Special Sessions
📢 Welcome to the Special Sessions of the PEOPLE 2025 International Conference. These sessions bring together leading researchers, scientists, and professionals to discuss critical topics shaping the future of environmental sustainability, climate action, and resource management. Explore the sessions below (organized alphabetically by title) to learn more about the organizers and sessions overview.
Special Session 1:
Future-ready Biological Water Resource Recovery Technologies in the Context of Climate Change
Dr. Jinkai Xue
Associate Professor, University of Regina
Jinkai Xue, Ph.D., P.Eng., is an Associate Professor in Environmental Systems Engineering at the University of Regina (UofR), the Principal Investigator (PI) of the UofR Cold-Region Water Resource Recovery Laboratory (CRWRRL), and the Founder/CEO of EcoLoop Sustainable Technologies Limited. His research focuses on sustainable water and wastewater treatment technologies, particularly for cold climates. With over $4M in support from provincial, federal, and international funding programs, Dr. Xue’s team employs physical, chemical, and biological methods to comprehensively tackle complex pollution challenges. Dr. Xue earned his Bachelor’s degree at Tongji University in China, Master of Science at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, and Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. Prior to his appointment at the UofR, he conducted research as a postdoctoral associate at the University of Minnesota (U.S.A.), served as an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Waterloo (Canada), and was an associate professor at Sun Yat-sen University (China). Dr. Xue is currently a committee member of the Environmental Division (Vice-Chair) and the Cold-Regions Division (Secretary) of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), as well as the Chair of the Scholarship and Awards Committee for the Central Canada Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He is also a member of the NSERC Advisory Committee on Research & Technology Partnerships.
Visit ProfileDr. Oliver Iorhemen
Assistant Professor, University of Northern British Columbia
Oliver Iorhemen, Ph.D., P.Eng., is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). His research focuses on resource recovery from biological wastewater treatment systems and process intensification of biofiltration for cost effective water treatment in the face of a changing climate. Dr. Iorhemen earned his Bachelor’s degree at the Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, Master of Science in Engineering at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, and Ph.D. from the University of Calgary. Prior to joining UNBC, he was an NSERC postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta. Since joining UNBC, Dr. Iorhemen has been awarded several grants (as the PI) including NSERC Discovery Grant of $27,000/year, NSERC Research Tools and Instruments grant as lead applicant ($125,962), and NSERC Alliance International Catalyst Grant twice ($25,000 each time). Additionally, he was a co-applicant of one of the 10 semi-finalists (national success rate: 11.5%) of Natural Resources Canada’s Oil Spill Challenge in 2022, receiving $300,000 to develop a nano/micro bubble gas flotation and adsorption-based oil recovery system; and subsequently become one of the finalists of the Challenge in 2023, receiving $1,000,000. Dr. Iorhemen is currently the Vice Chair of the Northern BC section of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), Subject Editor on the Editorial Board of Energy, Ecology and Environment, reviewer for both national and international grants. He is also a member of scholarly societies such as CSCE, the Canadian Association on Water Quality, the International Water Association, and the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors.
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Session Overview:
As climate change intensifies, innovative approaches to wastewater management and water resource recovery are urgently needed. This session will convene professors, students, and emerging researchers to explore cutting-edge developments in biological treatment processes aimed at fostering resilience and sustainability. Key topics include but not limited to:
Novel biological treatment reactors (biofilms, granular sludge systems, algal reactors, etc.)
AI and machine learning for performance optimization
Degradation mechanisms for specific pollutants
Enhancing system resilience under shock loads or adverse climate conditions
Off-grid and remote community solutions
Lifecycle assessment (LCA) of emerging technologies
Real-world case studies demonstrating success in diverse conditions
Special Session 2:
Oilfield Water and Wastewater Treatment - Focusing on Emerging Contaminants and Resource Development
Dr. Xiaomeng Wang
Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada
Dr. Xiaomeng Wang received her PhD degree in Analytical Chemistry from University of Toronto, MEng degree in Environmental Engineering from University of Alberta and BSc degree in Chemistry from Jilin University in China. Since 2008, Dr. Wang has worked as a Research scientist at CanmetENERY Devon, Natural Resources Canada. She has extensive experience in leading research programs on wastewater treatment, contaminant analysis, and environmental impact studies. Her expertise spans chemistry, environmental engineering, and natural resource/environmental management. Over the years, Dr. Wang has collaborated with colleagues and partners both in academia and industry, and authored numerous peer-reviewed journal papers, book chapters, scientific reports, and conference presentations.
Session Overview:
Unconventional oil and gas development consumes significant amount of water. After use, highly contaminated water is either stored onsite or disposed in deep wells. Understanding the environmental fate and behavior for emerging contaminants in the various streams of oilfield wastewater from unconventional oil and gas industry is essential to serve the needs of environmental stewardship for resources development. In this special session, we invite presentations that will advance our understanding of the fate and effects of hydrocarbon production (including surface mining and in situ oil sands development as well as hydraulic fracturing operations) and oil transport on aquatic ecosystems. Advanced data analytics combining with field sampling and instrumental analysis are highly recommended. Case studies of accidental oil and oilfield wastewater spills in natural water bodies and experimental spills in model ecosystems are of particular interest to this session. We also welcome presentations that will discuss mitigation strategies to reduce potential environmental impacts of petroleum industry, or propose effective monitoring approaches and techniques appropriate for aquatic ecosystems.
Special Session 3:
Plastics in the Environment: Sources, Transport, Fate, and Effects
Dr. Min Yang
Banting Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Min Yang is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial University, where she obtained her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering. Her research focuses on the transport and fate of microplastics in marine environments and their interactions with organic contaminants, including oil, antibiotics, and plastic additives. She has passion for exploring the role of marine bacteria in degrading microplastic-related co-contaminants and assessing their effects on marine organisms. She developed a comprehensive framework to evaluate the formation, transport, and fate of microplastic-oil-dispersant agglomerate (MODA), a newly identified oil-related agglomerate, in marine environments. Her work provides valuable insights for oil spill response strategies and advances scientific understanding of microplastic and oil interactions—an area previously overlooked.
Dr. Xia (Alice) Zhu
Banting Postdoctoral Fellow
Xia (Alice) Zhu is an environmental scientist and Banting Postdoctoral Fellow studying plastic pollution at MUN in the Department of Ocean Sciences. She uses a combination of field sampling, experimentation, and modelling approaches to answer questions pertaining to the transport, fate, and effects of plastic pollution in the global ocean. Alice is heavily involved in environmental advocacy at the local, national, and international levels and was named a Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leader by Corporate Knights in 2023.
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Session Overview:
Plastic pollution is adversely impacting the Earth's ecosystems, wildlife, and even humans. Their negative effects are expected to worsen over time as plastic production increases. In order to assess the state of contamination of our environment by plastics and suggest solutions, we need a thorough understanding of how plastic pollution is generated, how it travels in soil, freshwater, and marine environments, and what types of effects it poses. This special session invites submissions pertaining to the sources, transport, fate, and effects of plastics and micro/nano plastics, including but not limited to field sampling, laboratory experimentation, modelling, and remote sensing studies. Our hope is to encourage dialogue surrounding this issue so that we can advance the state of knowledge of the field, and work together towards possible solutions.
Special Session 4:
Strengthening Emergency Response Measures for Hazardous and Noxious Substance Spills in Aquatic Ecosystems
Dr. James Brydie
Research Director, Natural Resources Canada
Dr. James Brydie is an environmental scientist and Director with CanmetENERGY Devon (Natural Resources Canada), leading a team of research scientists and engineers to address environmental issues related to natural resource development.
Dr. Brydie has over 30 years of experience in academia, the nuclear industry, Alberta Provincial and Canadian federal government research roles related to characterizing, monitoring and remediating contaminants in the natural environment; including gases, liquid petroleum products, trace metals and radionuclides. He has developed and used physical and numerical models to simulate and remediate contaminant migration in surface and groundwater ecosystems from bench- to field-scale. Examples include the detection and migration of oil and diluted bitumen leakage from pipelines, ship-sourced oil spill studies, Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), decontamination of groundwater plumes, the remediation of CO2 leakage in the subsurface from pilot and commercial-scale Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) sites in Alberta. Developing research areas include underground hydrogen storage and critical mineral studies.
Visit ProfileDr. Qin Xin
Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada
Session Overview:
The global demand and transportation of goods classified as Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), which includes alternative and emerging fuels, chemicals, plastics and other petroleum products, is steadily increasing. However, knowledge gaps remain regarding the spill behaviour, potential short term ecological impact(s) and longer term fate of these substances when accidentally released into aquatic environments. Environments of interest include marine waters (temperate and Arctic) and freshwaters such as rivers, lakes and wetlands.
This technical session will include presentations that deepen our understanding of HNS spills as a function of their physical, chemical and microbiological properties, supporting the development of novel emergency response measures in aquatic ecosystems. We will focus upon presentations that showcase (i) and modeling efforts aimed at improving strategies for HNS response, monitoring, and remediation, (ii) Case studies detailing accidental HNS spills in natural water bodies and spill response approaches taken, (iii) Innovative monitoring approaches and advanced analytical techniques for detecting HNS in aquatic ecosystems. These topics will provide valuable information as well as drawing attention to research gaps and opportunities across the PEOPLE network.
Special Session 5:
Ocean Frontier Institute: Safety, Sustainability, and Climate Action in Oceans Environments
Dr. Kristin M. Poduska
Professor, Physics and Physical Oceanography, Faculty of Science, Memorial University | Associate Scientific Director, Transforming Climate Action, Ocean Frontier Institute
Transforming Climate Action, Ocean Frontier Institute
Visit ProfileDr. Paul Snelgrove
Network Director, NSERC Canadian Healthy Oceans, Network (CHONe II) | Associate Associate Scientific Director, Ocean Frontier Institute | Departmental Science Advisor, Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Research Professor, Department of Ocean Sciences and Biology Department, Memorial University
Session Overview:
This session explores the critical role of oceans in climate change, focusing on the latest research and innovations in oceanography and climate science. Join us to discuss how oceans influence global climate systems and what actions we can take to mitigate climate impacts.
