Seminar Series

The Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department Graduate Student Seminar series is a bi-weekly seminar taking place during the Fall and Winter terms. Each seminar features a different student presenters.

Fall 2026 - Winter 2027: Seminars will be held from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm every second Thursday. The location will be announced. *Please bring Student ID for attendance*

Seminar Q&A

Q Do Graduate Research Days count?

A All past participations prior to Sep 2025 will be honored; future participation will no longer count toward the seminar requirement.

Q What are the seminar requirements?

A MESc: 1 talk during the program; PhD: 2 talks during the program

Q What is the format of the seminar?

A Each seminar has two presentations, each presentation should be 12min + 3 min Q&A.

Q Is there an attendance requirement, and how will it be tracked?

A Each student is required to attend a minimum of 75% each term, throughout their program. Attendance will be monitored via Western ID (ICFAR students attending online will be monitored via Zoom report).

Q Will seminars be available online? / Could I attend online?

A Accessible virtually only for students at ICFAR; students on the main campus must attend in person; all presenters, including those at ICFAR, must present in person.

Q What format can presentations take?

A Any format is acceptable — proposal, work in progress, or final results. The focus is on sharing ideas and progress, not competition.

Q How do I sign up?

A Please contact Graduate Coordinator for the available slots.

Q What if I need to cancel after registration?

A Please avoid cancellations! They create significant scheduling challenges. If cancellation is unavoidable due to exceptional circumstances, it requires approval from both your supervisor and the seminar committee, with at least two weeks’ notice.

Q Do my supervisor and committee members need to attend?

A Yes. Presenters are responsible for inviting their supervisor and committee members, who are expected to attend the presentation.

Q I am a student registered at the main campus. Can I request to attend remotely if I’m away from campus?

A Remote attendance may be approved only for students temporarily away from the main campus for study-related travel, such as conferences, research visits, or fieldwork. To request approval, please email Graduate Coordinator and Dr. Tianlong Liu (tianlong.liu@uwo.ca) and cc your supervisor, so that your request can be recorded. Attendance via Zoom without prior approval will not be counted toward the attendance requirement.

Requirements and Reminders for Presenters

Please follow the timeline below so that we can be arranged and broadcast smoothly.

Before the Seminar:

• Abstract submission: Please submit your presentation details (title, abstract, supervisor name, committee members) 2 weeks before your scheduled seminar date to the Seminar coordinator Riddhi Gadre (rgadre@uwo.ca). This info will be used to prepare the weekly seminar announcement.

• Slides: Please send your presentation slides 1 week in advance (by email) to Riddhi Gadre (rgadre@uwo.ca) to allow for AV checks.

• Supervisor & committee members: Please remember to invite your supervisor and committee members, who are expected to attend your presentation.

• If your work involves confidential or proprietary information, please ensure your slides have been reviewed by your supervisor in advance. During the Seminar:

• Presenters are expected to arrive 5 minutes early to test the setup and slides.

• Each presentation is expected to be 12-15 minutes, followed by Q&A.

• A 2-minute reminder (at the 13 min mark) will be given by the seminar host; presentations will conclude at 16 minutes to keep the schedule on track.

• The seminar committee will be seated in the front row and available to assist with timing, technical issues, and logistics as needed.

 

Speakers to Present in Fall 2026

Nov. 5, 2026, 12:30 pm

Location: ACEB 1415

 

Title: Bio-Ionic-Liquid-enabled Electrically Conductive and Neuroactive Hydrogels

Presenter: Ziqin (Orson) Qin

Supervisor(s): Dr. Kibret Mequanint

 Abstract:

Despite advances in peripheral nerve injury treatment, the limited regenerative capacity of damaged nerves and the lack of bioelectrical functionality in conventional nerve guidance scaffolds remain significant challenges. Although electrically conductive hydrogels offer a promising alternative, commonly used conductive polymers and carbon-based additives raise concerns regarding biocompatibility and biodegradability. To address these limitations, this study incorporates cholinium glycinate ([Ch][Gly]), a bio-ionic liquid, into a chitosan/oxidized hyaluronic acid (CHI/OHA) hydrogel through Schiff-base crosslinking to develop an electrically conductive and neuroactive scaffold. FTIR and NMR spectroscopy were employed to characterize the hydrogel components and network, while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed enhanced ionic conductivity. Rheological, mechanical, swelling, degradation, SEM, and BET analyses evaluated the hydrogel's physical properties and porous structure. In vitro MTT assays, PC12 cell differentiation studies, and an exclusion-zone wound-healing assay demonstrated favorable cytocompatibility, enhanced neurite development, and improved neurite-mediated wound closure. Notably, the formulation containing 1 wt% bio-ionic liquid exhibited the highest conductivity and most favorable neuronal response among the developed hydrogels. Overall, the proposed bio-ionic-liquid-enabled hydrogel demonstrates promising potential as a multifunctional scaffold for peripheral nerve tissue engineering and regeneration.

  

Title: Upcycling Polyolefins into Fluorescent Carbon Dots: Hydrothermal Conversion, Purification, and Gas-Expanded Liquid Processing

Presenter: Guoshan Min

Supervisor(s): Dr. Paul Charpentier

 Abstract:

Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are widely used plastics whose chemical stability presents challenges for recycling and conversion into higher-value materials. This study investigates their conversion into fluorescent carbon dots through one-step nitric acid–assisted hydrothermal treatment at 170–200 °C, with particular emphasis on product purification and the interpretation of optical properties. The resulting products were examined using transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. TEM observations indicated nanoscale particles with an average diameter of approximately 6 nm. However, the hydrothermal products also contained low-molecular-weight species, highlighting the need to distinguish nanoparticle-associated fluorescence from contributions by soluble molecular products. Post-synthesis purification was investigated using n-butanol extraction, centrifugal ultrafiltration, and dialysis. Changes in fluorescence and product recovery across these treatments illustrate the importance of purification when evaluating plastic-derived carbon dots. Gas-expanded liquid processing using compressed CO₂ is also being explored as a complementary approach to product fractionation. This work examines both the potential and the practical challenges of producing fluorescent carbon materials from polyolefins. It emphasizes the role of purification in establishing reliable relationships between synthesis conditions, product composition, and optical behaviour.