The Faculty of Engineering at the Université de Sherbrooke relies on the contribution of women to change our world. Here’s how three of them are making their mark on the environment.
Recognized here and internationally for the quality of its teaching, the Université de Sherbrooke relies on knowledge and technology to transform our society in the service of the common good. Driven by values of rigor and commitment, its Faculty of Engineering attracts a growing number of women who stand out in its innovative programs. Meeting with three scientists with a remarkable career, whose work is setting standards in terms of environmental progress.
FIGHT AGAINST CONTAMINANTS
It is probably because she was raised in a rural region where her family cultivated nourishing land that the scientist chose to devote her career to preserving – and improving – the quality of the environment, especially to come to assistance to communities not in a position to do so. Initially destined for international environmental law, she branched off into engineering when she analyzed lead exposure in urban community gardens during a summer internship. “I was able to see the direct impact of our research on the communities and appreciated the whole process, from the fieldwork to the activities in the laboratory allowing us to ‘dig into’ the subject!”
A commitment to the environment As Professor Debra Hausladen explains, the major challenges we face today are related to the environment, whether we are talking about global warming, food insecurity or access to drinking water. “These problems are not easy to solve, but by applying knowledge from different fields, we can deal with the complexity of extremely dynamic environmental systems. For my part, I focus on the quality of groundwater, because it has a direct effect on human health. Researching the fate and transport of metal contaminants has not only given me access to some of the most powerful scientific instruments in the world, but it has also provided me with a unique opportunity to interact and connect with communities. local and international. »
The essential role of soils The professor’s research focuses on the processes that control the fate and transport of natural and human-made contaminants in order to reduce environmental and health risks. “My students work on projects aimed at improving our understanding of the biogeochemical reactions that control the toxicity and mobility of inorganic contaminants in soils and sediments. These include assessing the vulnerability of groundwater to geogenic contamination, identifying key biogeochemical and physical processes that mobilize toxic metals at abandoned and rehabilitated mine sites, and developing natural processes for remediation. contaminants. »
The importance of interdisciplinarity For the scientist, the protection of the quality of the environment requires a holistic understanding of the systems, which is not always the case in traditional education. “We are working on developing new courses that will prepare students for a systemic approach that will allow them to acquire the interdisciplinary skills necessary to meet complex technical challenges. Among the sectors of the future in engineering in the environmental field, Professor Hausladen cites, among others, the management of water quality, water treatment, sustainable development in the field of mining, management of mineral resources, as well as the optimization of natural systems for carbon sequestration.
BET ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Passionate about finding solutions and putting theories into practice, Inès Esma Achouri already knew at the age of nine that she was going to become a scientific researcher. It must be said that her parents – a dentist mother and a mechanical engineer father – influenced her. “With us, the games, the riddles, the stories, everything revolved around science. At the table, we spent hours arguing or reciting periodic tables. Today, like many scientists, I am very concerned about climate change and I want to devote my time and energy to making concrete changes to improve the way we live. »
Energy efficiency in pharmaceuticals Professor Achouri’s research activities aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the pharmaceutical industry, which, according to data from 2019, is even larger than that of the automotive industry. How? ‘Or’ What ? “By reducing the stops between the different productions, by minimizing the transport of materials and, above all, by preventing the waste of several batches in the event that the quality analysis is only carried out at the end of the process. From a strictly chemical point of view, the ultimate goal of my research work is the production of synthetic fuels and energy vectors such as hydrogen, with the aim of replacing fossil fuels. This work, which consists of reviewing traditional processes to make them more energy efficient, concerns two main areas: catalysis for the production of synthetic fuels and syngas, as well as pharmaceutical processes. »
Concrete performance solutions To achieve her objectives, the professor will have to take up the challenge of developing hybrid processes that allow the use of several energy sources that can measure up to traditional processes in terms of efficiency and performance. “I will also have to demonstrate to the pharmaceutical industry that working continuously with the right online monitoring tools is just as safe as it is profitable. »
Ways forward in engineering According to Professor Achouri, the energy sector – whether we are talking about alternative energies, batteries, the intensification of traditional chemical processes, hydrogen, plasmas or energy efficiency in the pharma 4.0 context – is booming right now. It also leads to professions that are very popular for those who wish to work in the environmental field.
PRODUCING GREEN FUELS
The scientist specializes in areas such as Power-to-X, energy recovery from greenhouse gases, renewable energies, catalytic conversions, chemical storage and renewable energy – phew! – all of which aim to combat climate change. “I have always wanted to contribute to solving this problem. I had the opportunity to work on the subject during my doctorate, and this allowed me to understand that researchers in the field of engineering could very concretely tackle it by developing new technologies. »
A promising energy shift The professor’s research focuses on the energy recovery of greenhouse gases through technologies such as Power-to-X. “The idea is to use CO2 (the main greenhouse gas) and renewable electricity to produce green fuels that would be compatible with our current means of transport, especially those that are more difficult to electrify like the aviation and maritime transport. This type of technology also addresses today’s problems of long-term renewable electricity storage, since it allows us to store this electricity in the form of a liquid fuel that can easily be stored and transported. »
The future is collaboration For the scientist, meeting the challenge of energy transition cannot be achieved without a combination of several technologies. “There is no single solution to this problem. We will need, in particular, hydrogen, the electrification of transport, biofuels and green fuels to achieve this. In partnership with industry and government agencies, research and development in the energy sector will be responsible not only for the development of new technologies, but also to apply them for eventual large-scale implementation. »
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