Meet our Researchers

Our group is an experimental physical chemistry group with research interests in applied high-pressure chemistry and industrial sulfur chemistry. 

 


Rob Marriott

Dr. Robert Marriott

Professor of Chemistry, ASRL Director of Research, and ASRL Research Chair in Applied Sulfur Chemistry

Telephone:+1-403-220-3144                                                    

E-mail address: rob.marriott@ucalgary.ca

Ph.D. (M. A. White) – The relative thermodynamic stability of racemic and conglomerate crystals (2004), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

M.Sc. (A. W. Hakin) - Thermodynamic investigations of some aqueous solutions through calorimetry and densimetry (1999), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta.

B.Sc. – University of Lethbridge

Prior to taking his faculty position, Rob spent 8 years with ASRL as a Research Scientist and Project Manager with interests in understanding elemental sulfur deposition during the production of sour gas, sulfur solvent properties, water content for acid gas mixtures, sulfur degassing mechanisms, reservoir mineral interactions, and pVT properties for SO2 and H2S mixtures.  


Connor Deering

Connor Deering (Research Associate)

After working with ASRL as Research Chemist for two years, Connor is now a Research Associate in the Marriott research group. With an interest in experimental thermodynamics, he has experience with high-pressure fluid thermodynamics, sour gas fluids, analytical instrumentation, mathematical modelling, and computer programming (both for instrumentation and thermodynamic calculations).
M.Sc. (R.A. Marriott) – Design, Construction, and Calibration of a Vibrating Tube Densimeter for Volumetric Measurements of Acid Gas Fluids (2015), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
B.Sc. – St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Herman Wan

Herman Wan (Safety & Infrastructure Co-ordinator)

Herman has been working in applied chemistry labs since 2000. He provides support to both the Marriott and ASRL groups in the areas of safety systems and equipment, computing and everyday operations.
B.Sc. – University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.

 

Students

Shihab Majid (M.Sc. Student)

Shihab Majid (M.Sc. Student)

Formation of pure and binary hydrates
B.Sc. - University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta

 

Safeer Nanji (M.Sc. Student)

Safeer Nanji (M.Sc. Student)

Investigating the thermodynamic properties of aqueous and supercritical CO2 solutions.
B.Sc. (Honours), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta

Dhammika Gunarathna (M.Sc. Student)

Dhammika Gunarathna (M.Sc. Student)

High temperature sulfidic attack of carbon steel.

Claudia Delfin

Claudia Delfin (Undergraduate Summer Research Student, 2023)

Claudia is currently studying Chemistry at the University of Calgary. Her summer research explores COS uptake kinetics in alkanolamines.

Ella McGivern

Ella McGivern (Undergraduate Intern, 2022-2023)

Ella is currently studying Chemistry at the University of Calgary. She is currently investigating the stability of triazine scavengers in refinery processes.

Previous Group Members

 John Jacobs

Dr. John Jacobs (Ph.D., 2023)

John Henry Jacobs, Ph.D., "Studies on the degradation of dessicants in temperature swing adsorption processes and the adsorptive separation of sulfur compounds from industrial fluids."

B.Sc., University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.

Rohen Prinsloo

Dr. Rohen Prinsloo (Ph.D., 2021)

Rohen Prinsloo, Ph.D., “Exploring sulfur recovery in a eutectic mixture of biphenyl and diphenyl ether.”
M.Sc., University of Calgary.
B.Sc. (Honours), University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Amelia Cann

Amelia Cann (Undergraduate Summer Research Student, 2022)

Amelia is currently studying Chemistry at the University of Calgary. Her summer research explores dithiazine synthesis through the spending of MEA and MMA Triazine scavengers.

Dhruvin Patel

Dhruvin Patel (Undergraduate Summer Research Student, 2022)

Dhruvin has recently completed his undergrad in Biochemistry (Honours) from the University of Calgary. His summer research focuses on investigating high temperature sulfidation of stainless steel under post-H2S combustion and pre-Claus reaction conditions.

Jerry Commodore

Dr. Jerry Commodore (Ph.D., 2021)

Jerry Commodore, Ph.D., "Volumetric investigations of high-pressure propane and acid gas fluids."

M.Sc., University of Calgary.

B.Sc., Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Dr. Tommy Lee

Dr. Tommy Lee (Ph.D., 2021)

Tommy Lee, Ph.D., "Heterogeneous catalytic H2S oxidation within supercritical CO2 for a new sulfur recovery process."

B.Sc., University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC.

Fisher Hall

Fisher Hall (Undergraduate Research Student, 2019 to 2021)

Fisher is currently studying Chemistry at the University of Calgary.

His investigations related to the age and friability of different forms of elemental sulfur. The use of degassed or non-degassed molten sulfur may affect the many properties present in the solid sulfur ageing process. Fisher tested how varying H2S amounts affect factors such as compressible strength, friability, porosity, water retention/holding capacity.

Nick Simms

Nicholas Simms (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2021 and 2020)

Nick is currently majoring in Chemistry at the University of Calgary. His summer research primarily focuses on finding suitable metallurgies for various applications pertaining to sulfur process chemistry.

Dylan McLean

Dylan McLean (Undergradate Summer Research Student 2021)

Dylan is currently a Chemistry major at the University of Calgary. His summer research term involves the study of direct oxidation of H2S in a eutectic solvent for low-level H2S recovery.

Dr. Kayode Adeniyi

Dr. Kayode Adeniyi (Ph.D, 2020)

Kayode Adeniyi, Ph.D., "Water content of liquid acid gas and liquid propane in the presence of a hydrate phase."
B.Sc., Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Nigeria.

Senya Rennie (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2020)

Senya Rennie (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2020)

Senya is currently studying Chemistry at the University of Calgary. During her summer term, she explored the solubility of elemental sulfur in natural gas liquids, specifically butane at high pressures.

Mitchell Stashick (M.Sc., 2019)

Mitchell Stashick (M.Sc., 2019)

Mitchell Stashick, M.Sc., "Rheometric properties of liquid elemental sulfur and the modifying effects of hydrogen sulfide"

B.Sc., Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC. 

Dr. Juan J. Marrugo Hernandez (Ph.D., 2019)

Dr. Juan J. Marrugo Hernandez (Ph.D., 2019)

Juan Marrugo, Ph.D.,“Reactions involving fracturing chemical additives with implication in delayed H2S production”  
B.Sc., University of Cartagena, Colombia. 

Alexandre Bernard (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2019)

Alexandre Bernard (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2019)

Alex is studying chemical engineering at the University of Ottawa. During the summer Alex was investigating heat capacities of liquids using a Picker microflow calorimeter in series with a densimeter to reduce error, with the eventual goal of being able to find specific heat capacities of solutions under high heat and pressure.

Christian Keenan (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2019)

Christian Keenan (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2019)

Christian is studying for a Bachelor of Science, Astrophysics, at the University of Calgary. He was investigating the ability of ammonia to inhibit sulfur contact corrosion. Additionally, he looked into the applications of the ammonium hydrosulfide and its ability to dissolve sulfur.

Mohamed Ould Abdallahi (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2019)

Mohamed Ould Abdallahi (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2019)

Mohamed is a Chemistry student at the University of Calgary. He was investigating the age and friability for different forms of elemental sulfur. Mohamed was looking at several key properties during the aging of sulfur products such as H2S content, friability, compressible strength, water retention and water holding capacity.

Dr. Kyle Wynnyk (Ph.D., 2019)

Dr. Kyle Wynnyk (Ph.D., 2019)

Kyle Wynnyk, Ph.D., “High-pressure adsorption equilibria aimed at optimizing sour gas conditioning."
Kyle is now with Fluid Energy Group as a Technical Specialist. 
B.Sc., University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta

Jade Fischer (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2018)

Jade Fischer (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2018)

Jade is taking a degree in physics at the University of Calgary. During the summer she was investigating downhole kinetics of corrosion inhibitors with implications of hydrogen sulfide production.   

Romani Lalani (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2018)

Romani Lalani (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2018)

Romani is pursuing a degree in Materials Engineering from the University of Alberta. During the summer she was working on the separation of several sour gas components via adsorption on various adsorbents including zeolite.   

Chelsea Rose (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2016 and 2017)

Chelsea Rose (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2017 and 2016)

Chelsea is a student from Dalhausie University. She was focusing on sulfur chemistry for the second consecutive summer. She was studying the properties of liquid sulfur viscosity at varying temperatures. Chelsea was also looking into different ways to purify sulfur to allow more accurate measurements for research and industry purposes.   

Saud Sunba (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2017)

Saud Sunba (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2017)

Saud completed a B.Sc. in biological sciences and is now an M.D. student (both at the University of Calgary). He was researching the delayed production of hydrogen sulfide in shale gas through the oxidation of varying hydrocarbons.

Gabriel Sofekun (M.Sc., 2017)

Gabriel Sofekun (M.Sc., 2017)

Gabriel Sofekun, M.Sc., "Rheometric Properties of Pure Liquid Elemental Sulfur."
B.Sc., University of Lagos, Akoka-Lagos, Nigeria.

Fadi Alkhateeb (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Fadi Alkhateeb (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Fadi is currently working as a Senior Scientist, Separations Science, Scientific Operations at Waters 
in Mildford, MA, USA.

Fadi worked on modifying a high pressure differential scanning calorimeter to  measure heat capacities of acid gas mixtures under high pressures. 

Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, University of Calgary, "Novel Strategies for Rapid Analytical Preparation of Solid Samples."

Kai Feng (Undergraduate Exchange Student, 2015-2016)

Kai Feng (Undergraduate Exchange Student, 2015-2016)

Rheometric properties of elemental sulfur 
China University of Petroleum (East China), 2012-current, B.Sc. (Applied Chemistry)

 

 

Garrett Yu (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2016)

Garrett Yu (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2016)

Garrett was an undergraduate student at the University of Calgary. He was assisting Seungwook (Tommy) Lee in the fabrication and assembly of a test apparatus, with the aim of developing new methods for low concentration H2S oxidation in supercritical and liquid CO2.

Dr. Payman Pirzadeh (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2014-2015)

Dr. Payman Pirzadeh (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2014-2015)

Dr. Pirzadeh is currently working at Imperial Oil as a Lead Researcher, Asphalt.
Low temperature thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) reactions.    
Ph.D. in Computational/Physical Chemistry, University of Calgary (2012), "Ice growth phenomenology in the presence of non-electrolytes: From small molecules to antifreeze proteins." 
M.Sc. in Biophysics, University of Teheran, Iran.  
B.Sc. in Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Iran.

Dr. Behnaz Hojjati (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2012-2015)

Dr. Behnaz Hojjati (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2012-2015)

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, "Synthesis and Characterization of TiO2 Nanocomposites via Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain-Transfer Polymerization (2010)."  University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
B.Sc., Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Matt Saunders (Summer Research Student, 2014)

Matt Saunders (Summer Research Student, 2014)

Matt is currently an Analytical Specialist with Sulphur Experts.
Measured densities of wet CO2 over large pressure ranges.
B.Sc. (Chemistry), University of Calgary.
Red Deer College.

Zach Ward (Ph.D. student, A.K. Sum and C.A. Koh, Colorado School of Mines, 2013)

Zach is a Senior Application Scientist at Clariant.
Ph.D., Colorado School of Mines.
B.Sc., Colorado School of Mines.

 

 

Shaunak Raval (Co-op Research Student, 2014-2015)

Shaunak Raval (Co-op Research Student, 2014-2015)

Thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) reactions.
University of Calgary, B.Sc. (Applied Chemistry)
 

Dr. Soheil Mortazavi-Manesh (2010-2014)

Dr. Soheil Mortazavi-Manesh (2010-2014)

Dr. Mortazavi-Manesh is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Calgary and is an independent consultant (Oil and Gas Engineering).
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, "Gas sweetening using Ionic liquids."
M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering (Thermodynamics), Sharif University of Technology, Iran.

M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, University of Calgary in Chemical Engineering (Controls).
B.Sc. in Petrochemical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran.

Dr. Erin Evoy (Undergraduate Summer Research Student 2013)

Elemental sulfur viscosity.
B.Sc., University of Western Ontario.
Erin completed a Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia.