The Canadian Societies for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 2026 Conferences and Exhibition (x2026), held in Toronto from May 24–28, 2026 and jointly hosted by the CSC and CSChE, brought together researchers, professionals and students from across the chemical sciences and engineering communities.
The conference featured an expanded program of technical sessions, workshops and keynote presentations. U of T faculty and students were out in full force, showcasing their research, sharing their expertise and contributing to discussions across a wide range of disciplines. Conversations and presentations involved scaling up projects right from the molecular level through to the design of reactors, catalysts and industry-level processes.
Faculty members were recognized for their contributions and achievements. Professor Ning Yan received the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Award for her “distinguished contribution to macromolecular science or engineering.” Professors Jennifer Farmer and D. Grant Allen were also recognized for their contributions to organizing the successful event.
“It’s so important to engage students in professional development,” said Farmer. “As Associate Chair, Undergraduate Student Experience in ChemE, I make it a priority to find ways to support student participation in conferences, where they can build networks, share ideas, and grow as future professionals.”
And the conference did just that, offering opportunities for students to present their work, explore emerging research areas, build professional networks and gain insight into future career paths. Among the students present were CSChE U of T Student Chapter members Mohammad Abdul Aziz, Ryan Xu, and Jason He, who each left the conference with new perspectives on research, innovation and the future of chemical engineering.
“The whole event was amazing; a single session on electrochemical carbon capture or self-driving labs would have talks in atomistic modeling, materials science, and then also how to design a pilot plant or implement an industrial project,” said Aziz.
As a summer researcher at the Acceleration Consortium’s Polymer Self-Driving Lab, Aziz was particularly excited to attend his group’s symposium and connect with industrial collaborators visiting from outside Canada.
“This helped me network with some phenomenal scientists and gave me a lot of ideas for what I could work on in the coming years.”
He notes that conferences like x2026 are especially valuable because they expose students to research directions and career trajectories they may not otherwise encounter. Aziz also participated in the Reg Friesen Oral Paper Competition, presenting research focused on how engineering students can be taught to think from a policy perspective without taking on additional coursework. Among the many presentations he attended, he was particularly interested in work exploring machine learning for molecular discovery and highlighted a presentation by Professor Benjamin Sanchez-Lengeling on using ‘TinyGenAI’ models to explore large search spaces for small molecules and amino acid sequences.
Beyond the technical program, Aziz found significant value in the conference’s professional development opportunities. Through the Students & Transitions Program, he attended expert panels, startup symposiums, research grant sessions, plant design competitions, and the awards dinner.
“I was able to meet both undergrad and grad students from across Canada in all of these events and learned a lot from their experiences,” he says.
The experience reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and left him optimistic about the future of the field.
“One key takeaway for me is the importance of fundamental chemistry and machine learning to the future of chemical engineering. This joint conference has opened my eyes to the power of multidisciplinary collaboration in developing the next generation of cleantech.”
Xu found the conference to be an opportunity to both present research and broaden his perspective on chemistry and chemical engineering.
“It was a super fun time. I visited presentations on interesting chemistry that I did not fully understand, saw cool lab machines, and met new people,” he says.
Xu competed in the Robert G. Auld Student Paper Competition, presenting his team’s CHE205 laboratory project on biodiesel production and receiving the third-place award.
“I could not have done it without my teammates: Jeong Hwang, Bill To, Marcus Yang, and Colin Zhai,” he says.
“We conducted an optimization of biodiesel production using waste cooking oil and a sulfuric acid catalyst. The presentation was 5 minutes with a 3 minute Q&A, which made it a bit challenging to fit everything in.”
Throughout the conference, Xu attended presentations covering a wide range of topics. Research involving Rhodamine-based tracers for heart conditions and hydrogels designed to release macrophages to help fight cancer were among the projects that stood out to him. He also found Professor Gisele Azimi’s keynote address particularly inspiring.
“Professor Azimi’s keynote about her journey to becoming a professor and how she erased several boundaries was particularly inspiring as it made me think of times I had potentially missed opportunities because I was too afraid to challenge boundaries.”
In addition to presenting his work, Xu represented both U of T Chemical Engineering and the University of Toronto Chapter of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, collaborating with student chapters and conference organizers from across the country.
“As a representative for the University of Toronto Chapter of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, I worked with other chapters and the CIC to share ideas for increasing undergraduate conference participation and participation in club events.”
The experience reinforced for him the value of conferences as spaces for learning, networking, and professional growth.
“I think conferences are a great way to be exposed to new ideas and information, as I feel like this conference has broadened my vision.”
Jason He shared a similar appreciation for the breadth of research and career pathways showcased throughout the week, noting, “My experience at the CSChE conference was fascinating—I attended seminars from top researchers across chemistry and chemical engineering.”
Interested in learning about the cutting edge of the profession, He attended presentations spanning environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies. One presentation examining the international trade of toxic organic chemicals left a particularly strong impression.
“I was genuinely shocked to learn that even the international trade of everyday goods like bananas can contribute to the release of organic contaminants into the environment, with the bananas themselves acting as carriers of those pollutants.”
He was also inspired by a seminar delivered by Professor Alexis Vallée-Bélisle, who discussed the development and commercialization of electrochemical DNA hybridization assays through the Montreal-based startup Anasens.
“His story really opened my eyes to the fact that engineering students and researchers aren’t limited to publishing papers or staying in the lab—we also have the opportunity to bring our project ideas to production and create real, tangible impact on the world.”
Like many students, He found the networking and professional development opportunities to be among the conference’s most valuable aspects. Through career-focused panel sessions, poster presentations, and meetings with student representatives from universities across Canada, he was able to connect with professionals, researchers, and peers while gaining a broader understanding of the field.
“These interactions not only broadened my understanding of the field but also helped me start building a professional network beyond my own university.”
Reflecting on the experience, He emphasized both the responsibility and opportunity that come with representing the department on a national stage.
“Representing U of T Chemical Engineering at CSChE means carrying our department’s reputation for excellence into the national stage—it’s both an honor and a responsibility,” he says. “This conference reminded me how chemical engineering truly solves real-world problems, from startup innovations to environmental impact.”
For all three students, x2026 highlighted the value of stepping beyond the classroom and engaging with the broader scientific and engineering community. Whether presenting research, discovering new areas of study, building professional networks or exploring future career paths, the conference offered a glimpse into the many ways chemistry and chemical engineering continue to shape the world around us.
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