Dr. Josh Clarke

Dr. Josh Clarke is a researcher and innovator serving as Lead Scientist at Destiny Copper Inc., the only vertically integrated copper producer that converts hazardous waste directly into advanced copper materials.

At a time when critical minerals underpin the transition to a green, electrified economy, Dr. Clarke leads the science behind Destiny Copper's patented hydrometallurgical process, which recovers high-purity copper from industrial hazardous waste streams such as spent circuit board etchants, metal finishing acids, and mining effluents. His work creates a domestic source of copper powders, copper oxides, and specialty chemicals while displacing energy-intensive conventional copper processing, reducing Canada's reliance on offshore refining and costly imports.

By transforming industrial waste into valuable resources, Dr. Clarke's research delivers measurable economic and environmental benefits, strengthening Canada's resource security and positioning the country as a leader in sustainable manufacturing. Under his scientific leadership, Destiny Copper has reached milestones including the world's first 3D-printed copper heat sink produced from copper recovered from mining waste, developed in collaboration with Mohawk College and the University of Waterloo's Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Laboratory.

His commitment to innovation extends well beyond the laboratory. Dr. Clarke works closely with government partners at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels, including the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), FedDev Ontario, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), Niagara Region, and the cities of St. Catharines and Thorold. He also maintains strong ties with Canadian innovation organizations such as the Canadian Critical Minerals & Materials Alliance (C2M2A), the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA), and Foresight Canada, and has presented Destiny Copper's technology to federal decision-makers on Parliament Hill.

Dr. Clarke's journey as an innovator began at Brock University, where he earned his BSc (2018) and PhD in Chemistry (2023) and authored several publications on the development of greener catalytic materials, including work featured in the European Journal of Organic Chemistry special collection "Silicon Chemistry in Organic Synthesis." His achievements, among them the Brock Horizon Graduate Scholarship, have been celebrated in multiple Brock University News articles. In 2024, he received the Alumni Brilliance Award, an honour created for Brock's 60th anniversary recognizing 60 graduates whose contributions exemplify six decades of excellence at the University.

Beyond his research and entrepreneurial work, Dr. Clarke remains deeply committed to the Brock University community. As a proud alumnus, he frequently serves as a keynote speaker, guest lecturer, and panelist, fostering collaboration between the university and local industry and offering an inclusive perspective for the next generation of innovators.

Publications:

Clarke, J.A.; van der Est, A.; Nikonov, G.I. "Efficient Base-Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Tertiary Amides to Aldehydes." *ChemCatChem* (2022), Vol. 14, Issue 24, e202201231.

Clarke, J.A.; van der Est, A.; Nikonov, G.I. "Base-Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Nitriles to Amines and Esters to Alcohols." *European Journal of Organic Chemistry* (2021), Vol. 2021, Issue 31, Pages 4434–4439.

Clarke, J.A. "Transition Metal-Free Base Catalyzed Reduction of Unsaturated Carbon-Heteroatom Bonds." PhD Thesis, Brock University (2023).