IWA YWP Canada aims to be an inclusive, forward-thinking, and supportive community for all early-career Canadians working in the water sector. Our goal is to gather together early career professionals working in our country’s water sector to network, provide opportunities, collaborate, empower, and support them.
- Establish, grow, and maintain a strong, high quality, professional, and multi-disciplinary network for IWA Young Water Professionals.
- Deliver opportunities for Professional Development
- Collaborate with other IWA YWP country chapters
- Contribute and advocate IWA’s vision
- Advocate and empower IWA YWPs
- Nurture a culture of open, supportive, and respectful knowledge exchange
IWA YWP Canada is part of the IWA global network.
The Executive Board manages the overall development and maintenance of the IWA YWP Canada network. The Executive Board is led by the Chair, Co-Chairs and Secretary. Other positions on the Executive include Communications, Treasurer, Partnership, Publishing, Membership and Regional representatives for 5 regions across Canada. Meet the members of our executive board!
Hadi Mokarizadeh
Chair
Hadi Mokarizadeh, Ph.D. (he/him) works as a Water/Wastewater Process EIT at Parsons and is an Environmental Engineering graduate from the University of Alberta, with a background in Chemical Engineering. His research focuses on developing sustainable, solar-driven materials for treating toxic contaminants in water and wastewater, including oil sands process water. Passionate about water quality and environmental equity, Hadi has been actively involved with the IWA YWP since 2022 and most recently served as Chair of IWA YWP Canada. Hadi is also a fellow of the IWA & Grundfos Youth Action for SDG 6 and has received several awards recognizing his academic excellence, leadership, and community engagement.
Connect with Hadi on: LinkedIn
Lin Sun
Co-chair
Lin (he/him) is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Biofilm Engineering and Wastewater Resource Recovery Laboratory at Western University. He earned his PhD from Western University earlier 2024, focusing on wastewater treatment during his studies. His dissertation explored advancements in aeration techniques within biofilm-based simultaneous nitrification-denitrification processes. Lin has also contributed significantly to the development of partial denitrification techniques, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and monitoring emerging contaminants using fixed biofilm technologies, including those involving algae. Additionally, Lin’s academic background encompasses research in soil remediation and drinking water treatment, developed during his postgraduate studies.
Connect with Lin on: LinkedIn
Emily L. Quecke
Co-chair
Emily Quecke MSc. (she/they) is a PhD candidate in environmental engineering at the University of Alberta, working on an interdisciplinary project with co-supervision in the field of sociology. Her PhD work focuses on collaborative and community-based approaches to water research with equity-denied communities, with both surface water quality monitoring and remediation aspects. Emily completed their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental engineering with co-supervision from preventative medicine for their MSc. Emily is passionate about water quality and access, community health, social justice, and collaborative research. In their spare time, Emily is a published poet and active community member on and off campus.
Connect with Emily on: LinkedIn
Sabrina Rashid Sheonty
Secretary
Sabrina Rashid Sheonty (she/her) is a water resources engineer and entrepreneur by profession. She completed her bachelors from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and masters from University of Alberta, Canada. She founded Tetra, a water solutions startup in Bangladesh. She is also working as a water resources engineer in Montrose Environmental Canada. She is also a passionate researcher and have more than 20 publications on civil and water resources engineering.
Connect with Sabrina on: LinkedIn
Pranav Sampara
Treasurer (Interim)
Pranav (he/him) is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of British Columbia, focusing on sustainable wastewater treatment by harnessing microbial metabolic capacity. His research centers on the ecophysiology of microbial communities engaged in nitrogen and phosphorus removal from wastewater, and he constructs engineering models for sustainable wastewater treatment. When not in the lab, Pranav enjoys hiking, strumming his guitar, and writing fiction.
Connect with Pranav on: LinkedIn
Nimitha Choran
Communications Director
Nimitha Choran (She/her) is a recent Ph.D. graduate from Carleton University’s Environmental Engineering program, where she specialized in the fate and impact of microplastics in municipal wastewater systems. Her doctoral research provided valuable insights into advanced detection methods, the effects of seasonal variations on sludge composition, and the influence of microplastics on anaerobic digestion performance. Previously, as President of a student chapter for a water-related professional association, Nimitha gained experience in leading initiatives and fostering collaboration, skills she continues to apply in her professional activities.
Connect with Nimitha on: LinkedIn
Afrida Nurain
Communications Director
Afrida Nurain (she/her) is an environmental researcher and science communicator focused on water sustainability. She completed her M.Sc. from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Alberta and earlier earned a B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Jahangirnagar University (Dhaka). Her research examines microplastic release, settling, and removal from wastewater — including work on ECCC’s IKPP initiative studying nanoplastic adsorption — and her B.Sc. project explored using banana peel to treat lead-contaminated water. With several years of lab and field experience, Afrida translates research into accessible stories; she began as a volunteer newsletter editor and now serves as Communication Director for IWA–YWP Canada. She combines evidence-based science with clear, community-focused communication.
Connect with Afrida on LinkedIn
Kiera Greenaway
Programming Director
Kiera (she/her) is a MSc student in Environmental Engineering at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on understanding how environmental microplastics break down in surface waters. Kiera is deeply committed to the pursuit of sustainability in both her personal and professional life, and recognizes the critical role of water in this pursuit. She is passionate about learning and teaching, with diverse educational experiences in classrooms of many forms. Kiera first became involved with IWA YWP Canada as a volunteer on the Communications Team, where she contributed as both a writer and editor. She is excited to be a part of IWA YWP Canada’s executive team and looks forward to building on previous team efforts.
Connect with Kiera on LinkedIn
Daria Popugaeva
Partnership Director
Daria (she/her) is a research engineer at Western University and a water quality specialist at Core Geoscience Services Inc. Her research focuses on the development and evaluation of approaches/technologies suitable for water purification in Arctic and Subarctic regions. Daria holds a Ph.D. in Environmental and Green Engineering from Western University.
Connect with Daria on LinkedIn
İrem Şimşek
Membership Director
İrem (she/her) is a PhD candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carleton University. Her research focuses on the fate and effects of microplastics in wastewater, sludge, and biosolid-amended soils. She also works on sludge treatment and anaerobic digestion. Currently, she serves as the Membership Director for the IWA-YWP Canada Chapter as well as Young Water Professional in the IWA Specialist Group on Sludge Management.
Connect with İrem on LinkedIn
Nada Hosni
Publishing Director
Nada (she/her) is a MASc Civil Engineering student at Toronto Metropolitan University with a background in Environmental Systems Engineering from the University of Regina. Her current work with photogranules involves the co-cultivation of microalgae consortia into Aerobic Granular Sludge (AGS) systems to form Algal Bacterial Granular Sludge (ABGS) systems in both self aggregated and co-immobilized granules to improve nutrient removal in wastewater treatment plants and investigating algae’s impact on granule structure and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) secretions. With a wide range of experience Nada has worked in project management, consulting, asset management, and with Indigenous communities, with her capstone project involving the Okanese Cree Nation drinking water treatment plant receiving the RCE Saskatchewan Sustainable Development Recognition Award. As a lifelong learner and never ending curiosity, when she isn’t working on her research Nada can be found learning obscure facts about sharks and jellyfish and historical events around the world.
Connect with Nada on LinkedIn
Soureyatou Hamidou
Regional Co-Director – Eastern
Soureyatou Hamidou (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate in Water Engineering at Université Laval, where she also completed her M.Sc. in Water Engineering. She holds a B.Eng. specializing in Infrastructure, Water, and Sanitation from IAV Hassan II in Morocco. She is developing a phosphorus removal process using biofiltration at Investissement Québec. Her expertise spans ecological sanitation and wastewater treatment. She has received several prestigious awards, including the Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship, Mitacs, FRQNT scholarships, the Prix de la relève EAU – André Perrault, and the Fondation de l’Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec’s Prix Universitaire du Mérite. She is a teaching assistant for Wastewater and Advanced Water Treatment courses, and volunteers with several organizations. She currently serves as President of the Civil and Water Engineering Graduate Students’ Association, Université Laval. Soureyatou joined IWA-YWP Canada as a volunteer and is currently serving as regional director Eastern, where she seeks to bring YWPs together around water and environment.
Connect with Soureyatou on LinkedIn
Shruti Tanga
Regional Co-director – Eastern
Shruti Tanga (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Engineering at the University of Ottawa, specializing in agri-environmental systems. Her research focuses on nature-based decentralized wastewater treatment solutions, such as constructed wetlands, ponds, and conservation practices like controlled tile drainage, to address agricultural non-point source pollution in cold climates. Bringing an interdisciplinary perspective to water, agriculture, and sustainability, Shruti is passionate about translating research into action by connecting researchers, policymakers, and communities. Within IWA-YWP, she hopes to strengthen the regional network by fostering collaboration and ensuring diverse water challenges. Outside her research, Shruti enjoys indoor gardening and is an avid puzzler.
Connect with Shruti on LinkedIn
Juan Fernando Díaz Salazar
Regional Director – Western
Juan (he/him) is a fourth-year PhD candidate at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba. He specializes in drinking water treatment, including the use of nanofiltration membranes and addressing membrane fouling. He is currently studying the fouling mechanisms on nanofiltration membranes fed by freshwater sources with high levels of natural organic matter and inorganic salts. This is his second term as Western Regional Director. Juan is also the President of the University of Manitoba Water Environment Federation (UMWEF).
Born in Quito, Ecuador, he graduated BSc in Biotechnology Engineering from the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE. His main goal is to contribute to enhancing water production through membrane technologies with my research. He looks forward to contributing to the growth and expansion of IWA-YWP Canada.
Connect with Juan on: LinkedIn
Wei Deng
Regional Director – Pacific
Wei Deng (he/him) is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Engineering at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). He is also an early-career editorial board member of China Journal of Science and Technology (CJST) and a reviewer for international journals in environmental science and engineering. Wei’s research integrates machine learning with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and oil spill response technology. Recent studies focus on UV/peroxymonosulfate degradation of heavy metal complexes and ozone-based technologies for oil/water emulsion treatment. Besides research, Wei has participated in projects funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), working in collaboration with industry and government partners. Wei serves as Pacific Regional Director for IWA YWP Canada. He looks forward to bridging research and practice through practical systems and cross-sector collaboration.
Connect with Wei on: LinkedIn
Maha Dassouki Dit Tahan
Regional Director – Central
Maha (she/her) is a PhD candidate at Toronto Metropolitan University with an academic background in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Her master’s research investigated the impacts of anaerobic and aerobic digestion on microplastics and examined how the aging of microplastics affects the sorption of chemicals. During this work, she also focused on the characterization of sludge and microplastics after aging. Currently, she is involved in multiple projects on anaerobic digestion, aiming to enhance waste treatment efficiency and sustainability. Beyond her research, Maha actively engages in academic activities, including conferences and collaborative projects, where she enjoys exchanging ideas and exploring emerging research directions. She is passionate about environmental topics and continuously seeks opportunities to expand her expertise by pursuing new pathways that contribute to sustainability and environmental protection. Much like her lab work, her day doesn’t begin without the right dose of coffee and sugar.
Connect with Maha on: LinkedIn
Junzhang Chen
Regional Director – Atlantic
Junzhang (he/him) is an M.Eng. student in Civil Engineering at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he completed his M.A.Sc. in Environmental Systems Engineering and Management. His research focuses on computational fluid dynamics modelling, advanced oxidation processes, and environmental policy and regulations, particularly on emerging organic pollutants in water systems.
Alongside his research, Junzhang plays an active leadership role within the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE). He serves as President of the CSCE Memorial University Student Chapter at the local level. Provincially, he represents young professionals on the CSCE Newfoundland and Labrador Sector Executive Committee. Nationally, he contributes as an Observer on the CSCE Tech Talk Webinar Coordinating Committee. He is also the IT & Social Media Coordinator at the NRPOP Lab and the Social Media Coordinator with the PEOPLE Network. Junzhang looks forward to rebuilding IWA YWP Canada’s presence in Atlantic Canada and supporting YWPs across the region.
Connect with Junzhang on: LinkedIn
IWA YWP Canada 