2022-2023 Cohort of Parex Innovation Fellows
Dr. Darren Derksen, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Dr. Darren Derksen was born in Canada, in 1981. He received his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Alberta in 2008, and was then a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge, UK until 2010. He then joined St. Francis Xavier University (Nova Scotia, Canada) as an assistant professor before moving to the University of Calgary in 2014 to take up the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Junior Chair in Medicinal Chemistry. His current research interests are based on the development of new synthetic methodologies to facilitate the synthesis of bioactive molecules in the areas of cancer and pain.
Dr. Mohammad Keyhani, PhD
Associate Professor, Haskayne School of Business
Area Chair (Entrepreneurship & Innovation), Haskayne School of Business
Dr. Mohammad Keyhani is an associate professor and Area Chair in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. His expertise lies in the areas of digital entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial strategy and generativity. Mohammad's research has been published in top tier peer-reviewed journals and presented in international conferences where he has received multiple best paper and best reviewer awards.
Dr. Frank Maurer, PhD
Professor, Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science
Associate Dean (Innovation & Strategic Partnerships), Faculty of Science (on leave)
Dr. Frank Maurer is a professor of computer science at the University of Calgary. His research has covered a broad spectrum of areas including artificial intelligence, software engineering, agile methods, human computer interaction and immersive technologies. He is widely published and has served on a substantial number of program committees in these fields. The current focus of his team is on immersive analytics applications, combining data science and machine learning approaches with augmented & virtual reality.
Dr. Simon Park, PhD
Professor, Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering
Dr. Simon Park is an inventor, inspiring educator, and leader in the field of mechanical and manufacturing engineering. In 2004, Dr. Park established the Multifunctional Engineering Dynamics and Automation Laboratory (MEDAL), which aims to overcome the limitations of existing technologies through rapid, cost-effective fabrication of energy applications such as carbon fibres, next generation of lithium batteries and safe transportation of hydrogen.
Dr. Edward Roberts, PhD
Professor, Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering
Associate Head (Research), Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering
Dr. Edward (Ted) Roberts is a professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary. He has a 30-year track record in research and innovation. Dr. Roberts’ research career started with his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge, UK. He was a lecturer and reader at the University of Manchester, UK for 16 years before moving to the University of Calgary in 2012. Dr. Roberts has studied a wide range of electrochemical technologies for energy and environmental applications, and is an internationally recognized expert in electrochemical engineering.
Dr. Gregory Welch, PhD
Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Dr. Gregory Welch is a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Calgary. He is a native Calgarian and completed his BSc in Chemistry at the UofC, graduating in 2003. He started at the UofC as an assistant professor in July 2015 and has since built and operates a laboratory to fabrication research program centered in the area of Printed Electronics. His program spans the entire area of Printed Electronics from new materials design and synthesis all the way to large area device prototyping for market demonstration.