Steven Sherman

Experience

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  Worley

  May 2012 - Aug 2012

  Process Co-op

  WorleyParsons is a multinational engineering consulting company. I worked in the hydrocarbons division at the Markham Office. This was my first co-op placement, and it helped me improve my work habits and time management skills. I drafted piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) using AutoCAD and MicroStation and developed several productivity tools in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to assist in search and reviewing documents.My main project at WorleyParsons was the development of an automated calculation tool. The tool was based on a journal article which described how to calculate the number of heat tracers on a pipe. I regularly consulted with my manager on program functionality, the user interface and the range of outputs and implemented the desired changes. Show less

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  Ontario Power Authority

  Jan 2013 - Apr 2013

  Intern

  Ontario Power Authority was a provincial agency responsible for the medium and long-term power supply planning in Ontario. I worked in the Conservation division, which deals with energy conservation initiatives. Working at the Ontario Power Authority gave me a better understanding as to how the electricity system works and the value of energy conservation programs to control costs and reduce pollution and greenhouse gasses from the electricity sector.While at the OPA I developed a statistical tool in Excel to indentify effective advertising spending. I developed an automated data transfer tool to increase the speed and ease of Utility participation in conservation programs and compared Ontario's energy conservation programs with those in other jurisdictions. As part of the environment committee I wrote a computer program to analyze printing patterns so paper usage could be reduced, and I wrote a data organization macro for OPA’s first Sustainability Report. Show less

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  Imtex Membranes

  Sept 2013 - Dec 2013

  Membrane Researcher

  Imtex, which is owned by Monteco, has proprietary membrane technology which separates same carbon number short-chain olefins and paraffins using 90-95% less energy than current technologies. While there I tested various membranes for performance and efficacy and produced summary reports of the results, and safely operated their bench-scale pilot plant. Working at Imtex was exciting because the researchers were constantly challenging assumptions about the membrane and trying to leverage new knowledge to improve membrane performance.My main project at Imtex was to obtain the data for a new model of membrane performance. It had become apparent to me while I was there that their model was inaccurate under certain conditions. I designed a test schedule that would collect the necessary data while using the least amount of tests, which would be costly in time and materials. Not only did Imtex obtain all the data necessary for a new model, but the testing also led to new insights into how gas separation was actually happening at the chemical level. Show less

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  University of Waterloo

  May 2014 - Aug 2014

  Undergraduate Researcher

  This co-op placement was my first introduction to battery technology and battery research, and I have been interested in the area ever since. The graduate student I was working under was working on modelling the transport processes in certain electrolytes and on modelling the ageing process of lithium-ion batteries. I wrote a literature review on transport processes in electrolytes, and it was this assignment that really allowed me to learn about battery technology. While I was there I also developed a user-friendly program for the graduate student to help him analyze his data. One of my main assignments was to redesign and manufacture a Teflon part for the four-electrode battery that the graduate student was using for his modelling. I used the Kepner-Tregoe approach to select my design. I started by defining exactly what the problem with the battery was and what the part had to accomplish. I brainstormed as many new designs as I could think of and ranked them based on the amount of material that would be required, the ease of manufacture and other factors. After experimenting with the better designs at the local machine shop, I developed an easy construction method for my chosen design and manufactured the parts. Show less

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  Mondelēz International

  Jan 2015 - Apr 2015

  Reliability Co-Op

  Mondelēz is a multinational corporation which manufactures popular snack brands such as Ahoy!, Trident and Toblerone. I worked at the Gladstone plant in Toronto, which makes Cadbury chocolates. The working environment at the plant was fast paced, and being successful there required proactive communication. I had to communicate with multiple managers and shift priorities quickly. I was heavily involved with the Energy Team and facilitated participation in the government-run Continuous Energy Program. I used the Kepner-Tregoe decision-making model to analyze the options for energy monitoring and targeting at the plant and to recommend the best option for the plant. Show less

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  Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc. (KPM)

  Sept 2015 - Dec 2015

  Laboratory Research Assistant

  Kingston Process Metallurgy (KPM) conducts electrochemical and metallurgical research for other companies, chiefly large chemical and mining companies. I set up and ran experiments which involved the use of molten salt systems for chemical production. Thanks to the rigorous training program at KPM, I developed an expert awareness of the safety hazards of a chemical lab where temperatures of over 1000°C are reached and where a wide variety of hazardous chemicals are present.

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  E-Zinc

  Apr 2020 - now

  This is a leadership role within the Battery Test Team. I report to the Battery Testing Director; I in turn supervise a shift within the Battery Test Team and directly manage one full time employee and one student. I directly manage Battery Test Lab activities and resources to ensure that the most important tasks get done first and that as much work as possible gets done overall. This includes prioritization of daily and weekly work, and planning longer term projects like expanding lab capabilities, improving electrolyte production or long-term test planning. Additionally, I take a lead role in communicating data and results to other teams within the company to improve the design and manufacture of future battery generations.One key project I am leading is to improve our ability to produce electrolyte. Our current method of producing electrolyte is slow and labour intensive. I am directly managing a project to install a new electrolyte mixer with improved operation over our old electrolyte mixer. This requires high-level design work to articulate key requirements and generate design options for meeting them. It also involves detailed project planning, including Gantt Charts, BOMs, and regular communication with internal and external stakeholders - for multiple timelines, since there will be further changes after the initial commissioning of the mixer. This project will extend and evolve as the company grows and our electrolyte production needs grow commensurately. Show less In this role I run experiments on e-Zinc's novel battery technology and analyze cell performance. I root cause problems and performance issues independently and as part of the Test Team. My focus is on issues of an electrochemical nature; however, the cells also experience mechanical, electronic and control-related issues which I also work to root cause and solve.As part of the the Test Team I contribute to running and maintaining the lab, commissioning cells when they are delivered by the Build Team, and producing sufficient electrolyte supply. The test team contributes to cell design by feeding back findings to the Design Team, but I also participate in design reviews to ensure problems observed in older cells will be eliminated. Show less In this role I run experiments on the prototype batteries to demonstrate performance, establish operational limits and identify failure modes. I also work to enhance data tracking and analysis, increase testing throughput and develop standard operating procedures. I work collaboratively with my colleagues to brainstorm solutions and process improvements. Working at e-Zinc requires the development of a broad technical skill set, as the cells have chemical, mechanical, electrical and software aspects that require analysis. Show less

  • Technical Lead

    Jan 2023 - now

  • Chemical Engineer-In-Training

    Mar 2022 - Dec 2022

  • Junior Chemical Test Engineer-In-Training

    Aug 2020 - Mar 2022

  • Independent Contractor

    Apr 2020 - Jul 2020