Our recent work on Zero-CO2 emission hydrogen production technology is now on the MIE website.
Congratulations to Dr. Tongfeng Zhang. After selecting from multiple job offers, he will start a new job as a consulting engineer at the China Electric Power Planning & Engineering Institute. Tongfeng made several important experimental and numerical contributions to our research group. The two most important ones are the development of the laser light scattering setup for soot diagnostics and the improvement of the soot model for liquid fuel relevant compounds. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
June 2018
Prof. Thomson along with the other members of the Scientific Council of the Total integrated oil and gas company meet in Pau, France in January 2018.
Congratulations to Prof. Thomson for being elected a Fellow of The Combustion Institute.
January 2018
Congratulations to Dr. M Reza Kholghy. As an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, he will start his research in the Particle Technology Laboratory in ETH Zurich, working with Prof. Sotiris Pratsinis, a leader in the flame synthesis of functional nanomaterial and devices. Reza leads several experimental, theoretical, and numerical projects during his tenure in the lab and made several contributions to our research group. The most important of all is the development of Surface Shell Formation (SSF) model to predict the internal nanostructure of carbon nanomaterial which significantly improved our understanding of soot formation in flames. We wish him success in his future endeavors.
March 2017
To go green we must keep improving the internal combustion engine: Watch this interesting TED talk by the founder of Convergent Science. (click on the picture)
Great news,
Anton and Reza’s paper Real-Time Observation of Soot Aggregate Oxidation in an Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope was selected as the Distinguished Paper in the 36th International Symposium on Combustion! Anton is going to be a candidate for the Silver Combustion Medal. The Silver Combustion Medal will be announced to the CI membership at the 37th Symposium on Combustion in Dublin, Ireland. Wow! January 2017
Congratulations to Dr. Yashar Afarin. After selecting from multiple job offers, he will start a new job developing and R&D center for Riello, a world wide leader in burner design and technology, in Mississauga. Yashar made several contributions to our research group and we wish him success with his future endeavors. January, 2017
Congratulations to Dr. Armin Veshkini. After selecting from multiple job offers as well!, he will start a new job as a software developer at Maya heat transfer technologies, in Montreal. Armin contributed significantly in model development and training of new students and he will be missed from the group. January, 2017
Our DME project “Techno‐Economic Assessment of Dimethyl Ether Production from Biomass, Biogas and Natural Gas” lead by Prof. Heather MacLean was funded. DME is potentially bio-propane and a truck alternative fuel. You can read more about DME here. November, 2016
The QS Graduate Employability Rankings has placed University of Toronto among the world’s top 20 universities when it comes to effectively preparing students for the working world. We’re very happy to hear that – and very proud of our students! Check this out, November, 2016
Good news! Listen to Radio-Canada reporter Chantal Srivasta interviewing Prof Murray Thomson (in French) on aviation biofuels and clearly stating BioFuelNet and what BFN is. Here is the Link
Congratulations to Dr. Nick Eaves. As an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, he will start his research in the Computational Modeling Group in Cambridge with Prof. Markus Kraft. Nick made several important contributions on model development to our group and the most important of all, is cleaning up and releasing CoFlame 1.0. We wish him the best. September 2017
We had an amazing experience in Seoul at the 36th International Symposium on Combustion and the 3rd International Sooting Flame Workshop. Thomson Group members presented 4 papers and 3 posters during the week. Prof. Thomson, Anton, Nick, Reza, Tongfeng, and Liyun attended the symposium from the Thomson group.
Prof. Murray Thomson inducted into Canadian Academy of Engineering.
The CAE comprises the country’s most accomplished engineers, who have demonstrated their dedication to the application of science and engineering principles in the interests of Canada. The new CAE Fellows were inducted on June 27 in Winnipeg, as part of the Academy’s Annual Meeting.
Reza will be visiting the NanoEnergy Lab at Stanford University during summer 2016. During this time, he will work with Prof. Hai Wang to better understand nanocarbon formation in flames. April 2016
A note by Prof. Thomson on March 29, 2016:
We have done exceptionally well at the symposium. A record breaking (for our lab) 4 papers accepted to the symposium. Well done Nick, Reza, Tongfeng, Liyun, Anton! Other research areas are also making great progress:
- Our LII experiment is running a full speed. Thank-you Carson and Yashar
- Bio-oil burner: We have run with 100% bio-oil with a stable flame and CO and HC below the detection limit. Way to go Sina and Steven!
- Bio-oil engine: We are working on corrosion experiments and 3 different types of dewatered bio-oil. Thank-you Vijia, Maira and Muhammad
- THz sensor: Our second paper got good reviews. Thank-you Jamie
- Ford collaboration: Our first close collaboration with Ford starts in May with Paramvir
- Ranzi mech: We are making good progress with the RANZI mech. This is important as this will be the focus on many of our papers in the next 2 years. Thank-you Ali and Tongfeng
- Bio-jet airport demo: This major project is now started. Thank-you Yashar
- We will soon have a new GC/MS system: Thank-you Tirthankar
I am sure Plato would agree that success comes to those with great students.
Cheers
Murray
A major development in Aviation biofuels leaded by Prof. Murray Thomson and managed by Dr. Yashar Afarin: Air Canada backs effort to build homegrown ‘green’ jet fuel infrastructure. This ambitious project aims to eventually tap into existing fuel-delivery systems at Canadian airports. The University of Toronto, McGill University and the International Air Transport Association are part of the project as members of the BioFuelNet Aviation Task Force.
NSERC Engage grant with MAYA Simulation Technologies Ltd awarded: We were recently awarded an NSERC Engage grant with MAYA Simulation Technologies Ltd. Yashar will help MAYA develop a CFD code for modeling combustion in engines., November 2015
We have been awarded a grant from NSERC as the first step in the formation of the Natural Gas Engine Network. The purpose of the grant is to fund a workshop that brings together academic researchers, government scientists and industry professionals from across Canada, to develop natural gas engines that have high efficiency, low production and operating costs, and meets emission standards. The workshop will also look at expanding the use of natural gas in transportation. October 2015
Congratulations to Dr. Yashar Afarin who has been appointed project manager of the Aviation Biofuel taskforce of the Biofuelnet NCE. The primary objective is to have a Canadian airport cover to bio-jetfuel for a period of time. April 2015
Congratulations to Dr. Zhenyou Wang. After selecting from multiple job offers, he will start a new job developing optical sensors for the oil and gas industry (Arrow Grand Technologies). His position is 16 miles from CalTech near Los Angeles. April 2015
Ensyn (one of CRL industrial partners) & Memorial Hospital Commission RFO(TM) Heating Operations, October 2014.
Prof. Thomson wins NSERC CREATE award, only four principal investigators at U of T have this previlage and U of T is the only institution to receive more than one award. August 2013
Professors Molly Shoichet, Murray Thomson, Kenneth Burch and Aled Edwards lead students working on the CREATE-winning projects (image by Jon Horvatin)
Awards and Scholarships
Congratulations to Anton Sediako on being awarded the best poster presentation prize at Carbon Conference, Sapin. July 2018
Congratulations to Ali Naseri on being awarded an NSERC-PGSD scholarship. June 2018
Congratulations to Ali Naseri and Tithankar Mitra on being awarded the Neil Duncan Thompson Memorial Scholarship. May 2018
Congratulations to Tongfeng Zhang on the renewal of the Hatch Graduate Scholarship for Sustainable Energy Research for the 2017-2018 academic year. September 2017
Congratulations to Mohammad Reza Kholghy and Armin Veshkini on being awarded an NSERC PDF (post-doctoral fellow). Reza is taking up the postdoc at Stanford University. January 2017
Congratulations to Anton Sediako for being awarded the Glynn Williams Fellowship. January 2017
Congratulations to Nick Eaves on being awarded an NSERC PDF (post-doctoral fellow). He is taking up the postdoc at the University of Cambridge England. January 2017
Congratulations to Ali Naseri and Muhammad Khan for being awarded “MIE Endowed Fellowships” for 2016-2017. Ali got the Bert Wasmund Graduate Fellowships in Sustainable Energy Research and Muhammad got the Fellowship, December 2016.
Congratulations to Tongfeng Zhang, on the renewal of the Hatch Graduate Scholarship for Sustainable Energy Research for 2016-2017. October 2016
Congratulations to Steven Albert-Green for winning the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. October 2016
Congratulations to Tongfeng Zhang for winning the “Kwok Sau Po Scholarship” from the 2016-2017 SGS University-Wide Awards. July 2016
Congratulations to Carson Chu and Muhammad Khan for being awarded an “MIE Endowed Fellowships for 2015-2016. both of them got the Neil Duncan Thompson Fellowship, December 2015
Congratulations to Jamie Loh and Sina Zadmajid for being awarded a “Queen Elizabeth II/DuPont Canada Scholarship in Science and Technology, September 2015
Congratulations to Tongfeng Zhang, on winning the Hatch Graduate Scholarship for Sustainable Energy Research for 2015-2016 and on Being Named a 2015 Edmund Optics Educational Prize Winner for his contributions to advance optical innovation., September 2015.
Congratulations Mohammad Reza Kholghy, on winning Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement award from NSERC for his visit to Stanford University. August 2015.
Congratulations Tongfeng Zhang, on winning Jeanne F Goulding Fellowship (University-Wide Award ) from SGS. July 2015
Congratulations Nick Eaves, on winning Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement award from NSERC for his visit to Cambridge University. November 2014.
Congratulations Mohammad Reza Kholghy, Tongfeng Zhang, and Jason Weingarten on winning MIE Endowed Fellowships for 2014-2015. Mohammad Reza and Jason got the Neil Duncan Thompson Fellowship, Tongfeng got the David Sanborn Scott Graduate Fellowship. October 2014
Congratulations Armin Veshkini and Nick Eaves on winning the First award for their poster presentation in the CREATE combustion summer school. May 2014
Congratulations to Tongfeng Zhang, on winning the Ontario Trillium Scholarship. September 2013.
Congratulations Armin Veshkini and Nick Eaves on winning MIE Endowed Fellowships for 2013-2014. Armin got the Ron D. Venter Graduate Fellowship and Nick got the David Sanborn Scott Graduate Fellowship. September 2013
Congratulations Mohammad Reza Kholghy on winning the prestigious and highly competitive Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) awarded by the NSERC. April 2013
Congratulations Nick eaves and Bijan Shahriyari on winning NSERC CGS-D and NSERC masters scholarships. April 2013
Congratulations Mohammad Reza Kholghy and Nick Eaves on winning MIE endowed Fellowships for 2012-2013. Mohammad Reza got the Pierre Rivard Hydrogenic Graduate Fellowship and Nick got the Glyn Williams Fellowship. September 2012
Congratulations Mohammad Reza Kholghy on winning the first oral presentation award for research in fluid mechanics in 3rd MIE symposium. May 2012
Congratulations Meghdad Saffaripour and Justin Shum on winning MIE endowed fellowships for 2010-2011. Meghdad got the Pierre Rivard Hydrogenic Graduate Fellowship and Justin got the Bert Wasmund Graduate Fellowships in Sustainable Energy Research. September 2011
Congratulations Umer Khan on winning QEII-GSST (Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology). 2011
Congratulations Meghdad Saffaripour on winning MIE endowed fellowship for 2009-2010. Meghdad got the Russell A. Reynolds Graduate Fellowships in Thermodynamics. September 2010
Congratulations Parham Zabeti on Winning Frances Bradfield Fellowship in Environmental Engineering for the outstanding presentation in the field of bio-jet fuels and their impact on the environment. 2010
Congratulations Dr. Seth Dworkin on winning the highly competitive NSERC Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF). April 2010
Congratulations Tom Tzanetakis on winning Frances Bradfield Fellowship in Environmental Engineering for the outstanding presentation in the field of bio-oil and its impact on the environment. 2009
Congratulations Tom Tzanetakis on winning an MIE endowed fellowship for 2007-2008. Tom got the Neil Duncan Thompson Memorial Scholarship – September 2007
Media Coverage
MIE_Momentum_2015
MIE_Momentum 2014
MIE_Momentum _Meet the Combustion Expert
MIE Momentum 2013
Canadian airlines flying green, More airlines testing alternate “bio fuels”
Tenova Goodfellow and U of T Engineering Celebrate 20-year Anniversary
From bio-fuels to molten steel: How U of T engineers are curbing carbon emissions
Prof. Thomson at BioFuelNet
Largest supercomputer simulations of bio-jet-fuel will help make fuels clean and green
A still from a highly chemically complex simulation of biofuel combustion, the largest ever performed. This simulation will help make biofuel combustion in aeronautics reliable, clean, and economical. (Credit: S. Dworkin, MIE, University of Toronto)
Here and there!
Great physics-based description of the design principles
Gas turbines receive fuel flexibility boost! read this interesting article from Siemens
Cool explanation for how a turbofan engine produces trust!
