Leonie O'Sullivan, Chair
Leonie is a PhD candidate at the University of Calgary. She got her BSc in Chemistry at University College Cork, in Ireland. After graduation she worked at Janssen Sciences, Johnson & Johnson on a Graduate Program. In 2020, she moved to Canada and joined the Derksen lab for graduate school. She was the Administrative Officer for CIDE from 2020 to 2023. In the role of chair, she is excited to enhance and foster EDI at the University and beyond. Alongside EDI, Leonie is also very passionate about science communication and making science accessible for all.
Sara Bouziki, Vice-Chair
Sara is a MSc student in the Birss group at the University of Calgary doing research in fuel cells and electrolyzers. She did a combined BSc in Chemistry and Biology, working on four different research projects in Chemistry during that time. As an undergraduate and going into her graduate studies, she loved volunteering with groups that promote EDI and is now excited to be even more involved with CIDE as the Vice-Chair.
Emily Atallah, Administrative Officer
Emily completed her B.Sc. in Chemistry at the University of Calgary and is currently in her second year of the M.Sc. program under the supervision of Roland Roesler. Emily plans to take the candidacy examination this upcoming year with the intention of pursuing a Ph.D. degree in the same group. Her research is focused on the development of cryptands for application in selective ion trapping. Having lived outside of Canada for much of her life, Emily is excited to work with individuals from various backgrounds to continue to raise awareness for EDI in the academic world. In her free time, she enjoys climbing, working out, drawing, and playing piano in a band.
Bita Abdolahi Sanati, Outreach Officer
Bita is a third year PhD candidate in the Jalilehvand’s research group. She did her B.Sc. in pure chemistry at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in Iran, where she is from. In the spring of 2021 she moved to Canada to start her graduate program focusing on syntheses and characterization of potential anticancer rhenium complexes. As a newcomer in Canada and a minority, she enjoys reading and discussing literature and politics, including topics on EDI, in her free time.
Devon Louwe, Financial Officer
Devon completed his B.Sc. in Chemistry here at the University of Calgary before joining Dr. Roland Roesler for graduate school. He is currently a fourth year Ph.D. candidate focused on the development of element-specific molecular ionophores that can be incorporated into heterogeneous systems. A strong advocate for EDI within chemistry and science as a whole, Devon is excited to be a part of a fantastic team of executives working to promote something that matters to him. When not in the lab, Devon enjoys hiking with his wife and dog, swimming, and playing squash.
Fatemeh Shams, Media Officer
Bio coming soon!
Our Founder, Milanpreet Kaur
Milanpreet Kaur is a Ph.D. candidate in the Van Humbeck Group at the University of Calgary. Originally from India, where she did her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemistry at the University of Delhi. Her research interest is focused on designing a new catalytic system for site-selective C-H functionalization in azaheterocycles. She laid the foundation of CIDE in 2020 and has served as the President for three years. Now, she is acting as the advisory board member to provide guidance to the executive board. In her free time, she enjoys photography, blogging and exploring different places and cultures. Her life goal is to stay purpose driven and to leave a positive impact wherever she goes.
