CHEM 498/650 - Modeling Chemical Fate in the Environment (2021-2022 Fall Semester)
Quantitative approaches are needed to address the growing concern about contamination of the environment by “man-made” chemicals. Built upon equilibrium partitioning and kinetically controlled mass transfer processes of chemicals between gaseous, liquid and solid phases, various mass balance models used to quantitatively describe processes and impact of chemical contaminants in the environment will be introduced. The underlying concepts and mechanisms of the model simulations are delivered in an intuitive fashion rather than by following rigorous mathematics involved (math beyond that in the introductory chemistry course or computer programming is NOT required). The course aims to provide hands-on experience on building, evaluating, and using various modeling tools to assess environmental fate and risk of chemical contaminants. Knowledge and skills gained from this course are widely used in chemical industry and regulatory agencies to assure environmental safety of chemical products in the market as well as in cutting-edge environmental research. Such applications of environmental fate modeling and risk assessment will be demonstrated with concrete examples. The course is targeted not only for students who are trained to become environmental professionals but also for those who are interested in characterizing environmental fate and risk of chemicals they use or synthesize.
CHEM 283 - Air, Water and Soil Processes (2021-2022 Winter Semester)
As an introduction to Environmental Chemistry, this course focuses on the sources, movements, reactions and impact of chemicals in air, water, and soil. The chemistry related to modern environmental issues to be covered include (1) stratospheric chemistry, the ozone layer and ozone holes; (2) ground-level air pollution, particulate matters, and the health impact; (3) chemistry behind fossil fuels, global climate change and renewable energy; (4) chemistry in natural water, water pollution and its impact on aquatic food webs; (5) heavy metals and toxic organic contaminants; and (6) sorption, migration and transformation of chemicals in soil and plant systems. The scientific principles and concepts introduced in this course will help students to better understand and think critically on contemporary environmental issues. The course will also demonstrate how chemistry, as the central science, can help diagnose, prevent, and cure environmental problems the world is facing.
CHEM 312 - Intermediate Analytical Chemistry (2022-2023 Winter Semester)
An introduction to modern analytical methods of analysis. Instrumental methods are essential for modern analytical laboratory and are used by nearly all branches of chemistry and biochemistry. This course will introduce the basic principles, instrumentation and applications (experimental techniques, qualitative and quantitative data analysis) of various instrumental analysis methods including atomic spectroscopy, and chromatography. Through the course, students will get the principles and applications of many commonly used instrumental analysis methods, become familiar with the structure of the instruments, and have the ability to apply the knowledge they have learned to select appropriate analytical methods and design experimental protocols to solve practical problems in modern analytical laboratories.
Sustainability Co-design Project (Summer 2022)
As per the UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Education for Sustainable Development is a vital element of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and a key instrument in achieving all the 17 SDGs. Through collaboration that involves curriculum developers from the Centre for Teaching and Learning, faculty-peer mentors, the course instructor and students, the project aims to identify opportunities to infuse sustainability into the course as well as emerging critical themes that can be incorporated into the sustainability curriculum. The team will leverage discipline-specific expertise, sustainable development expertise, and pedagogical expertise in the co-design process. We will develop and integrate sustainable learning outcomes and related learning resources and activities into the course curriculum. The goals to achieve through this project include: (1) Increase sustainability content in CHEM 283 in accordance with the Sustainability in the Curriculum goals; (2) Identify sustainability topics and learning outcomes that will enhance course curriculum and develop engaging sustainability-related content; (3)Help Concordia students identify and value opportunities to intersect sustainability with disciplinary-specific thinking to tackle social, environmental, and economic issues, and meet future challenges; (4) Use a "Students as Partners" approach to develop working partnerships that bring together varied perspectives on how to best integrate sustainability content; (5) Leverage a co-design approach to develop working teams that directly support the creation of the course materials and other deliverables.
• Joshua Osagu (PhD student, 01/2022- )
• Cassandra Johannessen (PhD student co-supervise with Dr Tom Harner, 05/2022- )
• Anaelle Treesha Ragaven (Undergraduate research student for CHEM419, 09/2021-04/2022)
• Han Vu (Undergraduate research student for CHEM450, co-supervise with Prof. Gilles Peslherbe, 01/2022-12/2022)
• Yuliia Sologub (Undergraduate research assistant, summer 2022)
• Guzal Riskulova (Undergraduate research student, summer 2022)
• Immanuel Tablas (Undergraduate research student for CHEM419, 09/2022-12/2022)
• James Barnwell (Undergraduate research student for CHEM419, 09/2022-05/2023)
