Assistant Professor

Program: Environmental Science-Chemistry

Email: sshetranjiwalla@mun.ca

Phone: (709) 639-2502

Office: AS 3016

Social Media: LinkedIn

 

Credentials

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

 

Research interests

• 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.

 

Teaching

Undergraduate Courses

• Introductory and Advanced Organic Chemistry, Green Chemistry, General Chemistry, Polymeric Materials Chemistry, Environmental Toxicology, Medicine and Chemistry, Sustainable Industrial Chemistry.

Graduate Courses

• Life Cycle Assessment, Principles of Circular Economy and Environmental Health, Environmental Toxicology.

 

Representative scholarly contributions

Link

1. Lopez A, Gaier M, Wyeth R* and Shetranjiwalla S* Polysaccharides as antifouling or foul release additives in marine coatings, submitted, Biofouling (2026).
2. Shetranjiwalla S* and Ononiwu A., Identifying barriers to scaled-up production and commercialization of chitin and chitosan using green technologies: A quantitative green chemistry assessment. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025.
3. Atabaki Fard Tehrani Y., Sarkar A* and Shetranjiwalla S*., Integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into a Circular Economy Framework using the example of Consumer Durable Goods for Northern Rural Communities, RSC Sustainability, 2024.
4. Dey S. and Shetranjiwalla S*., Sol-gel technology for eco-designed primer coatings, Journal of Sol-gel Science and Technology, 2024.
5. Ketheeswaran K., Shetranjiwalla S*, Krishnapillai M. and Galagedara L.*, Incorporating biochar to make hydrogel composites with improved structural properties, valorized from waste-paper mill sludge and forestry residues using energy efficient protocols, RSC Sustainability, 2024.
6. Sharafat U, Cheema M, Shetranjiwalla S, Ismail M*, Khan M.I, Khan S.B., Javed R., and Khan M.N., Biosynthesis of silver nanocatalyst and its application for the efficient hydrogenation of nitroarenes, Inorganic Chemistry Communications, 2024.
7. Shetranjiwalla S*, Cislak C, Scotland K., Circular Design and Functionalized Upcycling of Waste Commodity Polystyrene via C-H Activation Using Microwave-Assisted Multicomponent Synthesis, Polymers, 2023.
8. Shetranjiwalla S*, Fasulo A and Rhoden S, Eco-design and tunable structure-properties of chitosan-epoxy-glycerol-silicate biohybrids using integrated crosslinking, Carbohydrate Polymers 2023.
9. Reyes M.D. K, Bruce K and Shetranjiwalla S*. Green Chemistry, Life Cycle Assessment & Systems Thinking: An integrated comparative-complementary chemical decision-making approach Journal of Chemistry Education, 2022.
10. Johannessen C. and Shetranjiwalla S*., Role of structural morphology of commodity polymers in microplastic and nanoplastics formation: Fragmentation, effects, and associated toxicity in the aquatic environment. Reviews in Environmental Contaminants and Toxicology, 2021 (Book Chapter)

 

Current research projects and grants

1. NSERC- Alliance Missions Grant

Sustainable utilization and upcycling of paper sludge and wood ash for agricultural and industrial applications

2. NSERC Alliance Grant

in Collaboration with MUN Engineering Faculty, St. John’s. Characterization and solvent extraction of rare earth elements 

3. Natural Resources Canada

in Collaboration with MUN Engineering Faculty, St. John’s Evaluation of Carbon Storage Potential in Atlantic Canada

4. Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council (NSERC)- Discovery Grant

Modification and Life Cycle Analyses of Upcycled Architectures from marine and Commodity Polymer Waste: Circularity and Structure-Morphology-Properties.

5. ACOA-IET

in Collaboration with CASD, Marine Institute

Circular Economy Models for Sustainable Valorization of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Fisheries and Seal Resources

6. NSERC-Ocean Frontier Institute

Bio-nanocomposites from Fish Waste

7. Social Sciences and Humanities Research (SSHRC)

Imagining Canada’s Future’s Global Challenges-Earth’s Carrying Capacity- Circularity Grant.

in Collaboration with MUN, Medicine Faculty, McMaster University (deGroot School of Business) and Trent University (Environmental Policy)

Identifying barriers in design for recovery, reuse and regeneration in consumer durables and renewable energy products

8. Mitacs and Ocean Frontier Institute

in Collaboration with GIT and St. Francis Xavier University

Eco-design and testing of durable fouling release coatings with long-lasting antifouling properties

9. American Chemical Society, Green Chemistry Institute, Teaching Grant

Open access, Green Chemistry/Systems thinking Module Development

 

Awards and recognitions 

CBC Newfoundland Morning-with Bernice Hillier and Martin Jones Research about Sustainability in sharp focus

MilliporeSigma Green Chemistry Metrics, MilliporeSigma Pubic Forum

A measured approach to advance green chemistry

Keynote / Invited Panelist Address

CANADIAN CIRCULAR ECONOMY SUMMIT, April 2025, Montreal, Canada. Inclusive Framework for equitable design for Recovery, Reuse and Regeneration in Consumer Durables and Emergent Renewable Energy Products

CIRCULAR ECONOMY, PARKS CANADA, October, 2024 Corner Brook, Newfoundland., Collaborating Beyond Parks to Find Abundance

CHEMISTRY INAUGURAL SEMINAR, August. 2024, Pune, India. A measured approach to advancing green chemistry.

SEAFOOD INDUSTRY INNOVATION SUMMIT, November 2023, Marine Institute, St. John’s NL., Circular economic models for the seafood industry

Teaching Honours

Grenfell Campus Teaching Award, Memorial University

Nominee, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Nominated by students

Symons Award for Teaching Excellence , Trent University

Nominee, Highest Award for Teaching Excellence. Nominated by students but awarded only to permanent employees.

CUPE Award for Teaching Excellence, Trent University

Nominee, Recommended by students for innovative &effective teaching methods in Organic chemistry and Polymer chemistry, Trent University

 

Memberships and affiliations

International and National Committees

1. American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA), Co-Chair of Technical Committee on LCA and CE
2. American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA), Member of the International Education Committee
3. American Chemical Society, Green Chemistry Institute, Member of the Adjudication Committee
4. International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD), 2024, Member of the Adjudication Committee
5. Canadian Society of Chemistry, Member of the Green Division

 

Honours, graduate and post-graduate supervision

7 Undergraduate Honours Thesis in Chemistry Students.

All students have won awards in chemistry, green chemistry or environmental science research awards. Students have published original research as first of second authors in international peer-reviewed publications.

2 Research Project Students in General Science. Experimental research in bio-based materials from waste marine biomass. 

2 MUCEP Work placement Students Laboratory research experiments

6 MSc students, 2 PhD, 5 PDF