A Collaborative Team with Deep Technical Expertise
A Collaborative Team with Deep Technical Expertise
BC Research Inc. has a strong multidisciplinary team that excels in new process development and scale-up, with a strong focus on fundamentals and safety. Our roster includes experienced research engineers and scientists, analytical chemists, chemical technicians, and chemical process engineers. Moreover, we can draw on resources from other areas of the NORAM Group as needed, and we have a wide network of collaborators in universities and research organizations across Canada and abroad.
Meet the Technical Team
Clive Brereton
President, Ph.D., F.C.A.Eng.
Clive Brereton is President of BC Research Inc. and a Senior Process Engineer. He has over 40 years of experience in development, design and commissioning of chemical and electrochemical plants in a variety of roles within Noram Engineering and Constructors Ltd., Noram Electrolysis Systems Inc. and BC Research Inc. His technical work has been in a number of areas including nitration technology, fluidized bed technology and electrochemical systems.
Chief Science Officer, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Mike Gattrell is focused on chemical engineering technology development involving improving existing processes and advancing new processes. Project experience includes: the production of carbon fibres from Alberta asphaltenes, black liquor pyrolysis for chemical production, bromine and nitrogen trichloride control in chlorine production, nitration reactor modelling, subcritical wet-ox for treatment of nitration wastewater, redox-flow batteries, and electrochemical wastewater treatment.
Evan Hobenshield
Senior Process Engineer, BASc, P.Eng.
With 29 years of professional experience, including 27 in research and development, Evan Hobenshield offers deep and versatile technical expertise, and practical insight into complex engineering challenges. His work covers nitration, sulphuric acid systems, corrosion, electrochemistry, pulp and paper, and wastewater treatment. Evan is highly skilled in designing, constructing, and operating laboratory- and pilot-scale experiments, with a strong emphasis on practical, real-world implementation.
Chemistry Co-op Student
Edmund Leung is a Chemistry Co-op Student from The University of British Columbia, Chemistry Department. At BC Research Inc. Edmund contributes to lab experiments for bench-scale projects and supports pilot plant projects through advanced analytical testing and materials characterization.
Jian Li
Pilot Operations Technician
Jian Li is a Chemical Operations Technician focused on operating and monitoring Naphtha Recovery Unit pilot plants, supporting hydrocarbon recovery, separation efficiency, and process performance under simulated industrial conditions. He also assists with operations for a carbon fiber research and development initiative exploring process parameters to achieve lower-cost scale-up. His work combines hands-on operations with applied experimentation to bridge pilot studies and real-world applications.
James Lockhart
Vice President and CTO, BASc., P.Eng.
James Lockhart, P.Eng, Vice President & CTO, leads the New Ventures group at NORAM Engineering which executes novel technology commercialization projects which fall outside of NORAM’s traditional business areas or offerings and often involve pilot plants and testing at BC Research Inc. He has extensive experience with the development, scale-up and commercialization of new, chemical process technologies in variety of different industries including: bioproducts, pulp & paper, oil & gas and green chemicals.
Analytical Chemist, M.Sc., P.Chem.
Sadaf Masud is an accomplished Analytical Chemist with extensive experience delivering analytical support across diverse research projects. Her expertise includes method development and validation, as well as advanced instrumental analysis. Sadaf holds a M.Sc. in Chemistry and is a professional chemist with a strong academic foundation spanning chemistry, botany, and zoology.
Junior Engineering Support , B.A.Sc.
Dana Mavrow is a Junior Engineering Support at BC Research Inc. with a B.A.Sc. in Materials Engineering from the University of British Columbia. Her primary focus is on an Alberta Innovates funded Carbon Fiber Project, in which she supports the evaluation, characterization, and performance assessment of this emerging material. Her work focuses on understanding material behaviour and enabling the development of innovative and sustainable advanced manufacturing solutions.
Research and Laboratory Manager, M.Sc.(tech), D.Sc.(tech), PMP
As Research Manager at BC Research Inc., Elina "Elli" Niinivaara manages the research portfolio and leads technical project delivery. Elli is a research scientist specialising in bioproduct technology and surface science and holds a M.Sc.(tech.) in forest products chemistry and a D.Sc.(tech.) in bioproduct technology, focusing on the colloidal chemistry of nanocellulose systems. Her work bridges fundamental science and applied innovation.
Junior Engineering Support, B.A.Sc.
Aryan Seth is a Junior Engineering Support at BC Research Inc., and holds a B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia. Aryan contributes to the execution of experimental programs and technology scale-up initiatives, with his primary focus on an Alberta Innovates funded Carbon Fiber Project. His work centers on process optimization, pilot-scale operations, and the advancement of carbon fiber manufacturing technologies.
Research Chemist, B.Sc.
Rachel Shum is a Research Chemist at BC Research Inc. with a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Simon Fraser University. She supports research and development projects through laboratory experimentation, analytical characterization, and data analysis. Rachel has a strong background in analytical chemistry, encompassing analytical method development, chemical and material characterization, and the operation and maintenance of advanced analytical instrumentation. Her work contributes to process and materials development by generating reliable data and supporting safe, efficient laboratory operations.
Research Engineer, M.Sc., EIT
Tahmeed Tasnim has been a Research Engineer at BC Research Inc. since 2021, with an academic background in Materials Engineering (B.Sc., M.Sc.). He is the Lead Engineer of an Alberta Innovates funded Carbon Fiber Project at BC Research Inc., as well as a Process Engineering support for multiple chemical plant designs.
Hongying Zhao
Research and Development Engineer, Ph.D., P.Eng., PMP
Hongying Zhao is a Senior R&D Engineer with a PhD in Chemical Engineering. Hongying leads projects in micro/nanobubble generation, micro/nanoplastic removal and identification, tailings and wastewater treatment, CO₂ capture, tall oil separation, and mass-transfer intensification, advancing technologies from concept to pilot demonstration. Coordinates industry–academic collaborations through Mitacs projects. Prior experience spans bioengineering, oil sands, interfacial phenomena, reservoir fluid PVT, flow assurance, and microfluidics.
Our Core Strengths
Our Core Strengths
Specialized Analytical Methods
Specialized analytical method development for unconventional and chemically complex samples
Contract Research
Handling, processing and characterizing standard and chemically complex samples and materials
Process Innovation
Solving demanding challenges in chemical process innovation
Flexible Pilot Design and Operation
Operating pilot and demonstration plants with detailed engineering designs from NORAM Engineering and Constructors Ltd.
Industrial Chemistries
Proven ability to work with industrially relevant chemistries and process conditions
Scalable Solutions
Transforming bench-scale research into larger-scale pilot and demonstration systems
Specialized Analytical Methods
Specialized analytical method development for unconventional and chemically complex samples
Contract Research
Handling, processing and characterizing standard and chemically complex samples and materials
Process Innovation
Solving demanding challenges in chemical process innovation
Flexible Pilot Design and Operation
Operating pilot and demonstration plants with detailed engineering designs from NORAM Engineering and Constructors Ltd.
Industrial Chemistries
Proven ability to work with industrially relevant chemistries and process conditions
Scalable Solutions
Transforming bench-scale research into larger-scale pilot and demonstration systems