Grad News

New study explores ways to reduce second- and third-hand THC exposure from indoor cannabis smoke

April 5, 2023

Since Canada legalized recreational cannabis in 2018, exposure to second-hand marijuana smoke in homes has been steadily increasing. In response to this growing concern, a U of T Engineering lab group, led by Professor Arthur Chan (ChemE), is investigating this source of indoor air pollution.  “We began our research on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive part of cannabis that causes intoxication, because when […]

ChemE Awards 2022-23

March 31, 2023

The 6th ChemE Exhibition & 37th Dinner on March 31, 2023 brought together close to 400 alumni, industry partners, faculty, staff, and students to celebrate the achievements of the past year. Congratulations to all of our 2022-23 ChemE Award recipients!   Leaders of Tomorrow Awards Professor James W. Smith LOT Award Pasindu (Freddie) Perera (ChemE 2T5 + PEY) Class […]

U of T Engineering grad students place 2nd in AI competition

March 30, 2023

On March 25, 2023, MASc students Harshitha Janakiraman (ChemE), Awwal Malhi (MIE), and Tushar Verma (MIE), supervised by Professor Yuri Lawryshyn (ChemE) participated in the 2022-23 IMI BIGDataAIHUB Case Competition. Their team, also consisting of Dhavalkumar Patel (MIE MEng student), placed 2nd out of 51 teams! “We want to extend our sincere gratitude to the […]

Meet Aseem Partap Singh Gill (ChemE 2T2 + PEY)

March 27, 2023

Aseem Partap Singh Gill (ChemE 2T2 + PEY), an undergraduate student from the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry (ChemE) at the University of Toronto, has caught the attention of many with his innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) in sports analytics. Aseem recently posted on his LinkedIn profile about his personal project that […]

Understanding involuntary indoor THC exposure

March 15, 2023

Amirashkan Askari, a PhD student supervised by Professor Arthur Chan, has been Modeling the Fate and Involuntary Exposure to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Emitted from Indoor Cannabis Smoking. His research will soon be published in a special issue of Environmental Science: Atmospheres, which will be dedicated to indoor air quality studies. This journal is governed by the […]

Researchers create novel BTEX-eating microbes

February 9, 2023

Postdoctoral fellow Courtney Toth and team have developed unique anaerobic cultures that degrade a toxic set of petroleum hydrocarbons known as BTEX – Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene. It’s no secret we are amid a growing pollution crisis. Anywhere that we produce, use, or store hazardous chemicals is at risk of contamination. Fortunately, nature has […]

Novel bio-based polymers highlighted in ScienceDirect

February 1, 2023

Mohammad Mahaninia started his PhD study at the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Ning Yan in 2021. His research focuses on the synthesis of bio-based polymers. These types of polymers are anticipated to have considerable applications in many fields (e.g., environmental science, 3-D printing) due to their tunable […]

Grad student seeks solutions to drinking water access in the tiniest of places

October 27, 2022

Global water demand is estimated to grow by more than 40% by 2050, leaving about 1.8 billion people in water-deficient regions. Brandon Cordeiro (ChemE MASc candidate) and his supervisor Professor Edgar Acosta, along with their colleagues from the University of Toronto, have developed new, thin self-assembly coatings that could increase wastewater filtration productivity and decrease […]

Fortified hibiscus beverage aims to reduce iron deficiency in sub-Saharan African women

October 13, 2022

Chemical engineering PhD candidate Folake Oyewole’s thesis project was inspired in part by Zobo, a hibiscus-based drink that is popular in her home country of Nigeria.    “People consume Zobo as a cold beverage in Nigeria because it’s refreshing and claimed to provide many health benefits,” she says. “I wanted to ascertain whether these drinks actually […]

New insight into how nanoparticles form could advance technologies from solar cells to medical tests

October 13, 2022

A research team from U of T Engineering has discovered previously unknown phenomena in the growth of nanoparticles. The insights could open new ways of engineering these tiny structures for a variety of purposes, from designing next-generation solar cells to developing new medical tests and treatments. The team was led by recent graduate Paul Chen […]