Jet Ice Research Chair in Sustainable Materials Chemistry

Pedro Ortiz received a BSc in Chemistry (summa cum laude) at the University of Havana. He obtained his PhD in Chemistry, with the Cuban Science Academy’s Award, at the University of Havana. He joined the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Havana as an Assistant Professor. Later, he joined Dr. Eduardo Schott’s Group at the Catholic University of Chile as a PDF. At TMU, he joined the research group of Dr. Bryan Koivisto, and later that of Dr. Stefania Impellizzeri. His scientific interests are related to the design, preparation, and characterization of organic and inorganic materials, and composites for a broad scope of applications. 

Ryan Hutchins earned a BSc and MSc from the University of Waterloo and a PhD from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Following the PhD, Ryan completed post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Alberta and the University of Waterloo. Ryan's research has focused on understanding the water chemistry and biogeochemistry from diverse impacted and unimpacted environments using a wide variety of analytical instruments and methods. Dr. Hutchins’ current research projects at Toronto Metropolitan University focus on the analytical aspects of ice-making and water quality (part of the Jet Ice Chair in Sustainable Materials Chemistry initiative) and in collaboration with Urban Water TMU.

Jenny is a graduate of University of Toronto who majored in chemistry and biology. Her research focuses on the optimization of ice making and water quality for indoor ice rinks. She is passionate about analytical chemistry and developing sustainable practices in the industry. Her hobbies are music production, painting, skiing and cooking.

Anthony holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Trent University and a Master of Science in Molecular Science from Toronto Metropolitan University. His graduate research centered on developing sustainable bioplastic food packaging through the functionalization Sargassum derived alginate materials. Currently, his work in collaboration with the Jet ice Chair in Sustainable Materials Chemistry initiative focusses on advancing sustainable alternatives to traditional ice paints with bioderived materials.

Martin graduated from TMU with a BSc in Chemistry and a minor in Biology. During his journey, he conducted research from drug and catalyst development to creating sustainable food packaging materials from food waste. Now partaking in his MSc, his research in collaboration with Jet Ice  aims to analyze water quality and ice-making processes to develop sustainable strategies for the industry. When he is not in the laboratory, he spends his time hiking or exploring the outdoors, fishing, watching movies, and trying new cooking recipes. He also loves anything Pokémon related, especially Snorlax. 

Yanan is an analytical chemist specializing in advanced chromatography and mass spectrometry. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry (University of Waikato, New Zealand), an M.Sc. in Food Science (University of Leeds, United Kingdom), and a B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry (Northern China University of Science and Technology). Yanan’s research develops and implements high-resolution LC/GC-MS/MS methods for trace-level organics via targeted and non-targeted analyses. Currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at TMU, his work focuses on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), plastic additives, and microplastics in environmental matrices, including rink ice-shaving waste, with an emphasis on rigorous sample preparation and QA/QC for complex compositions. Beyond research, Yanan is active in EDI-focused outreach and serves on the Executive of the Chemical Institute of Canada’s Pride Member Resource Group.