I am actively recruiting new students to work on health-associated air pollutant initiatives. If you are interested in my research initiatives and my group, feel free to send me an email at hy18 at ualberta dot ca.

Ph.D. Student

Yang Wang

Yang Wang is a Ph.D. candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering. With a background in Computer Science and Technology and Municipal Engineering, he has a strong passion for addressing public health challenges posed by particulate matter (PM) and how it triggers oxidative stress. His research involves the development of advanced machine learning models to tackle the complex relationships between the chemical composition of PM and its source-based toxicity or health impacts. In addition to his scientific research, he also enjoys reading, swimming, running, and the art of tea.

Ph.D. student, January 2025 - Present (Expected graduation: December 2028)

Yongqian Liu

I am a Ph.D. student in 2026. My research lies at the intersection of environmental science and public health, with a specific focus on indoor air quality. Currently, I am working on the development and application of online analyzers to better understand the health impacts of atmospheric particulate matter.

Outside of the lab, I am a sports enthusiast who loves playing badminton and hitting the ski slopes in the winter.

Motto: Lose face gracefully, embrace failure enthusiastically, and start over with your head held high.

Ph.D. student, started in January 2026

M.Sc Student

Harshita Arora

Harshita hails from Delhi, India, where she earned both her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Chemistry from the University of Delhi in 2015 and 2017, respectively. She joined the Haoran Yu's Group at the University of Alberta as a Master’s student in May 2025. Her research background lies in biophysical chemistry, and during her current graduate studies, she is leveraging this expertise to explore the health effects of air pollutants. Specifically, her work focuses on conducting chemical assays and qPCR analyses to assess the impacts of biomass burning emissions from biofuels in India and wildfire-affected PM₂.₅ in Canada. Outside the lab, Harshita enjoys singing and spending quality time with her children.

M.Sc student, co-supervised by Dr. Ran Zhao and Dr. Haoran Yu. Started in May 2025.

Marziyeh Jahani

Marziyeh Jahani is an MSc candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Alberta. With academic backgrounds in Architecture and Urban Planning, she is passionate about addressing public health challenges associated with particulate matter (PM) air pollution. Her current research investigates the source-specific chemical drivers of the oxidative potential of ambient PM₂.₅ from wildfire smoke and traffic emissions. By integrating chemical characterization with oxidative potential measurements, her work aims to identify the components and emission sources that contribute most to the toxicity of fine particulate matter, supporting improved understanding of air pollution health effects and more effective air quality management strategies. In her free time, she enjoys walking, cooking, and spending quality time with her sons, Ryan and Noyan.

M.Sc student, started in September 2025

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