Dr. Samira Gharehkhani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Victoria.
Research interests: lignin, cellulose, micro-supercapacitors, additive manufacturing, printed/engineered devices, pulp and paper, engineering education
Dr. Samira Gharehkhani joined the University of Victoria, Canada, as an Assistant Professor in 2023. Her research focuses on developing sustainable advanced materials for energy and environmental applications. Dr. Gharehkhani's specific research interests include micro and nanofibrillated cellulose, lignin and nanolignin, biowaste-derived carbons for miniaturized energy storage devices. She has received various awards and grants, including a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship (Imperial College London), and Discovery Grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Email: sgharehkhani@uvic.ca
Office: EOW231
Ikechukwu Samuel Anyanwu, PDF
Email: ikechukwus@uvic.ca
Zahra (Yasaman) Mohammadkazemi, PhD student
Email: zahramohammadkazemi@uvic.ca
Soroush Etebarian, PhD student
Soroush obtained his Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering, with a focus on ceramic materials, from Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). During his Master’s studies, he worked on layered ternary carbides and nitrides, known as MAX phases, and their derivative 2D materials, MXenes, for extreme-environment applications. His current research focuses on bio-based materials and sustainable solutions toward green, safe, and high-performance energy storage systems, with particular interest in miniaturized devices such as microsupercapacitors (MSCs). Outside of the lab, Soroush enjoys drinking lots of coffee, hiking, and playing chess.
Email:setebarian@uvic.ca
Martha Stephanie Perez-Mendoza PhD Student , Visiting PhD student
I am pursuing a PhD in Materials Science at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex), and currently working in GRL group at UVic as a visiting student. My research interests focus on micro- and nanomaterials, particularly the synthesis and characterization of metal oxides and composite materials. I am particularly interested in electron microscopy, TEM and SEM, for the morphological and microstructural characterization of materials.My current research involves the development and characterization of nanocellulose-based composite materials decorated with metal oxides.
Email: mperezm035@alumno.uaemex.mx
Fatemeh (Nafis) Ghasemi, MASc student
I completed my master's degree in industrial engineering at Isfahan University of Technology. I'm currently pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Victoria. My academic and research Interests focus on energy systems, sustainability and advanced manufacturing with a focus on machine learning applications in process optimization and energy efficiency .
My current research involves the application of electrospun lignin nanofibers in energy storage systems which aim to develop sustainable materials for next generation energy technologies.
Email: fghasemi@uvic.ca
Savannah Dam, MASc student
Savannah is currently pursuing a MASc in Mechanical Engineering, having graduated with a BSc in Combined Physics and Biochemistry (minor in Mechanical Systems) from the University of Victoria. Her previous research focused on the intersection of liberal and mechanical arts, with an emphasis on STEM education. Currently, she is interested in advancing sustainable engineering practices through biomimicry and circular material strategies.
Email: savannahdam@uvic.ca
MohammadJafar Sharifi (Mj), MASc student
Mj obtained his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (Solid Mechanics) from Semnan University, Iran. He has extensive research experience in studying the high-cycle fatigue behavior of aluminum alloys reinforced with nanoclay, with multiple publications and two patents. He is currently pursuing his second master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Victoria as a member of Gharehkhani lab. His research focuses on developing green synthesis approaches for nano-spherical lignin and it's application in next-generation water electrolyzers.
Email: mjsharifi92@uvic.ca
Sahar Soheili, MEng student
I am a Mechanical Engineering graduate specializing in fluid mechanics. My research interests include experimental and computational fluid dynamics, microfluidics, and sustainable water–energy systems.
My goal is to develop innovative and environmentally sustainable engineering solutions.
Email: saharsoheili@uvic.ca
Andrea Armstrong, USRA intern
Andrea Armstrong is a third-year mechanical engineering student. She has continued her education after establishing her career in the shipbuilding industry constructing Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast guard vessels. She is a Redseal welder, CWB weld inspector, and welding engineering technologist. She was awarded the NSERC USRA award and is performing research on sustainable lignin-based electrodes for energy applications.
Email: alrea.armstrong@gmail.com
Samprit Gupta, Undergraduate intern
I am a Computer Science student at the University of Victoria with interests in software development and interactive technologies. My experience includes creating augmented reality applications, developing real-time visualization tools, and improving the performance of mobile and desktop systems. I enjoy building practical and accessible software that supports learning and research.
Email: gupta.samprit@gmail.com
Matthias Aigner-Postdoctoral researcher, 2025
Jack Davis-NSERC USRA intern, 2025
Adin Nelson-App developer intern, 2025
Erick Gómez Castillo, Mitacs Globalink intern, 2025
Sandra Catalina Castillo Velasquez- Mitacs Globalink intern, 2024
Toney Cieri- App developer intern, 2024