This summer, third-year Chemical Engineering student Tyson Zheng (CHE 2T6+PEY) is immersing himself in cutting-edge pharmaceutical research at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland — an opportunity made possible through the Dorothy Meldrum Szymaszek Scholarship.
Originally drawn to the field of food production, Zheng’s academic focus has shifted during his time at the University of Toronto. “As my skills and interests have evolved during the course of study, I have shifted to focus on pharmaceutical production, specifically in addressing the affordability of pharmaceutical services,” he explains.
Zheng first learned about the opportunity to conduct research at the University of Strathclyde through the Department’s ChemEng Newsletter, which regularly features international opportunities and student experiences. “I thought it would be an enriching opportunity to develop skills in my interests, as well as experience the culture and gain a deeper appreciation of another country in the summer before my PEY term starts,” he says.
Drawn to the Particle Engineering department at Strathclyde, Zheng was particularly interested in their focus on crystallization and pharmaceutical modeling — areas that closely align with his academic and professional goals.
Through the scholarship, Zheng is working under Dr. Javier Cardona Amengual as a visiting researcher. His project focuses on modeling the dissolution kinetics of crystalline active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), with the goal of improving how solubility data is interpreted and applied in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“Currently, solubility curves are generated by increasing the temperature at fixed heating rates in crystallization reactors until a clear point is achieved,” he explains. “This procedure does not consider the kinetics of crystallization and may lead to incorrect solubilities for systems with slow kinetics.” These inaccuracies, he notes, could have real consequences for drug formulation and safety. His research incorporates neural ordinary differential equations (ODEs) into a chemical potential crystallization model to provide a more dynamic and accurate understanding of the dissolution process.
The project has challenged Zheng to build expertise in areas beyond the undergraduate curriculum — including programming, data analysis, and neural networks — while gaining firsthand experience with applied research. “I hope to gain experience in approaching open-ended problems, in the situations where the solutions are not immediately apparent,” he says.
“By embracing the challenges (and frustrations) that come with research, I hope to build confidence in my skills as an engineer and learn from the failures.”
Outside of the lab, Zheng is eager to experience Scottish culture and discover the country’s natural beauty. “I want to explore the trails and mountains (called Bens or Munros) around Scotland and explore the Highlands,” he shares. “Culturally, I want to try all the different foods here!”
Zheng sees the experience as pivotal to both his academic and professional development. “This experience has already given me a lot of insight into the pharmaceutical industry and allowed me to connect my academics with industry,” he says. “I believe this experience will prepare me for my PEY and future career, as well as allow me to see if academia is right for me.”
Looking ahead, he is interested in further research opportunities — especially those at the intersection of pharmaceutical engineering and digital innovation. “I would like to continue to pursue similar opportunities to research, and work in the growing digitalization of pharmaceutical testing and development,” he says. “This experience has also allowed me to reconsider academia when I find a strong passion in a topic.”
Zheng encourages fellow students to take chances on new and unfamiliar opportunities — even when the outcome is uncertain. “As students, you are all well prepared to take on research opportunities, but you may be rejected. Realistically, with applications and international opportunities like these, luck can sometimes play a role,” he says. “But what really matters is that you remain confident, keep taking risks and seeking new experiences that help you grow — no experience is ever truly wasted.”
He reflects on his own second-year summer co-op in food manufacturing as an example: “It may seem completely disconnected from what I am researching now, but now I am using the skills I gained in continuous improvement and understanding how processes are connected to help me tackle challenges.”
“Your education and experiences build your skills and prepare you for when the right opportunity comes along — that’s when your ‘luck’ will start showing,” he adds. “As the saying goes, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
Zheng says his experience so far at U of T has given him the foundation to take on this international research opportunity with confidence. “The courses provide a solid foundation to begin tackling problems and encourage you to develop your own style of learning,” he says. “Curiosity is encouraged, with opportunities such as clubs and PEY that offer different avenues of learning.”
At the heart of Zheng’s ethos is a commitment to making a difference. “I am passionate about affordability of pharmaceuticals,” he says. “I believe this research connects to exploring ways to reduce drug development costs while adhering to standards.”
Thanks to the Dorothy Meldrum Szymaszek Scholarship, Zheng is advancing his research skills, expanding his worldview, and exploring new directions in pharmaceutical innovation — all while representing U of T on the global stage.