Kayleigh Hayashi-Mahedy

Cunha, I., McKeeman, M., Ramezani, M., Hayashi-Mahedy, K., Lloyd-Smith, A., Bravi, M., Jessop, P., “Amine-free CO2-switchable hydrophilicity solvents and their application in extractions and polymer recycling,” Submitted to: Green Chemistry.

Grad Orientation Leader / McGill University, Montreal, QC 08/2023

• Coordinated activities with a team of 25 volunteers, overseeing the setup and logistics for orientation events attended by over 200 incoming graduate students, resulting in a smooth and organized event execution.
• Facilitated information sessions that addressed key campus resources and services, with 90% of participants reporting increased confidence in navigating university facilities post-orientation.
• Gathered feedback from participants, achieving an overall satisfaction rate of 85% on event organization and usefulness, demonstrating effective communication and support for new students.

Director of Community Outreach / S.W.A.M. (Swimming with a Mission) Kingston, Kingston, ON 04/2021 - 04/2022

• Implemented outreach initiatives that raised community awareness and engagement, leading to a 30% increase in volunteer sign-ups and a 25% boost in donations within a year.
• Oversaw social media management, creating and scheduling content that resulted in a 50% increase in audience engagement and a 40% growth in followers.
• Analyzed engagement metrics and adjusted strategies based on feedback, improving overall outreach effectiveness and contributing to a 15% rise in event participation rates.

Physical Activity Coach / Get in Motion 09/2021 - 01/2022 

• Motivated home-based physical activity for 5 clients by using goal setting and action planning, leading to a 20% increase in participants’ weekly exercise adherence over the program duration.
• Fostered social connections through regular virtual check-ins, improving participant engagement by 25% and creating a supportive, community-focused environment.
• Provided personalized coaching that resulted in 90% of participants reporting improved physical activity habits and increased motivation by the end of the program.

• Serving It Right
• WHMIS
• Nutrition Labeling

Graduate Research, 09/2022 - 06/2024

• Synthesized and characterized Amadori and Heyns products through mechanochemical ball milling, accelerating the formation of di-aminated sugars and diglycated amino acids. Increased yield through optimized reaction conditions, confirmed via MS/MS fragmentation analysis.
• Investigated novel pathways for thermal deglycation in the Maillard reaction, contributing to a reduction in glycation in food proteins and providing insights for potential food quality improvements.

Undergraduate Research, 09/2021 - 05/2022

• Developed six amine-free Anionic Switchable Hydrophilicity Solvents (ASHS), reducing water requirements by 74% (from 9.5:1 to 2.5:1), and eliminating the need for surfactants, thus decreasing toxicity and enhancing the scalability of ASHS systems for industrial applications.
• Improved system performance by increasing CO2 pressure (up to 10 bar), expanding the range of functioning ASHS compositions and demonstrating reusability, reducing volatile organic solvent (VOS) reliance by creating smaller and more uniform latex suspension particles with 15% less surfactant.