Our team made a strong impact at the fifth annual Scientific Endeavours in Academia (SEA) interdisciplinary research conference, held April 8–9, 2026. Everyone stepped into the spotlight to share their work, and the results speak for themselves.
A special congratulations to:
– Olivia, who won Best Chemistry Talk in the graduate and post-doctoral fellow category.
– Rylan, who received the Best Chemistry Poster award in the graduate and post-doctoral fellow category.
– Padma, who was awarded both the Gong Show Best Presentation (graduate or undergraduate) and the Vice-President (Academic) Best Talk (graduate or undergraduate).
We are also proud to recognize everyone who presented their work at the conference:
– Megan F. gave an oral presentation and participated in the Gong Show.
– Megan G. Mikhailey, Emily, Jane, Kate, and Hy showcased their research through poster presentations.
Check out the pictures below.
This in-person, two-day event provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase our research, connect with fellow scientists, and celebrate the incredible work being done across our group. Whether through poster presentations, oral talks, or Gong Show, we demonstrated the depth and diversity of our research in Green Chemistry.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to push the boundaries of science and innovation. For questions or to learn more about our group’s work, feel free to reach out to us directly. We can’t wait to build on this momentum and achieve even greater success together!
Filed under: Achievements in the group | Tags: ACS Green Chemistry Institute, green chemistry, Green polymers, Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship, Memorial University
We are proud to celebrate Mikhailey Wheeler from Memorial University for her outstanding accomplishments in green chemistry this month.
Mikhailey recently delivered a successful Ph.D. departmental seminar, showcasing her innovative research. In addition, she has been honoured with the prestigious Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship from the ACS Green Chemistry Institute. This award recognizes her exceptional contributions to advancing sustainable chemistry and supports her participation at the upcoming 30th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in San Antonio this June. Check out this LinkedIn Post from ACS Green Chemistry Institute.
Mikhailey’s work exemplifies our commitment to cutting-edge research in sustainable materials, green synthesis, and environmental solutions. Look at the pictures below, from rocking the seminar stage to winning prestigious awards, Mikhailey is showing us all that science isn’t just about experiments, it’s about having a blast while changing the world! 😀
Congratulations to Mikhailey on these well-deserved recognitions!
Filed under: Achievements in the group
We are thrilled to announce that Sarah Boudreau has successfully defended her PhD thesis! After years of dedication and hard work, Sarah has grown into an exceptional chemist, thanks in large part to the guidance of her supervisors, Fran Kerton and Edmond Lam.
Sarah’s journey was marked not only by her scientific achievements but also by the strong connections she formed along the way. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and excited to see where her passion for scientific communication and chemistry will take her next.
Wishing Sarah all the best as she spends the summer in Newfoundland and prepares for her next chapter in research or industry!
Check out her LinkedIn
Filed under: Group News | Tags: green chemistry, Green polymers, Non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPU), students, Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
We’re excited to share that members of our group (Green Chemistry and Catalysis) are featured in Picture Us: A Research at Memorial Event, celebrating Memorial University’s centennial by highlighting the vibrant and diverse research happening across campus.
What is Picture Us?
Picture Us is a unique initiative by the Office of the Vice-President (Research) that showcases impactful research through compelling photos of researchers and their work. Up to 100 researchers or research teams were featured in a series of art exhibits, bringing science and creativity together in inspiring ways.
Our Team’s Highlights:
February Feature: Fran’s photo, captured alongside Olivia and the UHPLC-MS (Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry), also known as Remy, was selected for the February exhibit.
March Feature: Chris’s photo, captured with Padma showcasing a non-isocyanate polyurethane polymer (NIPU) made from sustainable algae oil, was featured in the March exhibit.
Both Fran and Chris submitted photos, and we’re proud to see their work recognized in this special celebration of research at Memorial.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Fran and Chris have just returned from visiting the University of the Basque Country at two campuses in Donastia (San Sebastián) and Bilbao.
Many thanks to our hosts! Scroll through the pictures below!
The EHU Chemistry Department in the distance in Donostia 
Periodic Table on the outside of the building in Donostia 
Fran giving a presentation in Donostia 
Fran giving a presentation in Donostia 
UN SDGs in Basque Language 
Chris giving a presentation in Donostia 
Fran and Chris overlooking Donostia 
The Engineering and Science building on the campus in Bilbao 
Periodic Table in Bilbao 
C60 in Bilbao 
Chris ahead of a joint presentation in Bilbao 
Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site (Vizcaya Bridge) with our hosts
Filed under: Uncategorized
Thank you to MUN Chemistry Society (MUNCS) and the Chemistry Graduate Society (CGS) for organizing the department’s holiday party at Bridie Molloy’s on George Street.
In case we forget during the busy exam period, Happy Holidays from us to you! Be safe and happy, and very best wishes for a wonderful 2026.
Filed under: Uncategorized
We realized that with several new graduate students joining the group this semester – it was time for a new photo….this time featuring our local blue whale in the background!
(Emily W is missing, as she was busy off-campus)
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: biomass, chemistry, green chemistry, Green polymers, Memorial University, research, students
There has been lots of exciting news from the Green Cat Chem group over the last few months! Let’s begin by congratulating everyone on successfully publishing multiple manuscripts! 🎉
Publications
- F. M. Kerton, “Applying the principles of green chemistry to achieve a more sustainable polymer life cycle,” Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 2025, 51, 100996. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2024.100996)
- K. V. M. Hanrahan, C. M. Meyers, C. W. Vos, J.-B. Lin and C. M. Kozak, “Kinetic studies of zirconium-catalyzed ring-opening copolymerization of epoxide and cyclic anhydride,” Canadian Journal of Chemistry, 2025, e-First. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjc-2024-0201)
- S. Boudreau, S. Hrapovic, E. McIsaac, E. Lam, F. Berrué and F. M. Kerton, “Transforming waste fish bones into nanoparticles with ultrasound and aqueous organic acids,” RSC Sustainability, 2025, 3, 2325-2332. (DOI: 10.1039/D5SU00164A)
- O. N. Egbe, B. H. P. Morrissey, F. M. Kerton and T. J. Stockmann, “Anodic expulsion of Cu nanoparticles from a polycrystalline Cu substrate: a novel corrosion and single entity study approach,” Nanoscale, 2025, 17, 10609-10619. (DOI: 10.1039/D4NR04863F)
- J. N. Murphy, M. A. Morgan, S. Christian-Robinson, M. M. Fitzgerald and F. M. Kerton, “Optimized process to produce calcium acetate from waste blue mussel shells and its use as a de-icer,” Canadian Journal of Chemistry, 2025, e-First. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjc-2024-0279)
- S. Christian-Robinson, F. Kong, E. B. Easton and F. M. Kerton, “Modification of calcium carbonate from blue mussel shells with copper oxide nanoparticles,” RSC Sustainability, 2025, 3, 3009-3018. (DOI: 10.1039/D5SU00188A)
- M. D. Wheeler and F. M. Kerton, “Borane-catalysed cyclodepolymerization of CO2-derived polycarbonates”, Faraday Discussions, 2025, Accepted Manuscript. (DOI: 10.1039/D5FD00050E)
- J. E. Peddle, C. M. Laprise, M. D. Wheeler, M. M. Fitzgerald, F. M. Kerton and C. M. Kozak, “Ocean Biomass-derived Feedstocks for Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane Synthesis,” Faraday Discussions, 2025, Accepted Manuscript. (DOI: 10.1039/D5FD00059A)
- M. J. J. Laprade, K. N. Robertson, J. A. C. Clyburne and C. M. Kozak, “A new class of ligand derived from the reactions of bis(dialkylphosphino)amines and 9-diazofluorene: preparation, structure and reactivity,” Dalton Transactions, 2025, 54, 11382-11397. (DOI: 10.1039/D4DT03402C)
Conferences & Summer Schools
Many students from Green Cat Chem had the privilege to present at several conferences and attend summer schools during the past few months. Throughout May and June, Prof. Kerton and Prof. Kozak attended multiple conferences, including the Commonwealth Chemistry Congress in South Africa, the International Conference on Sustainable Chemistry for Net Zero in Scotland, the RSC Sustainability Symposium in England, and the Gordon Research Conference on Biobased Chemicals and Materials in Maine.
At the CSC Conference this year in Ottawa, Prof. Kerton and Prof. Kozak had the opportunity to present their research as well as many of their students, including Sarah Boudreau, Cyler Vos, Amy Mitchell, Megan Graham, Meghan McKeeman, Mikhailey Wheeler, Olivia Wyper, Megan Fitzgerald, and Emily Wiseman.
Prof. Kerton, Prof. Kozak, Sarah, Mikhailey, and Olivia presented at the ACS Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. Before the conference officially started, Olivia took part of a service project in North Pittsburgh neighbourhoods and helped organized Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Committment summit with Mikhailey and other international students. At this summit, Prof. Kerton was invited to give a short presentation. At the awards banquet on the first evening, Sarah accepted the Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship from the ACS GCI.
Prof. Kerton, the chair of the Committee on Chemical Research Applied to World Needs (CHEMRAWN), represented Canada at IUPAC2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Not only did she present at the CHEMRAWN Meeting and represented Canada at the IUPAC Council Meeting, but she was also at the World Chemistry Leadership Meeting and she was a keynote speaker in the symposium “Towards a Sustainable Future: Engaging Society for a Systemic Change”. Prof. Kerton will be the chair of IUPAC2027 in Montreal, QC which will be held in conjunction with CSC 2027. We look forward to it!
Sarah travelled to Burlington, VT for the ACS GCI Green & Sustainable Chemistry Summer School from July 26 to August 1, 2025. During this year’s summer school, multiple green chemistry topics were explored including metrics, green solvents, earth-abundant catalysis, renewable feedstocks, circularity, molecular design, and designing safer chemicals for healthy communities. She presented two research posters and a group presentation on 6PPD.
Mikhailey, Emily, Meghan, and Oforbuike Egbe attended the Centre for Innovation and Research on Carbon Utilization in Industrial Technologies (CIRCUIT) Summer School in Quebec City, QC where they presented research posters and learned about electrochemical CO2 systems, applications of AI models, and current achievements in CO2 electrolyzers.
We now all look forward to a productive start to the Fall semester next month, and hope everyone gets the opportunity to enjoy the last few weeks of Summer! 😎
Filed under: Uncategorized
Check it out everyone, Megan’s new paper “Entirely biomass-derived hydrogel composites for possible applications in drug delivery” is available in Thieme’s new journal Sustainability & Circularity NOW (https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/a-2487-4285).
In this article, hydrogel materials were created by incorporating soft-calcite originating from blue mussel shells into chitosan-alginate beads. The beads had a core containing chitosan and soft calcite (0 – 2.5 wt.%) while the outer layer was made of alginate. The samples were characterized and observed with multiple techniques including SEM, FT-IR, and TGA.
During encapsulation studies, they used three solutions to determine swelling within biological solutions: 0.1 M HCl (surrogate gastric fluid), 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (surrogate intestinal fluid), and deionized water. Methylene blue was used as a model drug during encapsulation efficiency and release studies. While beads containing soft calcite swelled less in HCl compared to control experiments, the swelling didn’t change when immersed in potassium phosphate buffer. Despite the overall reduced encapsulation efficiency of hydrogels made with soft calcite, it was observed that methylene blue was released in a significantly more controlled manner.
This study proves that it’s possible to prepare hydrogels that are entirely biomass-based and have the potential to be used in drug delivery applications. Replacing petroleum-based materials with wasted biomass is a big step towards ultimately achieving a circular economy.
Congratulations again Megan! ☺️
Green Chemistry @ MUN 