College of Engineering Soltan Research Group

Current members

Picture of Dr. Amir Payan

Dr. Amir Payan (he/him) PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow & Lecturer Chemical and Biological Engineering

Joined in September 2019

Picture of Pezhman Zolfaghari Didani

Pezhman Zolfaghari Didani MSc
Ph.D. Student Chemical and Biological Engineering

Joined in January 2021

Picture of Rahman  Zeynali

Rahman Zeynali BSc, MSc
Ph.D. Student Chemical and Biological Engineering

Joined in January 2022

Picture of Seyed Ali  Hashemi Kouchaksaraei

Seyed Ali Hashemi Kouchaksaraei BSc, MSc
Ph.D. Student Chemical and Biological Engineering

Joined in September 2022

Picture of Lizette Villa  Alcaraz

Lizette Villa Alcaraz (she/her) BSc

Liz first joined Dr. Soltan’s group as a MITACS student in Summer 2024, and then began her new journey in September 2025 as a PhD student. She is exploring water treatment with a focus on Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) and their impact on water quality. She is currently gaining hands-on experience with techniques such as LC-MS/MS and UV analysis to better understand treatment performance.

Picture of Lorena Giselle Rodriguez Beas

Lorena Giselle Rodriguez Beas (she/her) BSc

My name is Lorena, and I joined the Soltan Research Group as a Ph.D. student in January 2026. I studied Chemical Engineering at the bachelor’s level in Mexico. My research focuses on ozone-based water treatment processes, including advanced oxidation systems for the removal of emerging contaminants. In my free time, I enjoy swimming and drawing.