Naila's Personal Website

Awards

WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Canadian Women, DMZ’s Woman of the Year, Public Policy Forum’s Emerging Leader of the Year, Future 25 Under 25, MLK Jr Community Service Award, Canada's Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalists, Pollution Probe Award, Ingenious+ Competition Grand Prize, Youth Nature Inspiration Award, Top Minds 25 Under 25

Article Features

CTV News, the National Post, the Globe and Mail, the National Observer, Maclean’s Magazine, CBC, Lifestyles Magazine, Capital Current, The Walrus, Finans Denmark, Mydoh, Future of Good, Zetland, Sun Newspaper, Harrowsmith Magazine, The Philanthropist Journal, The Logic, Financial Post, Ottawa Life Magazine

About Me

Hi! I’m a 19-year-old interested in creating technological solutions to address our global consumption of fossil fuels. I am a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC at Chapel Hill majoring in materials engineering and minoring in creative writing. I also love reading, listening to history podcasts, playing sports, and writing. My debut novel was published when I was 14 and was a #1 bestseller in magical realism. The sequel, "Chronicles of Illusions: Bound by Dreams" was released in May 2022 and is available on all platforms. You can find both books on Amazon here.

Latest Projects / Features

National Post
National Post | Article Feature

Hershey's Her for She Campaign
Hershey's Canada | Campaign

Maclean's Magazine Feature
Maclean's | Article

ML Prediction Algorithm for Photovoltaic Power Plant Output
Coding | Github Repository

Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalist Award
Award | The Starfish

Review Paper: Using Quantum Dot Solar Cells to Improve Photovoltaics
Nanotechnology | Paper

Emerging Leader Award Speech
Speech | Public Policy Forum

United Nations Recommendation Deck
Consulting | Deck

FULL PORTFOLIO

What I'm Doing Now

Solar Energy

One of my main projects is a flexible plastic-free solar cell. Leveraging solar’s intersection with nanotechnology, I have been working in a lab at TMU and recently built a small scale working prototype.

Writing

Writing has been a passion of mine for years, and in February 2021 I got my first novel published! The sequel "Bound by Dreams" was released in May 2022. I also enjoy writing articles on Medium.

Bioplastics

I am currently developing a bioplastic from duckweed through a collaboration with Pond Biomaterials, and have been working in a biochemistry lab at Carleton University.

Public Speaking

I have gotten the opportunity to speak across global stages and events including Web Summit, Microsoft Ignite, Zappos All Hands, Reuters IMPACT, Ignite Digital, and COI. I have also given talks and spoken on several panels for companies like The Walrus, Scouts Canada, DMZ, and the David Suzuki Foundation.