Dhar Lab @ UAlberta

December 2025

Monisha received the Henry Kroeger Memorial Graduate Scholarship (inter-departmental scholarship). Congratulations, Monisha!

November 2025

Dr. Bipro Dhar has been selected for the 2025 Faculty of Engineering Mid-Career Research Award. This award is given each year to one mid-career faculty member within 10 years of starting their first tenure-track appointment.
Our collaborative study with researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain, on the use of thermal hydrolysis to mitigate the adverse effects of microplastics on anaerobic digestion has been published in the Journal of Water Process Engineering. This work was led by visiting researcher Raul Mompó-Curell in collaboration with our former postdoc, Alsayed. Congratulations to the team!

Romana received the Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship, 2025/2026. Congratulations, Romana!
Sherif has published a review paper titled “Overcoming micro/nanoplastics-induced inhibition in anaerobic digestion: Advances in remediation techniques” in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, in collaboration with Alsayed. Congratulations to both!

A review article on anaerobic digestion of bioplastics has been accepted for publication in Waste Disposal & Sustainable Energy. This manuscript was led by Banafsheh and Alsyed. Congratulations to both of you!

An article on the use of nanobubble water in high-solids anaerobic digestion with percolate recirculation has been accepted for publication in Bioresource Technology Reports. This work was a collaborative effort by Samiullah, Anindya, Samruddi, Calvin, and Sherif. Congratulations to Samiullah and the team!

October 2025

Monisha received the Gordon R. Finch Memorial Graduate Scholarship, the Dr. Donald R. Stanley Graduate Scholarship in Environmental Engineering, and the Petro-Canada Graduate Scholarship. Congratulations Monisha!

September 2025

Monisha and Romana both received the Westmoreland Coal Company Graduate Scholarship in Environmental Engineering 2025/2026. Congratulations both!
Calvin was awarded the Ivy A. Thomson and William A. Thomson Graduate Scholarship and Dr. William Youdelis Graduate Scholarship in Engineering. Congratulations, Calvin!

August 2025

Monisha received the Bill Shostak Wildlife Award. Congratulations, Monisha!
Calvin received the FEGRS 2025 Oral Presentation Award at this year’s Faculty of Engineering Graduate Research Symposium (FEGRS) at the University of Alberta. Congratulations, Calvin!
In June, Tamanna raced at the biggest Dragon Boat festival in North America with over 150 teams. Earlier this month in Calgary, her team finished in the Top 10 for both Mixed and Women’s races. In Edmonton, they ended on a high note with a Gold in the Novice Cup and a Silver in the Women’s division. Turns out, Dhar Lab members are great at sports too 😊. Congratulations, Tamanna!
Alsayed’s review paper on the application of nanobubbles for enhanced anaerobic digestion has been accepted for publication in BioEnergy Research. Congratulations, Alsayed!

July 2025

Parisa’s paper on hydrothermal liquefaction of sludge for biocrude production and synergistic utilization of byproducts in anaerobic digestion has been accepted for publication in ACS ES&T Water. Congratulations, Parisa!

Brenda Campos Valadez from Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, joined the lab a summer intern under the Mitacs Globalink Research Program. Congratulations, Brenda!

June 2025

Samiullah and Anindya were awarded the YWP Canada Conference Director Award at the 3rd IWA Young Water Professionals (YWP) Canada Conference held in Edmonton on June 18-20 for their amazing volunteer services. Congratulations, Anindya and Sami!

Dr. Anqi Mou was awarded the Best Poster Award at the 3rd IWA Young Water Professionals (YWP) Canada Conference held in Edmonton on June 18-20. Congratulations, Anqi!

Calvin was awarded Philip H. Jones Award (First Prize) at the 12th Western Canadian Symposium on Water Quality Research held in Edmonton on June 17th. Congratulations, Calvin!

Calvin’s paper on simultaneous biogas upgrading and desulfurization using a microbial electrosynthesis system has been accepted for publication in ACS ES&T Engineering. Congratulations, Calvin!

May 2025

Dr. Dhar was invited to the podcast “Steeped Tea With Elsayed” by Dr. Elsayed Elbeshbishy from the Toronto Metropolitan University.

April 2025

Simran’s review paper on microbial electrochemical cell-based biosensors for bioremediation has been accepted for publication in Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology. Congratulations, Simran!

Calvin has been selected to receive the Leonard E. Gads Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Award in the Faculty of Engineering. This award recognizes graduate students in the Faculty of Engineering who have demonstrated excellence in their duties as teaching assistants and who have exhibited exemplary commitment to student learning in engineering courses given during the previous calendar year. Congratulations, Calvin!
Mariastella Ferreri from the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, Italy, has joined our group as a visiting researcher. Welcome, Mariastella!

March 2025

Tamanna received the GPS Graduate Student Elevation Award. Congratulations, Tamanna!
Parisa’s review paper on the application of thermal hydrolysis of microalgae for enhancing bioenergy and resource recovery using anaerobic bioprocesses has been accepted for publication in Chemosphere. Congratulations, Parisa!

Parisa’s paper on the impact of bioplastic bags on high-solids anaerobic digestion of source separated organics and subsequent hydrothermal liquefaction has been accepted for publication in Process Safety and Environmental Protection. Congratulations, Parisa!

February 2025

January 2025

Tamanna Haque joined the group as an MSc student. She finished her undergraduate degree in environmental engineering at the University of Alberta and worked in the industry for a few years before starting grad school. Welcome back, Tamanna!
Calvin completed his PhD candidacy exam. Congratulations, Calvin!