Gisele Azimi

Professor Gisele Azimi holds a joint appointment in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry and Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. She serves as co-Director of the Ontario Centre for the Characterization of Advanced Materials (OCCAM) and holds the Canada Research Chair in Urban Mining Innovation. Her research program integrates Process Engineering, Electrochemistry, and Materials Science to develop sustainable technologies for strategic material recovery and next-generation battery systems.

• Ph.D. (University of Toronto), M.A.Sc. & B.A.Sc. (Sharif University of Technology)
• Postdoctoral Researcher at MIT

Research Focus:

• Urban mining and advanced recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
• Supercritical fluid extraction for metal recovery from primary/secondary resources
• Post-lithium rechargeable batteries (aluminum-ion, aqueous systems)
• Functionalized membranes and scale-phobic surfaces for industrial applications
• Carbon sequestration via supercritical carbonation of steelmaking slag

Recent Publication Trends:

• Development of supercritical CO2 methods for rare earth element extraction
• Advancements in aluminum-ion battery cathodes (graphitic materials, MnO2 intercalation)
• Electrodialysis and chelation-based separations for REE purification
• Technoeconomic analyses of green metallurgical processes
• Focus on Canadian ores and South American ionic clays
• Recycling of EV battery materials (NMC, LFP) and fluorescent lamps

Scientific Distinctions:

• Recipient of CSChE Innovation Award (2020) and Burgess Teaching Award (2019)
• Canada Research Chair (2020) and Dean’s Spark Professorship (2018)
• Multiple featured cover articles in Advanced Energy Materials, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, and Rare Metal Technology

Advisory & Collaborative Networks:

• Current supervision of 14 Ph.D. candidates and 2 M.Eng students
• Alumni include Dr. William Judge (Tenova Goodfellow), Dr. Jihye Kim (Colorado School of Mines), and Dr. Monu Malik (Senior Research Associate)
• Collaborative lab facilities: OCCAM, ANALEST, and Surface Interface Ontario