The Durable Repellent Engineered Advanced Materials (DREAM) Laboratory
The DREAM Laboratory tackles challenges in sustainability, energy, and engineering through materials innovation. Key material technologies include:
- Ice repellent surfaces
- PFAS-free oil repellent chemistries
- Anti-biofouling coatings
- Superhydrophobic, superomniphobic and omniphobic surfaces
- Drag-reducing coatings
- Fiber composites
- Coatings for additive manufacturing
- Adhesion and interfacial mechanics
- Sensors and smart materials
- Metamaterials
- Bug-phobic and insect repellent surfaces
Coatings
Surface and interface modification
Sustainability
Fluorine-free oil repellency
Adhesion
Mechanics of interfaces
Wettability
Solid liquid interactions
Recent News in the DREAM Lab
The DREAM Lab recognizes that academia, and engineering in particular, has historically been an exclusionary1 and patriarchal2 environment, with inherent biases against people of colour3, women and gender-diverse people4, those differing in sexual orientation5, persons with disabilities6, and others from marginalized communities7.
At the DREAM Lab, we believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion are not just principles but are inseparable from innovation and discovery8,9. We are committed to creating a supportive and respectful environment where diverse perspectives—across cultures, genders, and identities—are encouraged and uplifted. We understand that EDI is a continuous journey that requires courage, integrity, authenticity, and solidarity, and we are dedicated to advancing these values through education, advocacy, and by creating a safe space that empowers underrepresented individuals.
Contact us to learn more about the actions we take to turn these principles into practice!
[1] Reid, R. A., Curry, T. A. (2019, April 12). The White man template and academic bias. Inside Higher Education.
[2] Trix, Frances, and Carolyn Psenka. 2003. “Exploring the Color of Glass: Letters of Recommendation for Female and Male Medical Faculty”. Discourse & Society 14 (2): 191–220.
[3] Henry, Frances, Carl James, Peter S. Li, Audrey Kobayashi, Malinda S. Smith, Howard Ramos, and Dua Enakshi. 2017. The Equity Myth: Racialization and Indigeneity at Canadian Universities. Vancouver; UBC Press.
[4] Díaz-García, Cristina, Angela González-Moreno, and Francisco Jose Sáez-Martínez. 2013. “Gender Diversity within R&D Teams: Its Impact on Radicalness of Innovation.” Innovation (North Sydney) 15 (2): 149–60.
[5] Kirk A. Taylor, Anonymous; Navigating LGBTQ+ discrimination in academia: where do we go from here?. Biochem (Lond) 22 June 2020; 42 (3): 16–20.
[6] Brown, Nicole, and Jennifer Leigh. 2020. Ableism in Academia: Theorising Experiences of Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses in Higher Education. London: UCL Press.
[7] Petit-McClure, Sara H., and Chelsea Stinson. 2019. “Disrupting Dis/Abilization: A Critical Exploration of Research Methods to Combat White Supremacy and Ableism in Education”. Intersections: Critical Issues in Education 3 (2).
[8] Hewlett, S.A. 2016. “How Diversity Can Drive Innovation”. Harvard Business Review.
[9] Hong, Lu, and Scott E. Page. 2004. “Groups of Diverse Problem Solvers Can Outperform Groups of High-Ability Problem Solvers.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101 (46): 16385–89.
