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Emerging Professionals Development Program

The Emerging Professionals Development Program creates opportunities for young metallurgists or materials scientists. 

For two years, emerging professionals (EPs) get to take part in MetSoc activities. They will get to contribute to the professional community. And be inspired to become future leaders in their field. 

Download the brochure to learn more.

The call for applications is OPEN for 2024. The deadline is February 12, 2024

A Day in the Life of a MetSoc EP

  • Presents at a conference
  • Reviews papers for conferences
  • Assists in the organization of poster sessions
  • Assists in organizing short courses
  • Technical section treasurer/secretary
  • Participates in organizing Webinars
  • Contributes to interviews with professionals
  • Participates in technical Bulletins
  • Assists with technical section activities
  • Assists in the MetSoc Publications-upcoming project

Current Emerging Professionals

Navid Abaeian

Westpro Machinery Inc. – Mineral processing

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Sima Alidokht

Memorial University – Membership Services

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Aya Benotmane

Hatch Ltd.– Sustainability

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Konstantina Chalastara

Hatch Ltd. – Membership Services

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Maéva Chrzaszcz

Hatch Ltd. – Sustainability

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Linda Qin

Rio Tinto – Hydrometallurgy

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Takshi Sachdeva

Hatch Ltd. – Materials

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Candice Simms

Jetti Resources– Hydrometallurgy

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Ashok Srinivasan

METSO OUTOTEC – Sustainability

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

Matthew Tutty

Hatch Ltd. – Mineral Processing

(2023-2024 EP recipient)

May Wee Ang

Sphera Solutions – Sustainability

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Thierno Saidou Barry

Groupe AEM Canada Inc. – Hydrometallurgy

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Matt Boulby

The Metals Company – Pyrometallurgy

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Paulo Gamez Campos

New Gold Inc. – Mineral processing

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Renaud Daenzer

Aurel Systems Inc. – Hydrometallurgy

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Rachel Ko

HATCH – Sustainability

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Mohsen Mohammadijoo

NOVA Chemicals Corporation – Light Metals

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Ibrahim Ogunsanya

University of Toronto – Materials

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Daniela Rossetto

Eddyfi Technologies, Quebec – Sustainability

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Joshua Stroh

School of Engineering, UBC-Okanagan – Light Metals

(2022-2023 EP recipient)

Hakan Tunc
BBA – Mineral Processing
2022-2023

Shuhong (Max) Shen
Hatch – Materials
2021-2022

Michael Benoit
The University of British Columbia – Light Metals
2021-2022

Sunny Deng
SNC Lavalin – Pyrometallurgy
2022

Alex Cao
Vale Canada Limited – Hydrometallurgy
2020-2021

Abdallah Elsayed
Assistant Professor, University of Guelph – Light Metals
2020-2021

Jessica Hiscocks
Kingston Process Metallurgy – Light Metals
2020-2021

Fangyu Liu
Hatch – Hydrometallurgy
2020-2021

Arthur Stokreef
Glencore – Pyrometallurgy
2020-2021

Douglas Kao
Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) – Sustainability
2021-2022

François Cardin
Zinc électrolytique du Canada limitée – Sustainability
2020-2021

Peng Chang
Teck – Sustainability
2020-2021

Brittany MacKinnon
Hatch – Sustainability
2020-2021

Sable Reid
Rio Tinto – Sustainability
2020-2021

Roberta Neumann
Teck – Sustainability
2020

Lorena Tere
Hatch – Pyrometallurgy
2017, 2020

Raphael Soldi
Sherrit International – Management
2018-2019

Jasmina Omri
Goldcorp Porcupine Gold mines – Mineral Science
2018-2019

Fariba Safizadeh
University Laval – Hydrometallurgy
2018-2019

Yao Yao Ding
Heroux Devtek – Materials
2018-2019

Shannon Hoekstra
SRK Consulting – Hydrometallurgy
2017-2019

François Audet
Foundry Solutions Metallurgical Solutions – Management
2016-2017

Alexander Burns
NORAM Engineering & Constructors, Ltd – Hydrometallurgy
2016-2017

Alison Cummings
Glencore-Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations – Pyrometallurgy
2016-2017

Patrick Gagnon
Tema Isenmann Inc – Mineral Science
2016-2017

Michael Molinski
Vale – Pyrometallurgy
2016-2017

Nishit Patel
Hatch – Pyrometallurgy
2016-2017

Ge Sa
Hatch – Light Metals
2016-2017

Mashael Alomair
Hatch – Materials
2017-2018

Ahmet Deniz Bas
University Laval – Hydrometallurgy
2017-2018

Stewart Cook
Fenix Advanced Materials – Management
2017-2018

Thomas Feldmann
5N Plus Inc – Hydrometallurgy
2017-2018

Sara Fitzel
Teck – Environment
2017-2018

David Levasseur
Centre de metallurgies du Québec – Light Metals
2017-2018

David Tomlinson
Teck – Management
2017-2018

Navid Abaeian is a Mineral processing Engineer EIT at Westpro Machinery Inc Based in Vancouver BC. He was born in Italy and raised in Iran. He obtained his BSc and MSc in metallurgical engineering from IKIU and the University of Tehran. After his graduation, he has been involved in Iron mineral processing, pelletizing, sintering, steel making and steel forming in Iran and Australia. In 2019, He started his M. Eng in Mechanical Engineering at Concordia University in Montreal. Since then, he has been involved with research, operation, engineering of Iron ore and TiO2 Mineral Processing and related KPI process optimizations in QC, NL and BC. In his current Role, he supports sizing, design and process considerations of Machineries being used in the Mineral processing of various minerals.

Dr. Sima Alidokht is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Memorial University. She also holds an Adjunct Professor position at McGill University. Prior to joining Memorial in 2022, she held various research positions at McGill University, including research associate, postdoctoral researcher, and part-time lecturer. She has conducted collaborative research with universities and government labs in Canada, the US, France, and Taiwan, as well as industrial sectors such as the Canadian Space Agency, Hatch Engineering, and Pratt and Whitney USA and Canada. Dr. Alidokht’s expertise lies in designing and developing tribological coatings and exploring the process-structure-property relationships in these materials. She has published over 65 journal papers, book chapters, and conference presentations.

Aya Benotmane is a junior Engineer-in-Training at Hatch’s Climate Change business practice. She holds a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Toronto in Chemical Engineering with a specialization in Advanced Water Technologies and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick. She has extensive cross-disciplinary team experience working with global mining and metals clients. Experienced in process engineering, carbon accounting, decarbonization technology evaluation, and developing decarbonization road maps. She is dedicated to improving efficiency, productivity, and profitability of clients through the development and execution of innovative, cost-effective solutions.

Konstantina Chalastara holds a Ph.D. in mining and materials engineering from McGill University and an engineering diploma in mining and metallurgical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece with excellent academic and research record. Dr Chalastara is currently a process engineer in hydrometallurgy at Hatch Ltd.

Konstantina is a champion for environmental sustainability and promoter of early STEM education. During her studies she worked on crystallization of TiO2 nanoparticles in a CSTR, synthesis and characterization of nano-iron particles, and water decontamination with a focus on selenium, arsenic, and chromium.

As a member of the emerging professionals 2023 cohort, she aims to expand her knowledge and broaden her network by collaborating with other EPs, in industry and academia.

Maéva is a Junior Process Metallurgist in the Pyrometallurgy group at Hatch where she focuses on decarbonization solutions for the metals industry. She is a recent graduate from McGill University with a bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering.

Since completing her studies and joining Hatch, Maéva’s various project work has made her more aware of the challenges faced by the metals industry to decarbonize, motivating her to become part of the solution. As a young professional in pyrometallurgy, she strongly believes that overcoming these challenges requires a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach.

Graduated with a B. Eng. in chemical engineering at McGill in 2020, I started my career at Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium’s Technology and Critical Minerals Center in the TiO2 Group. As a research engineer, I had the opportunity to participate in the commissioning a pilot plant for the extraction of scandium oxide, provide support at our UGS slag leaching plant, perform a life cycle assessment of all RTIT products, simulate METSIM models of novel TiO2 pigment production technologies and of our new BlueSmeltingTM process. As a young professional, I look forward to joining Metsoc’s EP program to exchange with other engineers and scientists to further develop my knowledge and skills on the extraction of minerals and metals.

Hi! I am Takshi, a young engineer with 2 years of exciting work experience at Hatch. I have had the privilege to work on many breakthrough new technologies in the ironmaking space with an amazing team and collaborative clients. As a young professional, I am looking forward to developing meaningful connections with industry leaders and my peers and potentially working together on new projects in the future.

Candice Simms is a Junior Metallurgist at Jetti Resources. Her role is primarily managing testwork of Jetti’s chalcopyrite leaching technology on ore from around the world. She also works on innovation projects within the company,

In 2022, Candice completed a B.A.Sc. in Materials Engineering at UBC. She completed two capstone projects that were focused on copper hydrometallurgy which facilitated her interest in the field. Previously, Candice worked as a mineral processing co-op student at Red Chris Mine. She was recognized for her excellence and dedication in mineral processing by receiving the 2021 CMP BC-Yukon Mineral Processing Scholarship.

Beyond her professional interests, she spends her time hiking, climbing, paddling, and biking. Candice looks forward to both her outdoor adventures and an adventurous career in mining and hydrometallurgy.

Hello Team, my name is Ashok Srinivasan (Ash), I am currently working as Manager Technical Sales Support for Metso. Metso is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies providing end – end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing and metals refining industries globally. I am based in Montreal, Quebec. In all my years of experience, I have gained most of my knowledge facing daily challenges, continuous learning and believing in my core values. I enjoy hiking and outdoor activities. I always mention to my friends and colleagues, in a time where the only constant is change and the business demands for more, its important to be adaptable and learn to follow our core values.

Matthew is an Engineer-in-Training in Hatch’s Climate Change Practice. In his role, Matthew partners with global extractive resource companies to advance strategies to achieve their decarbonization goals. He has broad experience across various aspects of developing climate change strategy including calculating emissions inventories, conducting climate-related risk analysis, and identifying and quantifying greenhouse gas emission reduction opportunities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Western University and an Honours of Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business. Matthew was the recipient of the Engineers Canada Gold Medal Student Award in 2021 for his contributions during university to the engineering community. His professional goal is to aid heavy-emitting industries in decarbonizing and shifting towards the low-carbon economy.

May is a Life Cycle Data Analyst at Sphera Solutions where her focus is to develop reliable and accurate models for environmental impact analyses. Prior to her role, May graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree from Queen’s University where she also obtained a Certificate in Business and later, a Certificate of Data Analytics at the University of Toronto.

At the start of her career, May supported Geometallurgical projects in model development of metal beneficiation processes (flotation) as well as flowsheet design for metal extraction (hydrometallurgy). She also has technical experience in laboratory test work and operating pilot plants.

Her career objective is to use sustainability as a compass toward a circular economy and is enthusiastic to be a part of the movement!

Thierno holds a master’s degree in materials engineering obtained in 2020 at Laval University, Canada and a bachelor’s degree in mining/minerals engineering obtained in 2017 at Inönü University, Turkey. During his studies, Thierno acquired relevant knowledge in minerals processing, hydrometallurgy, mechanochemistry and materials characterization areas as a researcher. He is a co-author of many papers published in these areas with an h-index of 5 and cited 65 times. After his master’s degree, Thierno worked as a CEP in process engineering at Groupe AEM Canada Inc. a chemical company specializing in the production of high purity alumina from December 2020 to March 2022. Presently, Thierno works as a production engineering technician at Gentec Inc.

Matt Boulby received a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University in 2019 and has over two years of experience in the mining and mineral processing industry.

Matt began his career in consulting, helping to design process plants for gold projects in Northern Canada, Guatemala and Vietnam. He quickly found that while he recognized the world’s requirement for metals, he had concerns about the industry’s negative impact on the environment. In July of 2020, he began working with The Metals Company (TMC), supporting their efforts to commercialize a project using polymetallic sea nodules to supply critical minerals for electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries. In this role, he was introduced to metallurgy for the first time and has since helped contribute to the development of TMC’s zero solid waste, low emission flowsheet and the subsequent completion of two pyrometallurgical pilot-scale test work campaigns. He enjoys working with the team at TMC as they attempt to provide a more sustainable supply of nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese to the world.

Outside of his professional interests, he is an avid traveler (having visited over 30 countries), a sports fan and an ice hockey referee. He is thankful to have been named by MetSoc as an Emerging Professional in Pyrometallurgy and is looking forward to participating in the program, learning from and collaborating with his section members.

Paulo Gamez Campos completed his B.A. in Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of British Columbia in 2021. With a strong focus on mineral processing and sustainable mining, Paulo was involved in several precious metal extraction projects throughout his studies.

He is currently employed by New Gold Inc working on the Rainy River Project in the area of capital projects and waste management. At his workplace, Paulo had the opportunity to see the operations of a gold-silver mine and the current technology used to process precious ore on an industrial scale allowing him to better understand how sulphide ore is currently processed.

As a young professional, Paulo is eager to expand his knowledge in the field of mineral processing and to assist the industry in finding new ways to sustainably process ore using emerging technologies while maximizing ore recovery.

Renaud Daenzer attended McGill University as a co-op student in Materials Engineering before completing a master’s within the Aqueous Processing Group. His interest in hydrometallurgy led to a move across the country to complete a Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia with a focus on the leaching of refractory gold ores using calcium thiosulfate. After graduating, Renaud worked briefly in the water treatment sector prior to joining Aurel Systems Inc. as a process simulation applications engineer using CADSIM Plus. Within Aurel, Renaud works on product and business development, marketing, and sales and drives partnerships with the aim to contribute to new innovations in the field of mineral processing.

Rachel is currently a process engineer at Hatch Ltd. with 4 years of experience primarily in non-ferrous pyrometallurgical processes. She graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree from Queen’s University and is currently pursuing a part-time Master of Engineering at the University of Toronto with an emphasis in sustainability.

Before joining the world of pyrometallurgy, Rachel worked primarily in energy management and energy efficiency improvement. It was this work that motivated her desire to become part of the equation in solving one of today’s greatest challenges. The growing importance of sustainability in pyrometallurgical processes is evident. With the mining & metals sector undergoing a very unique transformation today, it is an exciting time to be part of the movement!

Mohsen Mohammadijoo is a Materials Integrity and Metallurgy Research Engineer at NOVA Chemicals. Prior to joining NOVA, he led the Welding and Materials Engineering team at EVRAZ NA R&D where he contributed mainly to the oil and gas pipeline materials integrity. Among his responsibilities and interests is the assessment of materials integrity and process reliability for a diverse range of energy applications for hydrogen fuel, oil and gas, as well as the automotive industry. Prior to his professional career, he completed his Ph.D. in Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta under the supervision of Prof. Hani Henein. Mohsen enjoys spending time hiking with his family and playing soccer and basketball with his little son.

Ibrahim Ogunsanya is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. Dr. Ogunsanya possesses degrees in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (BSc, University of Lagos) and Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering (MASc and Ph.D., University of Waterloo). He has a multifaceted technical career across the fields of materials science, metallurgy, mechanical, civil, and chemical engineering. He employs a metallurgical and material science approach to proffer solutions to material durability and sustainability challenges in structural (on cement, concrete, and steel reinforcing alloys), nuclear (on concrete and metal alloys), and automotive (on lightweight alloys) engineering sectors. He is also a professional engineer in Ontario, and a member of professional societies such as NACE, TMS, IoM3, and CIM.

Daniela Rossetto is an Applications Expert at Eddyfi Technologies and has a multidisciplinary background dedicated to research projects with industrial applications.

In 2021, Daniela completed a master’s program at Laval University (with honors), evaluating new anode technologies to achieve a more sustainable zinc electrowinning process. Prior to that, she accumulated three years of experience in R&D projects for bauxite and alumina production, as well as three undergraduate scholarships in topics including mineral characterization and recovery of rare earths from electronic waste. In her current role, she supports the development of customized Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) solutions based on Eddy Current Arrays (ECA).

Her research interests include urban mining, industrial waste minimization, circular economy, and green process technologies.

Dr. Joshua Stroh completed his Ph.D. in 2021 at the University of British Columbia, where he is now working as a Manager and Engineering Specialist for the High-Performance Powertrain Materials Laboratory. His research has been focused on minimizing the carbon footprint of the transportation industry through the development of lightweight powertrain alloys with improved strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures. Dr. Stroh has worked closely with the industry on optimizing manufacturing processes to minimize the evolution of residual stress in complex castings of engine components. The results of this collaborative research enable the manufacturing of the next-generation powertrains with substantially reduced environmental impact. Dr. Stroh has over 20 publications and has presented his research at several international conferences.