The interdisciplinary ASPIRE team includes Dalhousie University faculty across several departments, along with collaborators from other universities, government, and non-governmental sectors. Our industrial partners include engineering consulting companies of various sizes, environmental technology development firms, utility operators, and analytical services providers. This section introduces our investigators, our partners, and our students.
Solving big problems requires a big team
Investigators
Rob Jamieson, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Professor, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering
Associate Director, Centre for Water Resources Studies
Canada Research Chair in Cold Water Ecological Engineering
Rob is a professor with the Department of Civil and Resource Engineering at Dalhousie University. He applies his 20 years of research and consulting experience in water resources to approach complex and interesting issues in Atlantic Canada and the North. His research interests include watershed modeling, passive wastewater treatment systems, and contaminant transport.
"One of the most interesting places I’ve traveled to as part of my work was Grise Fiord, Nunavut, the northernmost community in Canada, where we investigated their passive wastewater treatment system."
Graham Gagnon, Ph.D, P.Eng., FEC
Professor, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering
NSERC / Halifax Water Industrial Research Chair
Director, Centre for Water Resources Studies
Dr. Graham Gagnon progressed as researcher at Dalhousie from a CRC Tier 2 (2002-2012); to an Associate NSERC Chair holder (2007-2012); to now a Senior NSERC / Halifax Water Industrial Research Chair (2012 – present). His research has translated into several process and policy changes in Halifax Water’s operations. He has also taken his knowledge and applied them to addressing drinking water challenges in Atlantic Canadian First Nation communities and in Nunavut.
Margaret Walsh, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Professor, Department of Civil and Resources Engineering
Dr. Marg Walsh has over 25 years of experience in the water treatment industry, and works with a number of industrial partners developing novel phys-chem treatment strategies for municipal and industrial wastewater streams. Her current research program has focus on industrial stormwater run-off water quality and treatment. Marg was recently the recipient of the Engineers Nova Scotia Advancement of Women in Engineering Award.
Craig Lake, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Professor, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering
Craig is a professor with the Department of Civil and Resource Engineering at Dalhousie University. He has over 25 years of research and consulting experience related to engineered containment of waste and contaminated soil. His research interests include remediation of contaminated sediments, contaminant transport through engineered barrier systems and geosynthetic applications in geoenvironmental engineering.
"I enjoy working with graduate students and learning new things. The chance to work on applied problems in geoenvironmental engineering in Atlantic Canada helps me do this."
Suzanne Budge, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Process Engineering and Applied Sciences
Sue has been a professor in the Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science since 2004. She has an active research program with funding from both Canadian and international partners, and carries out extensive consulting with academic and industrial clients in the general area of marine lipids. Her research is focused primarily on applications of fatty acids and stable carbon isotopes in elucidating food webs and trophic linkages.
"My favourite aspect of my work is its variety. With teaching, student supervision and research, every day presents new situations that challenge me and keep me engaged with my work."
Tony Walker, Ph.D., E.P.
Assistant Professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies
Tony is an Assistant Professor at the School for Resource and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University. He has over 25 years of research and consulting experience in resource and environmental management. Tony previously worked in industry for a decade as an environmental consultant, specializing in monitoring and management of contaminants in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. He did his PhD at the University of Nottingham, UK studying terrestrial pollution in the Russian Arctic arising from resource extractive industries.
"The most interesting place I’ve traveled to was during my early research career where I spent four years living and working in the Antarctic where I first became aware of the devastating impacts of marine plastic pollution on Antarctic birds and seals."
Shannon Sterling, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Earth Sciences
Director, Hydrology Research Group
Shannon is a professor with the Department of Earth Sciences at Dalhousie University and founded the Dalhousie Hydrology Research Group in 2011. One of her research interests is to study the effects of climate change and the legacy of acid rain on the chemistry of Nova Scotia's rivers. We are currently running an experiment to see whether helicopter liming will reduce toxic metal release from the soils, a serious threat to aquatic life that is due to chronic acidification. This exciting project is a team effort with Department of Natural Resources and Nova Scotia Salmon Association.
"Since I was a little kid playing in the forests of BC, I wondered what effects the big clear-cuts were having on the rivers. I am still working on the same question: how is human activity, through land use change, climate change, or acid deposition, altering forested watersheds and our water?"
Azadeh Kermanshahi pour, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science
Azadeh is an associate professor with the Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science at Dalhousie University. Her research interests include biorefinery, waste to resource conversion, and remediation.
"I heard on the news that wastewater discharged from pulp and paper industries are causing damage to nature, when I was an undergraduate student, which inspired me to get into the field of Environmental Engineering."
Barret Kurylyk, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Assistant Professor, Department Civil and Resource Engineering
Canada Research Chair in Coastal Water Resources
Barret is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Resource Engineering at Dalhousie University. He has almost 10 years of research experience in water resources engineering and physical hydrology and hydrogeology. His research program combines field investigations with process-based modeling to better understand aquatic systems and their vulnerabilities. He specializes in coastal dynamics (saltwater intrusion and submarine groundwater discharge), climate change impacts on hydrologic systems, groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and applications of groundwater tracers.
"My favourite aspects of my work are (a) studying world-class field sites from the Canadian Rockies to the rugged Atlantic coastline and (b) collaborating with brilliant colleagues outside of my discipline (e.g. ecologists, oceanographers, epidemiologists, geographers, and geologists) to learn more about the complex world we live in and to position my work within the broader research framework."
David Roach, Ph.d., MBA, B.Eng.
Assistant Professor, Rowe School of Business
Ian Spooner, P.Geo., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Acadia University
Ian has been a professor at Acadia in the Earth and Environmental Science Department for the past 21 years.. His primary research interest is investigating environmental change and he has active research programs in northwestern British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. He also has consulted in the areas of Environmental and Risk Assessment, groundwater and surface water contamination, coastal erosion and has been involved in environmental risk assessments for resource companies in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
Gordon W. Price, Ph.D., P.Ag.
Innovative Waste Management Research Program
Faculty of Agriculture Graduate Coordinator
Gordon is an associate professor with the Department of Engineering in the Faculty of Agriculture and has a cross-appointment with the Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science at Dalhousie University. His research spans a wide breadth of areas including soil biochemistry, contaminant fate and transport, composting process systems, whale bone preservation, and building soil health of agro-ecosystems. Gordon has worked with collaborators and industry partners in Atlantic Canada and across Canada.
"The most interesting place my work has taken me to is Jimma, Ethiopia where we worked on post-harvest management and provided training on bioconversion of organic wastes into value added products."
Industrial Partners
Students
STARTED sEPTEMBER 2018
David Foster, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: Predicting Changes in Watershed Dissolved Organic Carbon Production and Transportation Due to Forest Management and Climate Change
Co-supervised by Dr. Jamieson and Dr. Peter Duicker
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie Univeristy
School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University
Caitlin McCAvour, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: The effects of dolomitic limestone aerial application on forest soil and tree nutritional status in mature forest stands in Nova Scotia
Supervised by Dr. Sterling
Department of Earth Sciences, Dalhousie University
Started January 2019
Tessa Bermarija, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Evaluating the link between development levels and chloride concentrations within the HRM.
Supervised by Dr. Jamieson
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Started September 2019
Pawan Kumar, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: One pot pre-treatment and hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass using supercritical carbon dioxide and immobilized enzyme to produce fermentable sugars.
Supervised by Dr. Kermanshahi pour
Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University
Aryan Samadi, Phd Candidate
Proposed research: Remediation of PCB contaminated sediments
Supervised by Dr. Kermanshahi pour
Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University
Connor Acton, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Characterization of Permafrost Thermal Conditions and Identification of Emerging Threats to Northern Surface and Subsurface Coastal Water Resources.
Supervised by Dr. Kurylyk
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Kathryn Smith, phD Candidate
Proposed research: Investigating estuarine warming and cold-water habitat loss due to climate change in Canadian Maritime coastal rivers
Supervised by Dr. Kurylyk
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Qianhan Le, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Effects of different amendments application on soil carbon sequestration.
Supervised by Dr. Price
Department of Engineering in the Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University
Chelsea Renaud, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Developing tools for the effective management of water supply reservoirs: focus on restoration and remediation.
Co-supervised by Dr. Spooner and Dr. Jamieson
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Acadia University
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Started January 2020
Matthew Walker, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Cement Solidification and Stabilization of Acid-Generating Granular Slate
Supervised by Dr. Lake
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Started May 2020
ZHehan Jiang, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: Kinetics of formation and degradation of oxygenated lipids
Supervised by Dr. Budge
Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University
Narges Karamizadeh, M.A.SC. Student
Proposed research: Particle Migration from Soil Cement Systems
Supervised by Dr. Lake
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Started September 2020
Isobel Demont, PhD CAndiDate
Proposed research: Investigating adaptive design for drinking water treatment
Supervised by Dr. Gagnon
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Hadi Matin Rouhani, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: Freezing and thawing of an uninsulated cement-treated contaminated soils at a field site in Bedford, Nova Scotia
Supervised by Dr. Lake
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Paul Bjorndahl, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: Statistical modelling of microbiome ecology in water treatment source lakes
Supervised by Dr. Gagnon
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Casey Doucet, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Factors influencing water quality changes in Halifax area lakes over the past 4 decades
Supervised by Dr. Jamieson
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Charlie Parent, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Biochar Derived from Nova Scotia Wood, Agricultural, and Novel Plant-based-byproducts for Treatment Technology of Water and Metal Contamination
Supervised by Dr. Price
Department of Engineering in the Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University
Rachel Noddle, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Understanding the nitrogen isotope biogeochemistry of sewage wastewater for use as bioindicators in the marine environment
Supervised by Dr. Stoddart
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Ryan Swinamer, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Optimizing drinking water treatment processes in order to mitigate impacts of lake recovery
Supervised by Dr. Gagnon
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Started September 2021
Hayden tackley, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: Assessing the impact of wave energy on coastal sediments
Supervised by Dr. Lake
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Emalie Hayes, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: Development and evaluation of a novel 3-D printed passive sampler
Supervised by Dr. Gagnon
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Clarke Brown, PhD Candidate
Proposed research: Development, validation, and application of a high throughput method for the quantitation of intra- and extra-cellular algal toxins in surface waters
Supervised by Dr. Gagnon
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Amber LeBlanc, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Abundance and characterization of microplastics in American lobster (Homarus americanus)
Supervised by Dr. Walker
School of Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University
Daniel Saunders, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Spatial assessment and characterization of microplastics in wild and cultured blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) across Atlantic Canada
Supervised by Dr. Walker
School of Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University
Jenacy Samways, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: A global assessment of mountain groundwater systems and the factors influencing their vulnerability to climate change
Supervised by Dr. Somers
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Margaret Hosmer, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: The impact of lime amendment on microbial communities of acidic ecosystems
Supervised by Dr. Sterling
Department of Earth Sciences, Dalhousie University
Started January 2021
Stuart Downie, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Rapid measurement of anthropogenic contaminants in soils receiving biosolids by MIR spectroscopy
Supervised by Dr. Price
Department of Engineering in the Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University
MIna Zareie, M.A.Sc. Student
Proposed research: Determination of structure and quantity of the oxygenated lipid products caused by the decaying fish in the aquatic environments, and the kinetic study of their formation and deterioration
Supervised by Dr. Budge
Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University
PROGRAM ALUMNI
Nicole Bell, M.A.Sc.
Establishing Baseline Hydrologic Conditions of Forested Wetlands in Nova Scotia
Supervised by Dr. Jamieson
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Mike Hamilton, M.A.Sc.
Probabilistic Methods For Assessing Reliability of Contaminated Sediment Volume Estimates
Supervised by Dr. Lake
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Aidan Van Heyst, M.A.Sc.
Phosphorus Dynamics in Southwestern Nova Scotia Lakes
Co-supervised by Dr. Jamieson and Dr. Kurylyk
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Heather McGuire, M.A.Sc.
Evaluating bio indicator response to recovery from anthropogenic acid deposition in a drinking water source in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Supervised by Dr. Gagnon
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Amy Jackson, M.A.Sc
Hydrologic and Microbial Risk Characterization of an Arctic Wetland Treatment Area
Supervised by Dr. Jamieson
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Baillie Holmes, M.A.Sc.
Using Integrated Environmental Change Study Methods to Understand Factors Influencing Harmful Algae Blooms in a Rural Headwater Lake
Supervised by Dr. Jamieson
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Sydney Burtenshaw Lowe, M.A.Sc.
An Evaluation of Bench and Pilot-Scale Primary Wastewater Treatment Processes to Meet More Stringent Wastewater System Effluent Regulation
Supervised by Dr. Stoddart
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Megan Fraser, M.A.Sc.
Assessing Impacts of Historical Pulp Mill Effluent on Coastal Food Web Structure and Identifying Suitable Bioindicators for Wastewater: a Stable Isotope (δ13C and δ15N) Analysis
Supervised by Dr. Walker
School of Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University
Khashayar Delsoz Bahri, M.A.Sc.
Life Cycle Assessment of a Novel Biorefinery for Solid Organic Waste in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Supervised by Dr. Kermanshahi pour
Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University
Sofija Stanic, M.A.Sc.
Climate change risk assessment for a confined, small-island aquifer off Prince Edward Island, Canada
Supervised by Dr. Kurylyk
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Jason Karisallen, M.A.Sc.
Understanding drivers of present and future water temperature patterns in a thermally vulnerable coastal lagoon
Co-supervised by Dr. Jamieson and Dr. Kurylyk
Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University
Myriam MOra Hernandez, M.A.Sc.
Characterization and evaluation of potential contaminants of concern in small craft harbour sediments in Nova Scotia
Supervised by Dr. Walker
School of Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University