Nicole A. Poirier, FCAE

Dr. Nicole A. Poirier has devoted her career to industrial research and the development and commercialization of new technologies and products. She first worked for the Pulp & Paper Research Institute of Canada (now FPInnovations) from 1985 to 2000, where she led various projects and research teams focused on investigating new manufacturing approaches using pilot-scale equipment. During this time, she also acted as a Technology Transfer Agent to Canadian forest sector manufacturing operations, was a Technical Lecturer for university and industry groups, participated in technical committees, and was a Board Member of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering.

Following this, she founded a consulting company (KoanTeknico Solutions Inc.) from which she has carried out all of her professional activities since 2001. She became involved in 2004 in the creation and start-up of a Canadian cleantech company, for which she continues to lead the development and commercialization of novel advanced wastewater treatment technologies, some of which have been certified by the USCG and Transport Canada. She has secured funding for these development efforts from Sustainable Development Technology Canada, the US Office of Naval Research, the Canadian Department of Defense, the US Army, IRAP, NSERC and POLAR Knowledge Canada, and has carried out trials in various civilian and military locations, on land and at sea.

In 2008, Dr. Poirier co-created one of the first four Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence in Canada and served as its Scientific Director from 2008 to 2014. During this period, she established a portfolio of nanotechnology-based projects focused on industrial applications and pilot-scale trials in the aerospace, automotive, forest, and personal care sectors.

Since creating KoanTeknico, Dr. Poirier has and continues to provide consulting services related to technology and business development to various organizations in the forest, maritime, environmental and nanotechnology sectors. She is the author of patents, monographs, and peer-reviewed articles, and the recipient of prizes and awards for technology development.

A professional engineer, Dr. Poirier graduated with a B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering in 1983 from the University of Ottawa. She obtained her M.Eng in 1986 and her PhD in 1991, both in Chemical Engineering from McGill University. Dr. Poirier is a member of the Quebec Order of Engineers, a Board Member and Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Montreal Chapter of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.