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OTTAWA, January 27, 2010  —  Former uOttawa doctoral chemistry student, Dr. Amir Jabri, was awarded the 2009 Borealis Student Innovation Award for his research in innovative plastic solutions.

Amir Jabri, who graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2009, was selected for his PhD thesis titled Mechanism and Design of Homogeneous Heterobimetallic Aluminum Alkyl-Early Transition Metal Catalysts for Ethylene Trimerization and Polymerization. His research explores, on the molecular level, the behaviour of the transition-metal catalysts used in polyolefin, a chemical compound that belongs to the same class as paraffin wax. His findings have been carried by renowned scientific journals such as Angewandte Chemie and in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The award, which comes with a C$7,500 prize, is given to the doctoral graduate who presents the most innovative research paper in chemistry, polymers or applications with a particular focus on polyolefins, olefins or melamine. The award winner is then invited to present the thesis at the Borealis Innovation Day event in Sweden.

Borealis is an international manufacturer of plastic materials for infrastructure (pipe systems and power and communication cables), automotive and advanced-packaging markets. It also provides a whole range of base chemicals, from melamine and plant nutrients to phenol and acetone.

The University of Ottawa, one of the leading research universities in Canada, welcomes over 4,500 graduate students each year. Through their research activities, students contribute significantly to discoveries, innovation and prosperity in various fields. Training tomorrow’s leaders is at the heart of the University of Ottawa’s mission.