People

Dr. Ilia Kuznetcov, Ph.D., EIT, graduated with honors in 2015, earning his Specialist degree in Petroleum Engineering from Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas, Moscow. In 2023, he completed his Ph.D. at the University of Calgary. Dr. Kuznetcov's expertise spans electromagnetic measurements, imaging, and heating of emulsions, nanosuspensions, oil sands, kerogen, and various rock and colloidal materials. He is proficient in patent drafting, programming, automation, and CAD design for laboratory equipment, and has considerable knowledge of gas chromatography methods for both liquids and gases.

Christian Paternina is a P.Eng. and M.Sc., pursuing his Ph.D. studies at the University of Calgary with a strong academic foundation in petroleum and chemical engineering. Their research focuses on Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), particularly on chemical injection techniques, adsorption phenomena, and reservoir engineering. He has led impactful studies on surfactant adsorption, micellization, and the role of nanoparticles in enhancing interfacial performance, culminating in multiple publications in high-impact journals such as Fuel and the Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. Notably, their master's thesis on EOR was recognized as a 'laureate thesis' by the Universidad Industrial de Santander, highlighting the significance of their contributions to the field. Also, Christian Paternina has actively engaged with the energy industry working as a survey engineer in drilling operations for SLB.

Seyedeh Maryam Mousavi studied her graduate studies at Shiraz University. Her research focused on experimental studies of nanofluids, investigating their role in enhancing convective heat transfer, thermophysical properties, rheological behaviour, and effective thermal conductivity in single- and two-phase flows. To pursue her passion for clean energy and advanced materials, Maryam joined the University of Calgary as a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. Her doctoral research centers on the development of high-performance hybrid nanofluids aimed at maximizing geothermal system efficiency, combining experimental techniques with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling as well a comprehensive model for thermal conductivity of nanofluids. Maryam’s graduate research achievements include the publication of over 20 articles and book chapters on topics such as hybrid nanofluids, advanced materials, wastewater treatment, nanophotocatalyst, studies on membrane reactors and renewable energy technologies.  

Emad Siadatifar is a PhD candidate at the university of Calgary. He received a BSC in petroleum engineering from Sharif University of Technology in 2017 followed by an MSc in production engineering from Sharif University of technology in 2019. His research focuses on CFD-DEM simulation of nanoparticle and asphaltene transport in the porous media. Emad is a member of SPE and is the recipient of Dr. Roger Butler Memorial Graduate Scholarship.

Mojtaba Hasiri is a PhD student specializing in Chemical Engineering at the University of Calgary. He holds an MSc degree from the Schulich School of Engineering (2023) and a BSc degree from Isfahan University of Technology (2016). Mojtaba's research focuses on the development of innovative sonochemical reactor designs for plastic waste upcycling and in-line bitumen viscosity reduction to enhance pipeline efficiency. His work aims to address global environmental challenges by leveraging ultrasonic technology for sustainable industrial solutions. As an E.I.T. registered with APEGA, Mojtaba combines his academic expertise with extensive practical experience in reactor design, including fluidized bed reactors. He has also worked on Biomedical Engineering Processes, Process Dynamics and Control, and Heat Transfer, bringing a versatile and interdisciplinary approach to his work.

Sepideh Veiskarami is a Ph.D. student in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary, specializing in reservoir simulation, geothermal energy solutions, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies. She holds an M.Sc. in Reservoir Engineering and a B.Sc. in Petroleum Production Engineering. Her research focuses on advancing sustainable energy solutions, including AI-driven well performance predictions for SAGD wells, geothermal energy harvesting, and asphaltene deposition modeling and utilization strategies. She is particularly interested in optimizing closed-loop geothermal systems, waste heat recovery from low-enthalpy resources, and deep geothermal production. With nearly a decade of experience spanning both industry and academia, Sepideh has worked as a reservoir and production engineer for leading oil and gas companies, including NIOC, Repsol, PetroChina Canada, and Cenovus Energy. She has also served as a university instructor at Amirkabir University of Technology and Petroleum University of Technology, as well as an industrial advisor and mentor to multiple undergraduate and graduate students. Beyond research, Sepideh is passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in engineering. She is an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Women in Geothermal (WING), and other professional organizations, contributing to discussions on the future of sustainable energy.

Mahsa Parhizgar Keradeh is a Ph.D. student at the University of Calgary. She holds a bachelor's degree in Petroleum Reservoir Engineering from the University of Garmsar (2018) and a master’s degree in Petroleum Reservoir Engineering from Sahand University of Technology (2021). Her master's research focused on the application of Chelating Agents to enhance oil recovery in heavy oil sandstone reservoirs, leading to the optimization of oil recovery processes and several ISI publications.

From 2019 to 2022, Mahsa served as a Research Assistant at the Sahand Oil and Gas Research Institute (SOGRI), where she developed extensive experimental expertise in investigating fluid flow through porous media under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. Her work included studies on Rock-Fluid and Fluid-Fluid Interactions through Interfacial Phenomena, Rock Wettability Measurements, Imbibition and Drainage Studies, Core Flooding Experiments, and various related reservoir analyses. Currently, Mahsa's research focuses on geothermal systems, building upon her extensive background in petroleum engineering and reservoir studies. 

Ali Madani is a Master of Science student in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran. Ali’s research focuses on numerical modeling and data analytics methods in porous media. His thesis explores the numerical computation of thermal conductivity using micro-CT images and cross-property correlations between thermal and elastic properties. He is an active member of APEGA and SPE and has authored several publications in his field of interest.

Sanam Loloei, M.Sc. Candidate (Chemical Engineering, University of Calgary), B.Sc. (Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran), is a graduate researcher specializing in CO₂ sequestration and  CO₂ application for heavy oil EOR. Her work integrates experimental and computational approaches, utilizing core flooding and CT scanning techniques to analyze subsurface fluid behavior while employing COMSOL and CMG for advanced simulation and modeling. Sanam is an active member of the professional community, participating in the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and volunteering for the World Geothermal Congress (WGC) 2026. She is passionate about bridging the gap between research and industry applications, fostering sustainable solutions for energy and environmental challenges.

Nandan Radadiya currently pursuing a Master of Science in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary, focuses his research on CO₂ and CO₂-polymer flooding in emulsified heavy oil systems. His work explores optimizing recovery processes, capillary interface movement, and applying dimensionless numbers in core flooding experiments. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU), India, where he was awarded the President’s Scholarship for academic excellence. Alongside his studies, he has gained valuable experience in reservoir engineering and production optimization through internships with ONGC Ahmedabad Asset and Shelf Drilling, India.

Mehrab Jiryayi Sherahi is a student pursuing an M.Sc. with a focus on CO2 plume geothermal energy. employing COMSOL and CMG, he simulates geothermal reservoirs to investigate the possibility of employing CO2 as a geothermal working fluid and to aid in geological CO2 storage. The Petroleum University of Technology awarded him a B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering. Characterization and assessment of reservoirs, geological CO2 storage, and CO2 plume geothermal systems are among his areas of interest.

Reza Mansourian is an MSc student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Calgary, specializing in pore network modeling and reservoir simulation for carbon capture and storage. His research integrates pore-scale and reservoir-scale dynamics using advanced computational tools to optimize CO₂ sequestration strategies. Reza has published research on nanotechnology applications in fluid systems, enhanced oil recovery, environmental remediation, interfacial phenomena. He holds a BSc and MSc in Petroleum Engineering from Shiraz University, where he investigated molecular interactions in surfactant-EOR and heavy oil flow in porous media. A strong advocate for sustainable energy solutions, Reza aims to advance technologies that promote environmental stewardship.

Mohammadreza Alipour is a Master of Science student in Energy and Environment Engineering at the University of Calgary, with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tehran. His research focuses on thermal conductivity assessment in geothermal systems, investigating its relationship with elastic properties and wave propagation in porous media. He develops models linking wave velocity to thermal conductivity and extracts geomechanical properties from well-log data. Additionally, he is building a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) to integrate empirical and theoretical thermal conductivity models, trained with experimental data. He is an active Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) member, with expertise in geothermal energy.