Media Release
Mangaluru, Jul 11: Dr Glen D’Souza, a native of Kulshekar, Mangaluru, has been awarded a PhD in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from the prestigious Western University in Ontario, Canada.
His doctoral research focused on the development of lignin-based biopolymeric foams as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-derived materials. Under the supervision of professors Chunbao Charles Xu, Madhumita Ray, and Anand Prakash, he synthesized biodegradable phenolic and polyurethane foams using Kraft lignin and lignosulfonates, tailored for hydroponic farming, floral arrangements, and environmental remediation. As a result of his research, Glen published several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and has presented his research at numerous international conferences.
During his PhD, Dr D’Souza received several prestigious accolades. He secured first place in the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competitions at both the Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference (CSChE 2022) and the American Chemical Engineering Annual Meeting (AIChE 2023). He was also awarded a competitive scholarship and received best poster recognition from the Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE). In 2024, his team won first place in Western University’s president’s challenge, standing out from over 400 participants for their innovative mobile diagnostic imaging proposal. Glen was also the recipient of the Ivan Malek Scholarship (2023) and the EGD Murray Scholarship (2024) both merit-based awards recognizing excellence in biochemical engineering research.
Glen’s academic journey began at Sacred Hearts School in Kulshekar, Mangaluru, and continued at MES Indian School in Doha, Qatar, where he completed his grade 12 education. He then moved to Bengaluru to pursue a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from RV College of Engineering. Fueled by a deep interest in research and sustainability, he was awarded a fully-funded scholarship to pursue a research-based master’s programme at Western University, Canada, which later led to his doctoral studies.
Glen is the son of Eric D’Souza, a finance professional, and Flavia D’Souza, a dental surgery assistant, both based in Doha. His younger sister, Herleen Nicole, recently completed her grade 12. The family are parishioners of the Holy Cross Church, Kulshekar, and maintain close ties to their hometown in Mangaluru.