Prof. Sylvain Coulombe, ing., Ph.D.

Sylvain using a hand-held RF plasma deviceAssociate Professor & Department Chair
Plasma Processing Laboratory – PPL
Department of Chemical Engineering
McGill University
3610 University Street
Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3A 0C5
(+1) 514 398 5213

Education
B.Sc. Physics (1991), Sherbrooke
M.Sc.A. Chemical Engineering (1994), Sherbrooke
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering (1998), McGill
Examens de l’OIQ – Génie physique (2003-2007)

Membership
International Plasma Chemistry Society (IPCS), Board of Directors Member
Editorial Board of Plasma Medicine
Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, Génie physique, OIQ#128770
Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC)
Scientific Advisor Board of NexPlasmaGen Inc.
Regroupement stratégique FQRNT Plasma-Quebec

Current Conference Organization Committees
43rd International Conference on Plasma Science (ICOPS), Banff (2016)
15th International Heat Transfer Conference (IHTC-15), Kyoto (2014)

Awards and Recognitions
Carrie M. Derick Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching & Supervision, McGill University, 2010
Canada Research Chair, Government of Canada, 2002-2007, 2007-2012
Dean’s List of Honors, Ph.D., McGill University, 1998

Current Teaching Responsibilities
Project Laboratory II (CHEE 393, core undergraduate)
Plasma Engineering (CHEE 543, senior undergraduate/graduate)

Main Research Interests
Plasma-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials for renewable energy harvesting/production, enhanced heat and mass transfer and biomedical applications
  • High-temperature nanofluids for solar thermal energy harvesting and heat transfer
  • Nanofluids for gas hydrate formation (or inhibition) and CO2 storage/mass transfer
  • Nanoparticles-decorated 3D nanostructures for catalysis and photovoltaic
  • Nanofluids containing nanoparticles-decorated multiwall carbon nanotubes for many novel applications…
Plasma production of reactive species at atmospheric pressure and above
  • Plasma medicine
  • Plasma-assisted combustion
Collaborators
Jeffrey Bergthorson, Alternative Fuels Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering, McGill
Sasha Omanovic, Electrochemistry and Corrosion Lab, Chemical Engineering, McGill
Phillip Servio, Chemical Engineering, McGill
Robert Taylor, Solar and Nanotechnology Research Lab, University of New South Wales 

Principal Administrative Duties
Department Chair (09/2012-08/2015)
Standing Internal Review Committee – CRC, McGill and Dawson Chairs, Member

Expertise for Consulting
Plasma science and engineering, plasma reactor and process design, laser ablation, plasma medicine, plasma diagnostics, electrical discharge light sources (lighting), energy harvesting with nanomaterials, process control and instrumentation, heat and mass transfer, nanostructured coatings, nanofluids.

Employment History
06/2007 to now: Associate Professor
09/2001 to 05/2007: Assistant Professor
Graduate Program Director (06/2003 to 08/2007)
10/1997 to 05/2001: Senior Research Scientist, GE Global Research

100/10/1 Career Objectives
Write 100 peer-reviewed research articles/Obtain 10 patents/Launch 1 private company

Natural habitat.Personal Interests
Downhill and cross-country skiing, bicycle touring and mechanics, camping and hiking.
What I need to do before I turn 50? Cycle across Canada and down the West Coast to San Francisco