Natalie Linklater
PhD Student
Biography
Natalie Linklater is in the final stages of completing a PhD after beginning her education at Carleton as an undergraduate student in Environmental Engineering. Under the tutelage of Banu Örmeci, Natalie has produced cutting-edge research that investigates chlorine alternatives for the disinfection of wastewater, including the use of ultraviolet light and less harmful chemicals such as potassium ferrate, hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid.
Her cross-disciplinary research aims to give wastewater treatment plants a better understanding of disinfection alternatives to better protect public health while maintaining safe waterways for future generations.
“The moment I came to Carleton, I knew it was the place for me,” says Linklater. “Besides being one of the few places in Canada to offer the Environmental Engineering program, it also maintains small class sizes which greatly facilitated my learning.
“There is unique and highly innovative research going on. We may not be the biggest research institute but what we lack in size, we more than make up for with heart and innovation.”
In 2012, she was recognized with the Alexander Graham Bell Graduate Scholarship awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Her work has also been featured as a book chapter in Monitoring Water Quality published by Elsevier (2013) and at national and international conferences. Most recently, she was awarded one of Carleton’s 2016 Graduate Research and Innovative Thinking awards.
Natalie has actively promoted engineering to young female students by volunteering her time with Go ENG Girl, Let’s Talk Science and Girl Guides of Canada. Her most significant contribution on campus has been with Carleton University’s Women in Science and Engineering student group. Her efforts in community building have been recognized with the Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Graduate Scholarship awarded by the Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation and the Adrian D.C. Chan Award for Volunteer and Community Service given by Carleton.
