ca