Dr. Shegufta Shetranjiwalla, Integrated MSc-PhD, Environmental and Life Sciences (Biomaterials) (Trent University)

Integrated MSc-PhD, Environmental and Life Sciences (Biomaterials)

Trent University

Assistant Professor - School of Science and the Environment-Chemistry

Email: sshetranjiwalla@mun.ca

Phone: (709) 639-2502

Social Media: LinkedIn

 

Representative scholarly contributions

 

Research interests/expertise

  • Multi-disciplinary research in innovative green methods and materials from renewable resources
  • Upcycling of marine and commodity polymer waste.
  • Circular design, synthesis, characterization and structure-property relationships of synthetic and biopolymers
  • Synthesis, characterization and performance evaluation of organosilicon organic-inorganic hybrid materials and nanocomposites.
  • Green chemistry and Life Cycle Analysis metrics of products and processes for improved synthesis protocols, sustainable environmental impacts and enhanced materials performance.

Our research at the Shetranjiwalla Laboratory for Eco-design, Green Chemistry And Circular Innovation (LEGACI) specializes advancing sustainability through green chemistry to make innovative materials that are eco-designed from waste fish, farm and forest residues contributing to a circular economy. We use a measured approach to quantify the greenness and environmental impacts using green chemistry metrics and life cycle assessments (LCA).

We are committed to teaching and research that helps train a workforce prepared for a just transition to a green economy. We build a foundation for our students that emphasizes critical analytical skills using various (bio)polymer synthesis and characterization techniques coupled with sound fundamental knowledge and applied research that is interdisciplinary, cutting edge and community centered. We bring industrial, commercial, regulatory, community and academic partners into our research and classroom space. With collaborators and affiliations in the USA, UK, India, European Union and across Canada we are part of material science and life cycle assessment projects that touch upon all the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, (in particular UN SDGs 11, 12, 13, 14, 9 and 3), and that provide a well-rounded research network and cross-disciplinary exposure and experience for robust environmental stewardship.

 

Teaching

Undergraduate Courses

  • Organic Chemistry 
  • Green Chemistry 
  • Green Chemistry Metrics and Life Cycle Analyses
  • Introductory Chemistry
  • Polymeric Materials 
  • Principles of Environmental Toxicology

Graduate Courses

  • Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Systems Thinking
  • Circularity for Environmental and Community Health
  • Environmental Toxicology

 

Current research projects and grants

  • Natural Resources Canada Grant
    • Evaluation of Carbon Storage Potential in Atlantic Canada
  • NSERC Alliance Missions Grant
    • Characterization and solvent extraction of rare earth minerals
  • Schlumberger (SLB)
    • Development of marine-biomass derived functional molecules.
  • NSERC Discovery Grant and ECR supplement
  • Modification and Life Cycle Analyses of Upcycled Architectures from Boreal, Marine and Commodity Polymer Waste: Circularity and Structure-­Morphology-Properties
  • Imagining Canada’s Future IDEAS Lab.
  • Identifying barriers in design for recovery, reuse and regeneration in consumer durables and emergent renewable energy products
  • American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Initiative
    • Development of Green Chemistry modules with systems thinking
  • Ocean Frontier Institute Grant
    • Eco-design and testing of durable fouling release coatings with long lasting antifouling properties
    • Industry Partnership with Graphene Innovation Technologies (GIT)
  • NSERC- Missions Alliance Grant
  • Enhancing Maritime Industry Resilience and Sustainability by Development of Non-toxic Anti-Fouling Marine Coatings
  • MUCEP Awards
  • MUCEP grants for student work integrated funding for research and laboratory project work

 

Memberships and affiliations

  • American Chemical Society (ACS)
    • ACS- Green Chemistry Institute
  • Canadian Society of Chemistry (CSC)
    • CIC-Green Chemistry Division
  • American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA)
  • Working Group member SETAC/ACLCA for Circularity and Life Cycle Assessment

 

Honours, graduate and post-graduate supervision

  • 5 Undergraduate Honours Theses, 
  • 4 Graduate Masters Theses
  • 4 PhD theses
  • 2 Post-doctoral Fellows
  • 2 Environmental Science Research Award recipients
  • 3 MUCEP Student Awardees