Dubbed the Big Smoke, Toronto lived up to its nickname on Tuesday as a blanket of yellow-tinted smoke descended upon the city. The cause? Rampant forest fires raging in Quebec and northeastern Ontario. By nightfall, Toronto’s air quality had plummeted to become one of the world’s worst, even surpassing the pollution levels of Lahore, Pakistan, […]
On Sunday, May 28, the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry (ChemE) witnessed an inspiring display of camaraderie as its vibrant chemmunity rallied together to welcome prospective undergraduate students for the upcoming academic year. The event, aptly named “Welcome to Engineering,” showcased the department’s commitment to fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment for future […]
Sami Khan (ChemE 1T1+PEY), an Assistant Professor in the School of Sustainable Energy Engineering at Simon Fraser University, discovered his passion for chemical engineering at an early age. Through this Q&A, Sami takes us on a journey through his undergraduate years at ChemE, recounting his most unforgettable moments and the people who shaped his perspective. […]
U of T Engineering PhD candidate Sara Abu-Obaid (ChemE) believes that the entire wastewater management industry is due for a paradigm shift. “We need to move from seeing wastewater as a nuisance to recognizing its potential as a resource,” she says. “It can provide us with water, nutrients, energy and other things of value that can be harvested […]
Ron Brenneman, who graduated from the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry (ChemE) at the University of Toronto in 1968, is a highly accomplished business executive and industry leader with a remarkable career spanning over four decades in the oil and gas sector. Renowned as the former President and CEO of Petro-Canada, one of […]
For Andrew White (ChemE 0T8, MASc 1T0), there’s nothing cooler than being an entrepreneur – unless it’s being a cutting-edge, green entrepreneur. Andrew’s startup, CHAR Technologies Ltd. – based on his MASc thesis work supervised by Professor Don Kirk (ChemE), cleans bio-gas – the naturally occurring gas emitted from any decomposing organic waste – by […]
Peter Birkemoe (ChemE 9T6), an alum from the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry (ChemE) at the University of Toronto, is now the proud owner of one of the city’s most beloved comic stores. The Beguiling, which has been around for 35 years, has gained a reputation for being a haven for comic book […]
Would you like to engage with the next generation of U of T chemical engineering talent? Are you interested in talent recruitment opportunities at the university? Or perhaps you would like to understand the student view of the Plant Design? Our fourth-year Plant Design course, aka ChemE Capstone (CHE430), runs from September to December 2023. […]
Mubashir Shaikh (ChemE 2T3 + PEY) chose the University of Toronto for its Chemical Engineering program, as it offered a unique curriculum, state-of-the-art facilities, and a 12-16 month co-op program. The Profesional Experience Year (PEY) Co-op program allowed him to gain both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, building a valuable network of industry contacts. Additionally, […]
Back in the mid-1960s, Margaret (Peggy) Simons (ChemE 6T8) was the only female ChemE student in her class. However, the number of female engineering students was actually beginning to increase at that time and their abilities were being recognized and respected. Despite being the only woman in her class, Peggy was readily accepted by her […]
Sourojeet Chakraborty, a ChemE PhD student, recently published a new paper in Frontiers in Education titled, Insights on mapping Industry 4.0 and Education 4.0. In collaboration with Professor Daniela Galatro (ChemE) and Professors Yris Gonzalez-Triana and Jorge Mendoza, at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Ecuador, the project aims to address an important […]
Ruknoon Dinder (ChemE 2T1 + PEY) is a young alumnus from the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry who has graciously taken the time to reflect on his experiences since graduating last year. His interview provides valuable advice to our students who are about to embark on their own career journeys this Spring. His […]
Two multidisciplinary teams led by U of T Engineering researchers will train a new generation of experts to address challenges in health care, from organ rejuvenation to more equitable access to treatment for heart failure. Professor Michael Sefton (BME, ChemE) is leading Cell and Engineering Approaches to Preserve and Rejuvenate Organs (CEAPRO), one of two […]
U of T Engineering researchers — in collaboration with a group of mining firms— are leveraging the power of acid-loving bacteria to design new processes for recovering nickel, a critical mineral with growing demand around the world. Partners on the project include Vale, Glencore, Metso-Outotec, BacTech, MIRARCO and Yakum Consulting. The insights gained could enable […]
Steven Diao (MEng student) and Yaozhong Zhang (PhD student), supervised by Professor Ramin Farnood, have been working on an innovative project titled, Green and Safer Fabrication Method of PTFE Ultrafine Fiber Membrane for Efficient Oil-Water Separation. “Our new membrane could be employed in various sectors, such as gas separation, membrane distillation, and biological applications. It may […]
Chem Club’s 2023 swag have finally arrived! Sweatshirts are $35 and totes are $12. E-transfer chemclub@skule.ca to make a purchase while supplies last.
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 […]
In celebration of National Engineering Month, U of T Engineering ran a video series that highlights the journeys, inspirations, and motivations behind some of its professors, including Ariel Chan, an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream from ChemE. Professor Chan teaches in the Unit Operations Lab and specializes in experiential learning and curriculum design. She uses immersive technology […]
Type 1 diabetes, which afflicts roughly 8.4 million people worldwide, was almost invariably fatal before insulin was discovered in 1921. With injections of this metabolism-regulating hormone, type 1 diabetes has become a manageable condition. But it’s still life-altering. Michael Sefton, ScD ’74, wants to eradicate diabetes completely. “That is emerging as our big, audacious goal,” […]
Inkbox, a Toronto-based startup, is redefining the world of tattoos by providing people with a new avenue to display their individuality and creativity. The company’s plant-based, cruelty-free For Now Ink™ lasts 1-2 weeks on your skin and fades as your skin naturally regenerates. Inkbox’s clients get super realistic, commitment-free tattoos that are easy-to-apply. Carlos Fiel […]
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 […]
With the increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), car-related air pollution will be less of a concern, right? Think again, say a group of University of Toronto researchers who are studying the effects of air pollution from brakes and tires. While the push to mandate EVs aims to reduce tailpipe emissions such as carbon dioxide — the […]
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 […]
On Saturday, March 4 our fourth-year students received their Iron Rings. Money raised through the ChemE GRADitude Campaign helped fund their celebrations that evening. A total of $2,639.40 was raised prior to the day, and an additional $1,465 was raised through an auction at the Iron Ring Party for a grand total of $4,104.40. Thank […]
In 2010, the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry at U of T introduced BioZone, an innovative multidisciplinary research centre that uses advanced biotechnology to address urgent society needs in energy, environment, and health. For over 20 years, the centre has been creating revolutionary science and technology, as well as training the next generation […]
On March 31, 2023, Sandra Odendahl (ChemE MASc 9T0) will be attending the 6th ChemE Exhibition & 37th Dinner to participate as a panelist for the event’s discussion on Envisioning the Future of Chemical Engineering Education. Sandra’s career highlights how a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto can lead to many different […]
On a dark evening in December 2022, members of the U of T Engineering community gathered in front of the Galbraith Building to unveil a student-built monument commemorating the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Fourteen transparent figures stood on a wooden platform, each bearing the name of one of the 14 […]
D’Andre Wilson-Ihejirika (ChemE PhD candidate) helped create Engineering Graduate Connections, a program that promotes graduate research opportunities for underrepresented students. Last September, the group held its first event with a theme around building bridges between undergraduate and graduate students. The awareness session introduced students to pathways to research and included discussions on navigating imposter syndrome in […]
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 […]
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 […]