Sustainability in the lab

Under strategy 16 of the Sustainability in Research Action Plan; Encourage project designed to increase the sustainability of research at Concordia; Coordinator of Sustainability in Research, Brett Cox, initiated a research project across three labs in the arts & sciences, hiring three grad students to research and propose sustainable research practices in their respective labs. This panel, moderated by Brett Cox, will feature two of the students’ supervisors, and one of the students, sharing their successes and challenges towards incorporating sustainability into their labs and overall research practices. 

About the panelilsts

Sarah Taylor

Sarah Taylor is a second-year Master's student in Professor Pat Forgione's lab, specializing in organic chemistry. Her research focuses on developing a library of Anillin inhibitors as potential treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma. She is particularly interested in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and green chemistry. 

Dr. Ashlee Howarth

Ashlee J. Howarth is an Associate Professor and Concordia University Research Chair at Concordia University in Montréal. She was born and raised in London, Ontario. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario in 2009, and then went on to do her PhD in inorganic materials chemistry at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of Michael O. Wolf. Before joining the faculty at Concordia, she completed an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship at Northwestern University with Joseph T. Hupp and Omar K. Farha. At Concordia, the Howarth group is focused on the design and synthesis of rare-earth cluster-based metal–organic frameworks targeting applications in pollution remediation, catalysis, drug delivery, X-ray detection, and chemical sensing. 

Dr. Pat Forgione

Pat Forgione is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Concordia University. At Concordia, the Forgione group is focused on sustainable approaches to organic synthesis, particularly in green chemistry and its application to small-molecule discovery. This research explores environmentally friendly chemical transformations and their role in developing novel compounds for various health-related and material science applications. Positioned at the interface of synthetic chemistry, biochemistry, and material science, the group seeks to create innovative methodologies that minimize environmental impact while advancing drug discovery and sustainable materials.

A major focus of Dr. Forgione’s research is the development of biomass-derived furans as renewable alternatives to petroleum-based chemicals. His work on 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has led to the synthesis of bis(furyl) methane scaffolds and 2,5-diaryl furans via decarboxylative cross-coupling reactions, offering more sustainable synthetic pathways. Additionally, his group has pioneered mechanochemical oxidation and reduction of HMF under solvent-free conditions, further enhancing the sustainability of these processes. These innovations provide greener solutions for both the pharmaceutical and polymer industries, contributing to the development of sustainable materials through circular chemistry.

Among many other endeavors, Dr. Forgione has also played a key role in Concordia’s participation in the Centre for Green Chemistry & Catalysis (CGCC), a multidisciplinary research consortium of over 50 scientists supported by FQRNT. Many undergraduate and graduate students from his group have been awarded CGCC research stipends and travel grants in recognition of their contributions to green chemistry.