AREI’s team is diverse, bringing experience from various industries and research settings.

Research Officer
Keith Delaurier

Keith brings 30 years of experience working as a Process Control Specialist in the Steelmaking Industry. With extensive experience in troubleshooting and process software design in various programming languages, Keith is an effective problem-solver on a range of technical topics, and he is skilled in analyzing and resolving technical problems while minimizing costs. Keith is responsible for leading and participating in research projects to develop solutions/creative designs for customers’ requirements.

Research Officer
Bruce Larose, C.E.T., P.Eng.

As a Chemist and Professional Engineer, Bruce has led research services / R&D, design, troubleshooting and critical analysis for world-leading mining and smelting operations, as well as for efficient municipal water treatment and distribution. He has a wide range of interests and expertise, including: Carbon sequestration, phytoremediation and mine tailing remediation broadly, environmental studies, water treatment/distribution systems, and alternative energy power generation (wind, solar, geothermal). He has also been a successful entrepreneur.

Bruce brings 40 years’ expertise in chemical and metallurgical processes including hydro- and pyro-metallurgical processes, and analytical chemistry. He has worked in Ontario and in the High Arctic in mining operations, Indigenous communities and urban/rural centres, and has provided instruction and training in a range of settings.

Research & Funding Development Officer
Dr. Jen Davies

Jen assists AREI’s partners to navigate the world of granting and funding, and with writing grant applications. After a 20-year adventure pursuing higher education in Counselling Psychology and working in/leading teams for college and university career services in southern Ontario, Jen moved back to Timmins in 2023. In research, her expertise is qualitative, although she also enjoys digging into a quantitative dataset. Her proudest projects brought together corporate partners and students to teach fresh graduates about navigating the world of work.

Advanced Mechanics Research Technician
Christian Smith, B.Sc.Kin.

Christian works with AREI’s partners to help come up with innovative design solutions using various additive manufacturing techniques. Initially coming from a sports science background, Christian made the switch to a career in STEM and has loved the journey since! Areas of expertise in the realm of mechanical research include 3D modeling for various applications, reverse engineering using 3D scanning, and additive manufacturing with a focus on FDM printing.

Alternative Energy Research Engineer
Khagendra Thapa, M.Eng., M.A.Sc.

Khagendra designs and models battery electric vehicles, battery pack systems, micro-hydropower plants, and clean energy microgrids consisting of solar and wind power generation. Khagendra moved to Timmins in 2024 after completing his Master of Applied Science (MASc) in Electrical Engineering at the University of Windsor. He also earned a Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, with research focused on wind turbine control and protection schemes. He has over a decade of teaching, industrial, and research experience, including a few years in hydropower generation for a public utility. In research, his expertise is the modeling, control and testing of electric vehicles, control and protection schemes of various renewable energy systems, hardware-in-the loop (HIL) modelling and testing using a real-time simulator, microcontroller, and MATLAB/Simulink.