Awards in 2009

Congratulations! Greg Scholes

Greg Scholes has been elected to the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada. Election to Fellowship in the Society is the highest academic accolade in Canada that is available to scientists and scholars.

Congratulations Datong Song, Mark Nitz and Ulrich Fekl

The Early Researcher Award (ERA) program helps promising, recently-appointed Ontario researchers build their research teams.

Datong Song proposes to develop new types of highly efficient and selective catalysts that work like nature's enzymes, but modify molecules according to his team's specifications. By enabling the use of inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials and by improving the efficiency of the existing industrial processes, this research could transform Ontario's chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Mark Nitz is researching new tools that will help us understand the roles that carbohydrates play in intercellular communication pathways. These findings will advance medical research, lead to new ways to treat disease and bacterial infections, and help grow Ontario's biotechnology sector.

Ulrich Fekl's research, Developing Inexpensive Catalysts for Cleaner, Sulfur-free Gasoline and Oil, aims for a better catalyst, made of small molecules, for more efficient sulfur removal.

KUDOS! GREG SCHOLES

On July 1st, Greg Scholes became one of the Senior Editors for the ACS Journal of Physical Chemistry. This will be the only J Phys Chem office in Canada, and will be operated out of his office here in Lash Miller.
Greg expects to handle about 400 manuscripts a year in a newly created Journal of Physical Chemistry C (Nanomaterials, Interfaces, and Hard Matter), which publishes original experimental and basic research targeted to scientists in the physical chemistry of nanoparticles, and nanostructures, surfaces, interfaces, and catalysis, electron transport, optical and electronic devices, and hard matter, and energy conversion and storage.

Congratulations Avila De Sousa!

Avila De Sousa was one of five students chosen to attend the 2009 Meeting of Nobel Laureates in Chemistry in Germany from June 28 to July 3. De Sousa, from the Murphy group, has a scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada, and was nominated by this organization. The full article is available here.

Congratulations Zhihong Nie!

Zhihong Nie, formerly of the Kumacheva group, is this year's recipient of the CAGS/UMI Distinguished Dissertation Award. This award is granted by the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) and is sponsored by University Microfilms International (UMI). It recognizes Canadian doctoral dissertations that make unusually significant and original contributions to their academic fields. Zhihong Nie is currently at Harvard in the Whitesides research group.

Congratulations Deborah Zamble!

Deborah Zamble has been awarded an NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement. The Discovery Accelerator Supplement Program provides substantial and timely resources to a small group of outstanding researchers who have a well-established research program, and who show strong potential to become international leaders in their respective area of research.

Congratulations Zhihong Nie

Zhihong Nie is the inaugural recipient of the Chair's Doctoral Prize, which was awarded based on his accomplishments in Chemistry while a doctoral student in the Kumacheva Group.

Congratulations Peter Dornan

Peter Dornan, of the Dong Group, is one of the inaugural recipients of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships. These scholarships, valued at $50,000 are intended to stimulate the interest of undergraduate students in research; provide financial support to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows engaged in advanced studies and research; and assist recent recipients of doctoral degrees in adding to their research experience.

Congratulations Shana Kelley

Shana Kelley was recently named to Canada's Top 40 Under 40 List. This program celebrates our leaders of today and tomorrow, and honours Canadians who have reached a significant level of success. The program is designed to promote mentorship and professional development by introducing these leaders to the established business community and by promoting them as role models for young Canadians.

Congratulations Andy Dicks

Andy Dicks is the recipient of a University of Toronto President's Teaching Award. This award recognizes sustained excellence in teaching, research in teaching and the integration of teaching and research. Recipients of a President.s Teaching Award are designated as a member of the Teaching Academy for a five-year period.

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Congratulations Kagan Kerman

We have just learned that Kagan Kerman is the recipient of a Biomedical Young Investigator Research Award from the Alzheimer's Society of Canada. Kagan's research will focus on small molecules and peptides that would become effective inhibitors of amyloid formation.

Congratulations Doug Stephan

Doug Stephan is a recipient of a 2009 Killam Research Fellowship. These fellowships are among Canada's most distinguished research awards, enabling scientists and scholars to devote two years to a specific full time research project. In addition to work on a variety of new catalysts for industrial processes, Doug's group is also targeting new materials for "green" catalysis and hydrogen storage. http://www.canadacouncil.ca/prizes/killam

Congratulations Eugenia Kumacheva

Eugenia Kumacheva, winner of the 2009 L'ORÉAL-UNESCO Award for Women in Science. For more details and video click here

Congratulations Vy Dong and Aaron Wheeler

Aaron Wheeler and Vy Dong are both recipients of 2009 Alfred Sloan Fellowships. Fellowships are awarded to stimulate fundamental research by young scholars of outstanding promise and to provide support and recognition to young scientists.

Congratulations Vy Dong and Aaron Wheeler

Aaron Wheeler and Vy Dong are both recipients of 2009 IUPAC Travel awards. Vy will be attending the 15th IUPAC International Symposium in Glasgow, Scotland in July 2009 while Aaron will participate in the 42nd IUPAC World Chemistry Congress in Glasgow, Scotland in August 2009.

Congratulations Stu Whittington

Stu Whittington is the recipient of one of four Faculty of Arts and Science Outstanding Teaching Awards for 2007-08. The Faculty received a number of strong nominations from across the Faculty and chose, for an award, the four clear leaders among all the nominees.

Congratulations Ludovico Cademartiri

Ludovico Cademartiri is the recipient of the 2009 Chemical Society of Canada CCUCC Chemistry Doctoral Award. This award recognizes outstanding achievement and potential in research by a graduate student.

Congratulations Aaron Wheeler

Aaron Wheeler is the recipient of the 2008 Eli Lilly and Company Young Investigator Award in Analytical Chemistry.

Congratulations Molly Shoichet

Molly Shoichet is the recipient of the 2009 CSC Clara Benson Award In recognition of her distinguished contributions to chemistry while working in Canada.

Congratulations Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor is the recipient of the 2008 John Charles Polanyi Prize. The Prize is awarded annually to outstanding researchers in the early stages of their career either continuing post-doctoral studies (or has a faculty appointment) in a recognized Ontario University.

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Congratulations Dwayne Miller

Dwayne Miller is the recipient of the 2009 CIC Medal. The Medal is presented as a mark of distinction and recognition for an outstanding contribution to the science of chemistry or chemical engineering in Canada.

Congratulations Geoffery Ozin

Geoffery Ozin is the 2009 Society of Chemical Industry Le Sueur Award Winner of the Canada Section. The Le Sueur Award recognizes excellence in chemical science and technology and, in Geoff's case, recognizes his outstanding contributions over the years in the areas of nanotechnology and photonic crystals.

Congratulations Patrick Gunning

Patrick Gunning is the 2008 recipient of the David Rae Memorial Award in Leukemia Research for his highly rated innovative project in leukemia research. This award was established by the Rae family to honour the memory of David Rae.

Awards in 2008

Congratulations Molly Shoichet

Molly Shoichet has been elected to the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada. Election to Fellowship in the Society is the highest academic accolade in Canada that is available to scientists and scholars.

Congratulations Vy Dong

Professor Vy Dong is a recent recipient of the 2008 Boehringer Ingelheim Investigator Award in Organic Chemistry. The purpose of this award is to support research in synthetic organic chemistry by new faculty members.

Congratulations Scott Prosser

Professor Scott Prosser has been awarded a UTM Research Excellence Award made on the basis of excellence in research in its broadest sense. Scott has had a relevant and sustained impact through contributions to his field of study, is able to stimulate and challenge the research ability of students, to communicate research results effectively, and to maintain a mastery of his subject area.

Congratulations Gilbert Walker!

Gilbert Walker has been awarded an NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement. This program provides substantial and timely resources to a small group of outstanding researchers who have a well-established research program, and who show strong potential to become international leaders in their respective area of research.

Congratulations Ludovico Cademartiri

Dr. Ludovico Cademartiri is one of three UoT recipients of the Governor General's Gold Medal. The Gold Medal is awarded to the student who achieves the highest academic standing at the graduate level. This award has since become one of the most prestigious that a student in a Canadian educational institution may receive.

Congratulations Andrei Yudin!

Andrei Yudin has been awarded an NSERC Discovery Accelerator Supplement. This program provides substantial and timely resources to a small group of outstanding researchers who have a well-established research program, and who show strong potential to become international leaders in their respective area of research.

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Congratulations Mitchell Winnik, Jeff Haley and Yuanqin Liu

Mitchell Winnik, Jeff Haley and Yuanqin Liu have received the 2007 Roon Award First Place. This award is administered by the Federation of Societies for Coating Technologies in the US and is given for the top publication in the coatings field. Mitch shares this award with his postdoc Jeff Haley, student Yuanqin Liu, and collaborator Dr. Willie Lau at Rohm and Haas. Winnik and his students received this First Place award in 1991, 1995, and 1998; probably the only person to have won it 3 times, so four sets a new record.

Congratulations Drew Woolley

Drew Woolley is the winner of the CSC 2008 Bernard Belleau Award. This award recognizes distinguished contributions to the field of medicinal chemistry through research involving biochemical or organic chemical mechanisms by a scientist residing in Canada.

Congratulations Molly Shoichet

Molly Shoichet is the recipient of a Killam Research Fellowship, Canada's most distinguished research award. These prizes are given in recognition of a distinguished career and exceptional contributions in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, engineering and interdisciplinary studies. Molly's project that received recognition by the Killam selection committee is entitled, "Three Dimensional Presentation of Immobilized Growth Factors to Guide and Control Cell Differentiation".

Congratulations Zhihong Nie

Zhihong Nie, from the Kumacheva group, is one of two winners of this year's MSED/LANXESS Graduate Thesis award.

Congratulations Ludovico Cademartiri and Greg Welch

Greg Welch, one of Doug Stephan's PDF students (Windsor) and Ludovico Cademartiri, of the Ozin group, have each been awarded 2008 ACS Young Investigator Awards given by the Division of Inorganic Chemistry. Ludovico is also the recipient of the CSC Division of Inorganic Chemistry Prize for Graduate Work in Inorganic Chemistry. Both Greg and Ludovico will be given an award presentation at the Philadelphia ACS meeting in August.

Congratulations Stu Whittington!

Stu Whittington is the recipient of a 2007-08 University of Toronto Students' Union/Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students Undergraduate Teaching Award for teaching excellence for the course CHM 326, "Introductory Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy". It should be noted that this award is entirely student driven - nominated and selected!

Congratulations Alan Lough!

The Awards Selection committee takes great pleasure in announcing that the Fourth Annual Chemistry Department Outstanding Staff Award winner for 2008 is Alan Lough.

The competition this year had many detailed and persuasive nominations. The effort that many of you take in making these nominations is clearly evident and the selection committee extends its deep appreciation. Chemistry is blessed with an outstanding group of staff, who provide strong support to our teaching and research missions.

Awards in 2007

Congratulations André Arsenault!

We have just learned that André Arsenault (Ph.D. graduate of the Manners/Ozin groups) won first prize in the NSERC Innovation Challenge Awards, a competition designed to get graduate students thinking about products or services that could be developed from their thesis research.

Congratulations Jamie Donaldson!

We have just learned that Jamie Donaldson has recently been named a Fellow of The American Association for the Advancement of Science, an honour bestowed upon them by peer members of AAAS. Fellows are recognized for meritorious efforts to advance science or its applications.

Congratulations Eugenia Kumacheva!

We have just learned that Eugenia Kumacheva has been selected as the 2007 CIC E. Gordon Young Lecturer. This lectureship was established in honour of E. Gordon Young, a distinguished chemist and President of the CIC.

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Congratulations!

The Department of Chemistry is very pleased to announce that Dwayne Miller, Judith Poë and Scott Mabury have each been awarded one of the province's inaugural Leadership in Faculty Teaching (LIFT) Award for 2007 designed to recognize and encourage teaching excellence at Ontario's colleges and universities.

Congratulations Aaron Wheeler!

We have just learned that Aaron Wheeler has been awarded an Early Researcher Award given by the Province of Ontario to researchers who are within the first five years of an independent academic career. He plans to fund students working on his projects related to integrated proteome profiling and high-throughput screening.

Chemistry faculty, staff and students aid in construction

On Saturday September 8th thirty department members, faculty, staff, and students, volunteered their time to do some construction work on a series of new homes in Scarborough with Habitat for Humanity. Completing a full day of construction work was a new experience for many of them. They were divided into teams and assigned different jobs ranging from installing insulation to framing and putting the finishing touches on the homes. They learned a broad range of skills and enjoyed themselves very much. Perhaps if you add up all the knowledge they gained they could build their own house!

See pictures!

Congratulations Mark Nitz!

We have just learned that Mark Nitz has received the Canadian Alzheimer Society Young Investigator Research Award in recognition of his research on developing new imaging agents for Alzheimer disease.

Congratulations Susha Chulliparambil

It is a great pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. Susha Chulliparambil to the position of Lecturer , effective August 1st 2007. Susha joins Chemistry with twelve years of undergraduate teaching experience and is charged with redeveloping the CHM 139H (Chemistry: Physical Principles) laboratory curriculum in our brand-new facilities. She is currently located in room DB 340 with an imminent move to a new office on the first floor. Please give Susha a very warm welcome to the Department!

Congratulations Eugenia Kumacheva!

We have just learned that Eugenia Kumacheva has been elected to the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada . Election to Fellowship in the Society is the highest academic accolade in Canada that is available to scientists and scholars.

David McNally, New NMR Director

Please join me in welcoming David McNally, NMR Director, to our department. He is scheduled to start on July 3rd and will be located in the NMR lab, Rm. 46A. Please pop by anytime to welcome him to the department.

Jon Abbatt has been awarded an NSERC Discovery Accelerator supplement

We have just learned that Jon Abbatt has been awarded an NSERC Discovery Accelerator supplement, a new NSERC initiative to foster research excellence. With a total of $6 million in new funding, this initiative will provide significant supplements to a select group of researchers in order to boost their productivity at a critical juncture in their careers.

"These new grants target 50 outstanding researchers. Based on their success and accomplishments so far, we believe they are poised to make real breakthroughs in their fields, and we believe it is critically important to support them financially at this time," observed Dr. Suzanne Fortier.

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Congratulations to Greg Scholes!

The Department of Chemistry is very pleased to announce that Greg Scholes has been awarded a 2007 NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship. This is one of Canada's biggest science awards and delivers substantial research and leave support to the winners. UofT did exceptionally well in the NSERC major awards this year. Greg Scholes (Chemistry), Aephraim Steinberg (Physics), and Eckhard Meinrenken (Math) won Steacie Fellowships while Dick Bond won the Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering. Pictured in photo: rear left to right (Steinberg, Scholes, Meinrenken) and front centre (Bond).

Andy Dicks, 2007 recipient of the Arts and Science Students' Union (ASSU) Ranjini (Rini) Ghosh Excellence in Teaching Award

The Department of Chemistry is very pleased to announce that Andy Dicks has recently been selected the 2007 recipient of the Arts and Science Students' Union (ASSU) Ranjini (Rini) Ghosh Excellence in Teaching Award. ASSU created this teaching award in recognition of Rini's two-year term ASSU Presidency and her commitment to improving the undergraduate experience. This is particularly exciting since this award is completely student driven; student nominated and selected.

Rebecca Jockusch awarded 2007 American Society for Mass Spectrometry Research Award

The Department of Chemistry is very pleased to announce that Rebecca Jockusch has recently been awarded a 2007 American Society for Mass Spectrometry Research Award. These awards are presented to promote academic research by young scientists in mass spectrometry. It is also important to note that this is the first time such an award was given to a faculty member at a Canadian University.

John Ford awarded the Dean's Outstanding Technical Service Award, Faculty of Arts and Science, 2007

We have just learned that John Ford has been awarded the Dean's Outstanding Technical Service Award, Faculty of Arts and Science, for 2007. The Dean's Outstanding Technical Service Award is presented to a technical staff member who has made an outstanding contribution to technical services and, as a result, had a direct impact on improving teaching and/or research.

Congratulations to Deborah Zamble for Sloan Fellowship 2007

The Department of Chemistry is very pleased to announce that Deborah Zamble has recently been awarded a Sloan Fellowship for 2007. These fellowships are awarded to stimulate fundamental research by young scholars of outstanding promise and to provide support and recognition to young scientists.