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

Ph.D. student, started in January 2026

M.Sc Student

Mingchen Guo

introduction of Mingchen.

M.Sc student, started in September 2025

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. With academic backgrounds in Architecture and Urban Planning, she is deeply interested in addressing public health challenges related to particulate matter (PM). Her research interests focus on air quality and its impacts on human health. 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

M.Eng Student

Ivan Amoako

My name is Ivan Atta Amoako. I am an environmental researcher and engineer with an academic background in environmental science, project management, and environmental engineering. I hold a BSc in Environmental Science and an MSc in Project Management, both obtained in Ghana, and am currently pursuing an MEng in Environmental Engineering. My research focuses on identifying the influence of wildfire events on ambient PM2.5 through elemental and organic carbon (EC/OC) analysis. Beyond academia, I am a gospel artist, a writer of faith-based inspirational quotes, and an innovation-driven thinker with interests at the intersection of science, sustainability, and creative expression.

MEng student. Started in September 2025.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Behzad Heibati, Ph.D.

Dr. Behzad Heibati is a Research Associate at the Faculty of Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. He has a background in environmental and occupational health, with a strong passion for addressing critical public health challenges, particularly those related to environmental exposures. His expertise in epidemiological principles underpins current research on the impact of wildfire smoke caused by climate change on the underlying mechanisms in respiratory health. Dr. Heibati is deeply interested in exploring the molecular and cellular processes that drive inflammatory responses in respiratory diseases, along with studying how particulate matter (PM) triggers oxidative stress.

Postdoctoral Researcher, co-supervised by Dr. Paige Lacy and Dr. Haoran Yu, September 2024 -

Undergraduate Student

Stefan Marano

Stefan Marano is a Research Volunteer working at my group and Dr. Ran Zhao's group. He is currently in the third year of BSc specialized in Biochemistry, and he is passionated for environmental chemistry and the technological methods associated with natural science. Besides science, he enjoys spending my time outdoors, partaking in activities such as hiking, skiing, surfing and fishing. His research involves connecting chemical speciation and oxidative potential measurement of wildfire-enriched atmospheric PM2.5.

Undergraduate Research Volunteer, co-supervised by Dr. Ran Zhao and Dr. Haoran Yu, September 2024 -

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