October 8, 2019, is Ada Lovelace Day. Named after the pioneering 19th-century English mathematician, the day is an opportunity to shine a global spotlight on the role of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research.
Ashlee Howarth is an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry in Concordia’s Faculty of Arts and Science. In 2018, she was included on the Forbes “30 under 30” list in the category of science for her contributions to research in wastewater treatment and the detoxification of chemical warfare agents. She also recently won the UBC Chemistry Young Alumnus Award.
At Concordia, with a team of 15 undergraduate, graduate and visiting researchers, Howarth focuses on the design and synthesis of rare-earth metal-organic frameworks targeting applications in wastewater remediation and chemical sensing.
She discusses what led her to this field of research and offers tips for young women beginning their careers in STEM.
Young women and girls need positive role models
What was the academic path that drew you to Concordia, and what is it about the university that is most helpful in terms of your research?
I took a fairly traditional academic path to Concordia. I completed my undergraduate honour’s degree in chemistry at Western University in 2009, and my passion for scientific research has continued to grow throughout my PhD, postdoc and now faculty position. Concordia has given me the opportunity to live out my dream of leading my own research team.
In terms of my research, being at Concordia has given me the chance to work with amazing students. My research program would not be possible without the hard work, dedication, motivation and creativity of my undergraduate and graduate students. Their passion and enthusiasm for chemistry reminds me why I wanted to become a faculty member in the first place.
I may be biased, but I truly believe Concordia has the best students in the world, and I feel lucky to be able to work with them.
Tell us about your research into wastewater treatment.
My research group works with a class of porous materials known as metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs. The easiest way to think about MOFs is to compare them to sponges, except MOFs can be designed and tuned on the nanometre scale. We are particularly interested in designing these MOFs to be utilized in wastewater remediation and treatment applications.
Traditional municipal wastewater treatment can miss low-level contamination from things like antibiotics, medication and cholesterol. Although low concentrations are generally safe for human consumption, not much is known about the combined or additive effects of these contaminants in our water, especially over time.
We are working ahead of the curve to design absorbent materials capable of removing these contaminants from water.