Ph.D. Students
Azadeh Vahedi, Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Azadeh Vahedi received her MSc in Material Science and Engineering from the University of Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch from Tehran, Iran in 2013 within the area of Magnetic properties of Ceramics. Prior to that she obtained over 3 years of industrial experiences in production of tiles and ceramics as a R&D manager. She has started her work at CACT as a research assistant from 2016 under the supervision of Prof. Javad Mostaghimi. Her thesis project focuses on “improvement of photocatalytic property of Fe3O4-TiO2- RGO core-shell nanoparticles” for antibacterial surfaces. During the last two years, she worked in collaboration with Cell & system Biology department on two different topics as well: 1-Investigation on Biocidal activity and repeatability of titanium dioxide coating under UV and ambient light. 2-Laboratory and Field tests on Antibacterial Sink trap: Investigating on the bactericidal activity of the charged copper-lined siphon trap against the DH5α Escherichia coli strain for various exposure time lengths.
Ali Ebrahimi, Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Ali has graduated from Semnan University with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering within the area of renewable energy sources. He obtained his M.A.Sc. in Nuclear Engineering from Shahid Beheshti University, working on developing numerical nuclear codes. During his study, he also obtained a good experience with fundamental compartments of ICP-MS and their working principle. He started his work at CACT as a researcher under the supervision of Prof. Javad Mostaghimi in 2018, and he has been a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering since 2020. His research area is focused on the synthesis of nanocarbon materials, in particular graphene, using thermal plasma. Currently, he is working on the gas-phase synthesis of graphene and the exfoliation of graphite using DC thermal plasma.
Email: a.ebrahimi@mail.utoronto.ca
Zhenying (Eva) Yang, Ph.D. Candidate, Materials Science & Engineering
Zhenying received her B.A.Sc. in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Toronto in 2020. In 2018, Zhenying worked as a process engineering intern in Air Liquide Laboratories in Japan for one year, focusing on redesigning an atomic layer deposition (ALD) setup and fabricating thin films for semiconductor industries. After graduation, she joined CACT as a Ph.D. student under the co-supervision of Prof. Coyle and Prof. Dolatabadi in Sept 2020. Her project involves designing and constructing an aerosol deposition system for fabricating advanced ceramic coatings. Her research focuses on characterizing the aerosol deposited coatings to demonstrate the deposition mechanism and the powder – process – microstructure - property relationship.
Josh Palumbo, Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Josh received his B.A.Sc. (honours) and M.A.Sc. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto in 2016 and 2020, respectively. Before enrolling in graduate studies, he spent two years abroad in South Australia working as a Project Engineer at an injection moulding company where he developed manufacturing processes for the medical industry. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. degree under the supervision of Dr. Sanjeev Chandra with the Centre of Advanced Coating Technologies (CACT). His research focuses on using metal spray technologies to fabricate liquid cooling channels capable of high heat flux removal, for both single-phase and flow boiling channels.
Email: palumbo@mie.utoronto.ca
Hamid Moezzi, Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Hamid received his M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran and worked as a research associate in Sharif Tech Services Complex, Tehran, Iran, after his graduation. He is very interested in research, and he has expertise in CFD simulation of multiphase and micro-scaled flows, bubble and droplet dynamics, and surface tension driven flows. He joined CACT in September 2021 and started his work as a research assistant.
Email: h.moezzi@mail.utoronto.ca
Tara Yazdanimotlagh, Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Tara received her B.A.Sc. and M.A.Sc. degrees in chemical engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology. Her master’s thesis focused on a numerical investigation of the effects of various parameters on a reactivity-controlled compression ignition engine. In 2022, Tara joined the Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies (CACT) as a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Prof. Dolatabadi. Her Ph.D. research focuses on physics-based modeling of droplets in the solution precursor plasma spray process. Her research interests include CFD simulations, multiphase flow, heat and mass transfer, and thermal spray processes.
Amirhesam Banejad, Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Amirhesam Banejad obtained his M.Sc., with highest distinction, in Mechanical Engineering from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, under supervision of Prof. Mohammad Passandideh-Fard. His M.Sc. thesis along with his research on the microfluidics, micro actuators, and lab on a chip (LOC), earned him the title of “Researcher of the Year” at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2019, and he could become a member of Iran's National Elites Foundation. Amirhesam joined CACT in 2022 as a research assistant and Ph.D. student under supervision of Prof. Mostaghimi. His main research interests are focused on simulation of thermal plasmas, interfacial phenomena including phase change, microfluidics, and thermal spray technologies.
Email: a.banejad@mail.utoronto.ca
Amirreza Azad, Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering
Amirreza Azad is a PhD student at CACT Lab, UofT, working on the computational modeling of clean energy systems. Amirreza graduated with honors from the University of Tehran, where he obtained his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering. His educational background equips him with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer, all of which are crucial for their current research endeavors. At CACT Lab, Amirreza's research interests lie in utilizing CFD simulations to analyze and optimize Hydrogen Electrolysis and Carbon Capture systems. Hydrogen Electrolysis is a clean technology for producing hydrogen fuel from water, while Carbon Capture aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes. By employing CFD simulations, Amirreza aims to gain deeper insights into the complex flow phenomena within these systems, ultimately contributing to the development of more efficient and sustainable clean energy technologies. For further information on Amirreza's research activities, please visit their Google Scholar page.
M.A.Sc. Students
Andre Hanna, M.A.Sc. Student, Mechanical Engineering
Andre Hanna earned his B.Sc. in mechanical engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). He is currently pursuing his M.A.Sc. in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering within the Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies Lab. Under the guidance of Professor Chandra, his research centers on fabricating and testing fluid velocity sensors utilizing thermal spray additive manufacturing methods. Additionally, the research explores the application of these thermal-sprayed velocity sensors in diverse and challenging fluid environments. He aims to employ these velocity sensors in numerous industrial applications where standard options struggle in harsh conditions, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional velocity sensors.
Email: andre.hanna@mail.utoronto.ca
Muhammad Amin Butt, M.A.Sc. Student, Mechanical Engineering
Muhammad's passion for knowledge has driven him to pursue advanced education as a Master's of Applied Science student in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, under the mentorship of Professor Chandra at the Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies (CACT). His current research focuses on investigating relative humidity's influence on evaporation dynamics, specifically in the context of evaporative cooling in automotive paint films. His ultimate objective is to develop a comprehensive model, informed by experimental data, to accurately predict evaporation rates of various fluids, considering the influence of relative humidity.
Before joining the University of Toronto, Muhammad earned his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from York University, where he ranked in the top 11 of his graduating class. During his undergraduate years, he undertook internships in the aerospace industry and consistently earned placement on the Dean's List for his academic achievements.
