Dr. Sylvia Sleep
Positions
Assistant Professor
Schulich School of Engineering, Sustainable Systems Engineering
Assistant Professor
Schulich School of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering
Contact information
Background
Educational Background
PhD Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 2018
BSc Civil Engineering, Queen's University, 2010
BA Economics, Queen's University, 2010
Biography
Dr. Sylvia Sleep is an Assistant Professor in Sustainable Systems Engineering and Civil Engineering at the University of Calgary. She received her PhD in Civil & Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto with research focused on applying life cycle assessment to evaluate the greenhouse gas mitigation potential of new oil sands technologies. Prior to starting her faculty position, she completed an Eyes High postdoctoral fellowship in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary with a focus on systems-level assessments of carbon capture and utilization technologies. She completed her undergraduate studies in Civil Engineering and Economics at Queen’s University.
Dr. Sleep's research is focused on the development and integration of systems tools including life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic assessment (TEA), and energy system modelling to develop prospective assessments of new technologies and their potential to play a meaningful role in decarbonization. Current focus areas include development of the industrial sector in a Canadian Open Energy (CANOE) model using the TEMOA framework, developing methods for improved assessments of early-stage technologies, and integration of LCA, TEA, and geospatial modelling tools to assess the potential benefits and tradeoffs associated with deploying new technologies including low-carbon hydrogen, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and carbon dioxide removal technologies (enhanced mineralization and direct air capture).
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| ENCI 603 | Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Design | Winter 2026 |
| ENCI 619 | Life Cycle Assessment | Fall 2025 |
| SUSE 315 | Engineering Economics and Decision-Making for Sustainability | Winter 2026 |
Projects
https://www.acctnetwork.ca/
https://sustainablesystems.civmin.utoronto.ca/canadian-open-energy-canoe-model/
https://www.canco2re.ca/
https://hyptcenter.asu.edu/
Publications
- Life cycle carbon footprint of novel technologies for lithium production and potential implications for the supply chain in North America. Nishikawa, E., Sleep, S., Bergerson, J.. Resources, Conservation, Recycling. (2025)
- Guiding research in electrochemical CO2 conversion strategies through a systems-level perspective. E Nishikawa, S Islam, S Sleep, V Birss, J Bergerson. Green Chemistry. (2023)
- Carbon footprinting of carbon capture and-utilization technologies: Discussion of the analysis of Carbon XPRIZE competition team finalists. S Sleep, R Munjal, M Leitch, M Extavour, A Gaona, S Ahmad, E Nishikawa, V Pitre, P Psarras, A Ramirez, HL MacLean, JA Bergerson. Clean Energy. (2021)
- Improving robustness of LCA results through stakeholder engagement: A case study of emerging oil sands technologies. S Sleep, Z Dadashi, Y Chen, AR Brandt, HL MacLean, JA Bergerson. Journal of Cleaner Production. (2021)
- Statistically enhanced model of oil sands operations: Well-to-wheel comparison of in situ oil sands pathways. J Guo, A Orellana, S Sleep, IJ Laurenzi, HL MacLean, JA Bergerson. Energy. (2020)
- Life cycle assessment of emerging technologies: Evaluation techniques at different stages of market and technical maturity. JA Bergerson, A Brandt, J Cresko, M Carbajales‐Dale, HL MacLean, HS Matthews, S McCoy, M McManus, SA Miller, WR Morrow III, ID Posen, T Seager, T Skone, S Sleep. Journal of Industrial Ecology. (2020)
- Evaluation of variability in greenhouse gas intensity of Canadian oil sands surface mining and upgrading operations. S Sleep, IJ Laurenzi, JA Bergerson, HL MacLean. Environmental Science & Technology. (2018)
- Expert assessments of emerging oil sands technologies. S Sleep, JM McKellar, JA Bergerson, HL MacLean. Journal of Cleaner Production. (2017)
- Expectations and drivers of future greenhouse gas emissions from Canada's oil sands: An expert elicitation. JM McKellar, S Sleep, JA Bergerson, HL MacLean. Energy Policy. (2017)
In the News
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