Congratulations to the winner of 2024 Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering

Kiana Amini

Assistant Professor
kiana.amini@ubc.ca
Home department: Materials Engineering
Website: Amini Lab

Research Interests

• Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion
• Redox Flow Batteries
• Electrochemical Carbon Capture Systems
• In Situ Characterization of Electrochemical Processes

Current Research Work

I am interested in leveraging electrochemistry for the development of electrochemical devices that can facilitate our transition to a cleaner energy future. Within this theme, my research has been concentrated on two key areas.
Firstly, my research is focused on the development of redox flow batteries, an energy storage technology designed for large-scale applications. My goal is to push the boundaries of these systems’ performance metrics, bringing them closer to widespread commercialization. I specialize in electrochemical characterization, battery architecture design, electrolyte design, and the development of in situ characterization techniques for investigation of these batteries.
Secondly, my research is focused on developing electrochemical systems capable of efficiently capturing CO₂ through the use of redox-active materials at ambient temperature and pressure and at an acceptable energetic cost. My goal is to present a realistic assessment of the performance and stability of such systems, and to unravel the underlying mechanisms by developing advanced in situ techniques. I am additionally focused on engineering specialized electrochemical cells tailored for this application.

Simon Donner

Professor
simon.donner@ubc.ca
Home department: Geography
Website: https://simondonner.com/research/

Research Interests

• Climate Change Science
• Marine Science
• Climate Policy

Current Research Projects

• Drivers and Trends in Marine Climate Extremes: Building on past work on ocean warming and El Niño, our recent research has quantified changes in the frequency and structure of warm-season marine heatwaves and the implications for coastal ecosystems. Ongoing research is focusing on extreme heat and sea-level in the tropical Pacific and on the atmospheric drivers of ocean extremes.
• Natural Laboratories in the Ocean: The Republic of Kiribati, subject to frequent El Niño-driven marine heatwaves, is a natural laboratory for evaluating how coral reefs cope with climate warming. Since 2005, I have worked with the Kiribati government to track how their reefs respond to climate and local disturbances using SCUBA-based surveys and oceanographic data collection. My group has recently expanded this concept of natural laboratories to the tropical kelp forests of the Galápagos Islands, which may be a relic of a cooler past, or a refuge on a warming planet.
• Climate Change Risk and Adaptation in the Small Island Developing States: Building on experience working in Kiribati, Fiji and other Pacific island countries, my students and I continue examine to assess climate risks and identify obstacles to adaptation to sea-level rise and other climate hazards. We have looked at the challenges of using science to inform decision-making, international financing for adaptation, and the factors that influence adaptation decisions on the ground. Planned research will examine the emergence of blue carbon projects and the continued challenges in providing sufficient international finance for climate change adaptation and climate change damages.