Chemical Institute of Canada - Toronto Section

Join us this Thursday for Café CIC: The Chemistry of Matured Spirits! Each ticket comes with 2 drinks, 19+ only🥂

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟

We're thrilled to announce our latest "HumansInChemTO" blog post series, highlighting the incredible journey of Eugenia Duodu Addy, PhD, CEO of , a charitable organization with the mission of transforming communities, society, and the planet through equitable access to STEM.

Dr. Addy, a versatile scientist, educator, speaker, and community organizer, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Leveraging her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Toronto, for over 15 years, Dr. Addy has been passionately advocating for community development, developing numerous children and youth initiatives across more than 40 "low-income" communities throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

In our interview with Dr. Addy, we had the pleasure of diving deep into her journey, exploring her impactful work in the not-for-profit sector, glancing into her typical day as a CEO, and even discovering her favourite element! Don't miss out on this empowering read—it's a must for anyone interested in the intersection of science, education, and community advocacy.

Interview link in our bio!

Dive into the world of interdisciplinary education with our latest blog featuring an interview with Dr. Ehsan Behzadfar, PEng - the Assistant Professor at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University

In this interview, Dr. Behzadfar shares his experiences, emphasizing the vital role of collaboration between different fields in addressing our world's most pressing challenges. Join us in exploring the power of interdisciplinary approaches, the significance of continuous learning in shaping a sustainable future, and the transformative impact of embracing diverse perspectives.

Check out the link in our bio to learn more!

Thank you for making our Career Fair a success!

A special thank you goes out to our sponsors, whose generous support made this event possible. Your contributions not only enriched this experience but also created a platform for meaningful connections and opportunities.

We want to extend our appreciation to all who attended our recent Career Fair on Friday, Oct 13, 2023. Your presence contributed to the event's success, and we hope you found valuable opportunities and connections to support your professional journey.

In order to further advancing your experience, we are excited to let you know that we are hosting our second virtual MIX & REACT workshop featuring Career Coach at FOCUS.inspired, on Tuesday, Oct 24, 2023 at 6:00 PM EST. In this workshop, Luki will discuss about how to level up your networking and how to maximize opportunities from the fair.

The event is free to attend and will be held virtually via Zoom. Register now with the link in our bio.
** All career fair tickets include access to the workshop. If you would to attend the workshop only, choose ticket option “Workshops w/ Luki ONLY”

📢 the CIC Toronto annual career fair is happening TOMORROW Friday October 13th!

We have a great lineup of participating companies and organizations ready to meet talented chemists and chemical engineers like you!

Join us to chat with representatives from:

⭐ Gold sponsor: Gilead Sciences

💿 Silver Sponsor: Eurofins CDMO Alphora Inc.

🍂 Bronze Sponsors: Syngenta, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions, Acceleration Consortium

🤝 Non-profit organizations: Mitacs, Chemical Institute of Canada, WICTO

Moreover, you will also have a chance to learn about the career journeys of chemistry and chemical engineering graduates at our Career Fair roundtable discussion happening this Friday the 13th! Thinking about future career plans can be scary, but we’ve put together a lineup of speakers who will share their experiences and hopefully make you feel a little less spooked. Hear from:

💼Christopher Dixon, PhD, Strategic Partnerships Advisor at Mitacs

💼Naomi Kuehnbaum, Senior Research Scientist at Gilead Sciences

💼Matthew Wathier, R&D Manager at Eurofins CDMO Alphora Inc.

💼Josephine Tsang, Ph.D. (she/her/elle) Tsang, Executive Director of Chemical Institute of Canada

❗Space is limited, so register now to guarantee your entry! Sign up with the link in our bio!

Details

🗓️ Fri Oct 13th, 2023 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

📍 Metro Hall (55 John St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6)

Besides the amazing companies looking to connect with you, CIC Toronto is delighted to introduce you to a lineup of Non-profit organizations that will be at our Career Fair this year! Their dedication to making a positive impact on our community is truly inspiring, and we are excited to have them to be a part of this.

📖Mitacs: A leading organization that connects academic learning with real-world applications. Through innovative research programs, they bridge the gap between academia and industry, providing invaluable opportunities for students and researchers to apply their knowledge and skills to practical challenges.
They are passionate about developing the next generation of researchers who will work to fuel Canada’s knowledge-based economy.

📖CIC National: A prestigious professional association dedicated to advancing the field of chemistry and chemical engineering in Canada. CIC provides a supportive community for professionals, researchers, and students in the chemical sciences through networking events, educational resources, and industry connections.

📖WICTO: A student-led organization part of the CWIC network for advocacy and education on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion within the Chemistry community and the broader STEM community. Their work is rooted in the ambition of dismantling oppressive systems that persist within the academy to make our department and university a more just and safe space for all.

Join us in welcoming these non-profit organizations and be part of an event that combines career advancement with the opportunity to build an extensive network.

Register now for our career fair with the link in our bio!

📍The event will take place on Friday, October 13th, 2023, at Metro Hall (55 John St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

🚀Interested companies are welcome to contact us at [email protected].

Our Career Fair is officially coming this week! We are thrilled to unveil our Bronze Sponsors in attendance at our upcoming Career Fair!

🥉Syngenta: A prominent figure in the agricultural sector, taking advantage of their scientific expertise and devotion to bring out the full potential of plants. Their strength lies in the workforce diversity and inclusive environment that drive them to become the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture. Regardless of your role, you will play a pivotal part in the vital task of sustainably feeding the world and preserving our environment.

🥉Acceleration Consortium: The consortium is changing the way we do science by building self-driving labs that use artificial intelligence and automation to accelerate the discovery of materials and molecules. Materials, and our ability to develop them rapidly, are crucial to solving humanity’s most pressing challenges, from climate change and poverty to pandemics.

🥉Veolia: Operating in 130 nations with a workforce exceeding 10,000 professionals, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions tackles intricate global water, wastewater, and process challenges around the globe. The company utilizes an extensive array of chemical, equipment, and digitally enhanced services to assist clients in various sectors such as food and beverage, metals and mining, power, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, chemicals, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, as well as utilities.

Join us at the Career Fair to connect with these incredible sponsors and organizations. Your dream career might just be a conversation away!

Register now for our career fair with the link in our bio!

📍The event will take place on Friday, October 13th, 2023, at Metro Hall (55 John St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

🚀Interested companies are welcome to contact us at [email protected].

Up next in our company series, meet our Silver Sponsor: Eurofins CDMO Alphora, a full service contract research, development and manufacturing organization for complex and niche small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

💊Eurofins Alphora boasts comprehensive expertise in multi-step syntheses and specializes in developing cytotoxic and highly potent APIs. With two fully integrated facilities, they tackle diverse API challenges, offering a complete range of services encompassing complex API development, testing, and manufacturing. This enables the company to assist biopharmaceutical firms from the preclinical stage to the commercialization of specialized products.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with Eurofins Alphora’s representative and other industry leaders. Come prepared to network, ask questions, and discover how you can be a part of Eurofins Alphora’s amazing team.

Register now for our career fair with the link in our bio!

📍The event will take place on Friday, October 13th, 2023, at Metro Hall (55 John St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

🚀Interested companies are welcome to contact us at [email protected].

🎉 Exciting News: Gilead is Joining Our Career Fair Lineup! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that Gilead, a pioneering leader in biopharmaceuticals, will be one of the companies participating in our upcoming Career Fair! 🌟

💊Gilead is renowned for its ground-breaking research and development in medicine for more than three decades and commercialized more than 25 innovative medicines with the goal of creating a better, healthier world for all people. Through our ongoing bold and transformative science, they are driving innovations that have the potential to become the next generation of life-changing medicines.

💊The employees at Gilead include some of the most talented innovators in the biopharmaceutical industry. Whether you are passionate about research, innovation, healthcare, or technology, Gilead always looking for new talents to join their intellectually stimulating, socially responsible company with a track record of addressing serious illnesses and public health issues around the world.

This is your chance to meet representatives from Gilead, learn about their amazing work, and explore potential career opportunities. Come prepared to network, ask questions, and discover how you can be a part of Gilead’s inspiring journey. Register now with the link in our bio.

📍The event will take place on Friday, October 13th, 2023, at Metro Hall (55 John St, Toronto, ON M5V 3C6) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

🚀Interested companies are welcome to contact us at [email protected].

: The CIC Toronto Annual General Meeting is this Thursday Jan 20th at 6:30 pm!

Why you should attend:

🌟 Join our executive team!

Executive elections for the 2022-2023 team are happening at this meeting. If you are interested in volunteering with us, see the link in bio for details on how to apply!

🌟 Our keynote speaker Phil De Luna!

De Luna is the youngest-ever director at the National Research Council, where he leads a $57M Canada-made program. He is a Governor General Gold Medal scientist, member of the Royal Society of Canada, a Carbon XPRIZE finalist, a Forbes Top 30 Under 30, and was a candidate for MP in the 2021 Federal election. Hear him speak about his personal experiences and gain insights about how to maximize opportunities to kick-start your career as a chemist.

🌟 Learn about our local section’s impact over the past year

Despite the circumstances, we’ve worked hard to organize many events throughout 2021, and we have taken advantage of the virtual space to extend our reach beyond the GTA and into the rest of Ontario and even across Canada!

The AGM will be held virtually via Zoom. Jan 20th, 2022 6:30 PM EST.

Register for the event here: https://agm22.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

Innovative technology has always played an essential role in the fight against climate change. As a member of the chemical community, have you ever wondered how you could apply your expertise to address these issues and make a meaningful impact?
If yes, then we have good news for you! The CIC Toronto is excited to have Phil De Luna as keynote speaker at our virtual Annual General Meeting 2022 to give you a special talk that you definitely do not want to miss out on!
Phil De Luna is the youngest-ever director at the National Research Council, where he leads a $57M Canada-made program. De Luna is a Governor General Gold Medal scientist, member of the Royal Society of Canada, and has published in high-impact journals like Science and Nature. He was a Carbon XPRIZE finalist, a Forbes Top 30 Under 30, and was a candidate for MP in the 2021 Federal election. He is deeply passionate about developing technology to fight climate change.
Sharing his own career story of going from scientist, to almost-entrepreneur, to national lab director, to political candidate, and everything in between – in this talk, Phil De Luna will describe how he used and as a platform for impact beyond academia. Phil will talk about his own life experiences and provide some advice on how to maximize opportunity in the early stages of a chemist’s career.
The CIC Toronto will host our Annual General Meeting virtually via Zoom on Thursday, Jan 20th, 2022 at 6:30 PM EST. Register today at: https://agm22.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

Innovative technology has always played an essential role in the fight against climate change. As a member of the chemical community, have you ever wondered how you could apply your expertise to address these issues and make a meaningful impact?
If yes, then we have good news for you! The CIC Toronto is excited to have Phil De Luna as keynote speaker at our virtual Annual General Meeting 2022 to give you a special talk that you definitely do not want to miss out on!
Phil De Luna is the youngest-ever director at the National Research Council, where he leads a $57M Canada-made program. De Luna is a Governor General Gold Medal scientist, member of the Royal Society of Canada, and has published in high-impact journals like Science and Nature. He was a Carbon XPRIZE finalist, a Forbes Top 30 Under 30, and was a candidate for MP in the 2021 Federal election. He is deeply passionate about developing technology to fight climate change.
Sharing his own career story of going from scientist, to almost-entrepreneur, to national lab director, to political candidate, and everything in between – in this talk, Phil De Luna will describe how he used and as a platform for impact beyond academia. Phil will talk about his own life experiences and provide some advice on how to maximize opportunity in the early stages of a chemist’s career.
The CIC Toronto will host our Annual General Meeting virtually via Zoom on Thursday, Jan 20th, 2022 at 6:30 PM EST. Register today at: https://agm22.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

One last note before the winter break, save the date for our next ✨Annual General Meeting✨ (AGM) on Thursday, January 20, 2022!!!
Come join us to learn more about our past activities, upcoming plans, and attend the election for 2022-2023 executives. On top of that, you definitely do not want to miss the talk given by ‘Forbes Top 30 Under 30’ innovator and entrepreneur in the clean technology field 🔬.
Stay tuned for more details!

Chemical Institute of Canada - Toronto Section updated their website address.

Our 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) is taking place on Thursday, January 20th at 6:30 pm via Zoom! Join us to learn more about the CIC Toronto section and our activities over the past year, listen to our keynote presentation by a ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’ scientist, and to elect our 2022 executive team!

📢 Yes, nominations to join our team are now OPEN! We’re looking for enthusiastic chemists, chemical engineers, and chemical technologists to help us build connections within the chemical community in the new year. Follow this link for details about each role & how to apply: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B6XelqoTF1u0WwM2S_YehCcfpCygbAky/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117370570369251280278&rtpof=true&sd=true.

If you are interested in becoming a CIC Toronto executive, please send your nomination to [email protected] by Jan 19th 11:59 pm.

Our local section has proudly hosted many events over the past year, and we hope to see everyone at the AGM in celebration of our past and future accomplishments and amazing executives!

Register today at: https://agm22.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

One last note before the winter break, SAVE THE DATE for our next ✨Annual General Meeting✨ (AGM) on Thursday, January 20, 2022!!!

Come join us to learn more about our past activities, upcoming plans, and attend the election for 2022-2023 executives. On top of that, you definitely do not want to miss the talk given by ‘Forbes Top 30 Under 30’ innovator and entrepreneur in the clean technology field 🔬.

Stay tuned for more details!

What a year it has been for us here at the CIC Toronto section! Despite the circumstances, we kept busy and maintained our mission of connecting the chemical community through the virtual space.

While we miss hosting events and meeting everyone in person, it was amazing to be able to reach out to those outside of the GTA and to host speakers and organizations from across Canada.

Thank you for joining us at our Career Exploration Series talks, career fair, outreach events, and more. We hope you enjoyed the events and learned something new along the way! A big thank you to our sponsors and guest speakers for supporting us this past year. We look forward to future collaborations in 2022 and beyond.

We're off for the winter break, but stay tuned for more to come in the new year!

Happy holidays! 🎉

Are linear career paths passé?? The modern workforce certainly features more and more winding, twisty paths.

Next week, you can join us to hear about how Leo Mui has navigated through his own non-linear career path during our upcoming Career Exploration Series event happening on Monday, Nov 15th at 6:30 pm EST!

After completing his MSc in organic chemistry, Leo took on various roles in entrepreneurship and technology commercialization to help bring science to society. He is currently a funding manager working with a federally-funded program, INOVAIT (inovait.ca/), that invests in collaborative research and commercialization projects involving image-guided therapy and artificial intelligence.

Throughout the evening, you will get a chance to hear Leo's career story as well as some advice for young professionals. The event will begin with a talk by Leo followed by a Q&A and a speed-networking session with all attendees, including Leo!

Register for the FREE event today at https://ces-leomui.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

Curious about what skills you need to develop to take your science degree outside of academia? Join us for our upcoming Career Exploration Series talk with Leo Mui, MSc, Funding Manager at INOVAIT Network.

After obtaining a Master’s degree in organic chemistry, Leo embarked on a winding career path taking on a variety of roles to bring science to society through entrepreneurship and commercialization. His experience in this space led him to his current role managing a federally-funded program, INOVAIT (https://inovait.ca/), that invests in collaborative research and commercialization projects involving image-guided therapy and artificial intelligence. Outside of science, Leo is a big fan of coffee and baseball.

In this talk, you will get a chance to hear about Leo's journey through his career, commercialization of scientific technologies, as well as advice for young professionals. The talk will also be followed by a Q&A and a speed-networking session with all attendees as well as our guest speaker, Leo!

Registration is now open! Visit: https://ces-leomui.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

Did you know Intellectual property (IP) intensive industries contribute $322B to the GDP and 2 million jobs?

Intellectual Property is everywhere even though we are not always actively aware of it! If you are a professional, there’s a high chance that your business has some form of IP. A patent is written to protect such IPs, defining the invention and scope of protection of its owner. One Canadian company even used its ground-breaking patent to attract investors and increase awareness of the burgeoning field of psychedelics research.

Working with inventions in the chemical space, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office employs more than 400 science and technology specialists, including chemists and chemical engineers, as patent examiners!

They will be joining for a presentation on IP and patents, with a special focus on chemical inventions. Come join us on Thursday September 28th, 2021 from 2:00 - 3:00 pm EDT to learn more about:

The process of claiming a patent
The types of chemical inventions that can be patented
The importance of disclosure if you’re considering protecting your invention
The powerful catalyst that was discovered in Canada and is now licensed worldwide

For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://cic-cipo.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) will be joining us on Thursday September 28th, 2021 from 2:00 - 3:00 pm EDT to introduce you to the basics of intellectual property (IP) and patents, specifically focusing on chemical inventions.

Whether you’re considering a patent for your own invention or you’re just curious about what a patent really is, this talk will give you some insights from why you should get a patent to what goes into a patent. Samantha Drouin, Ph.D., Patent Examiner will be discussing chemical patents and the role of the CIPO, and Nicholas Déziel, Innovation Officer, will be discussing the general aspects of IP.

For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://cic-cipo.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

Our next Career Exploration Series with Natasha Peer, P.Eng, Senior Analyst Business Transformation at (tag) is happening this Thurs, September 16th at 6:30 PM EDT!

After completing her chemical engineering degree at the University of Waterloo, Natasha worked as a Process Engineer at Shell, where she began her transition toward the business side of the sector. After discovering her passion for business, Natasha taking on different analyst and consultant roles before becoming Senior Analyst Business Transformation at 4Refuel.

In this talk, you will hear Natasha's story in carving her own career path within the energy industry along with advice for young professionals. The talk will be followed by a Q&A and a speed-networking session with all attendees as well as our guest speaker, Natasha!

Register for this FREE event at: https://ces-natasha.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

We hope everyone is having a happy Labour Day long weekend and enjoying the final weeks of the summer season. As campuses across the GTA are returning to in person classes this week, we wish our student community a fun and safe back to school season!

The CIC Toronto team has had a busy summer organizing many talks and events, and we were very happy to see such enthusiastic audiences at each and every one! We have a number of outreach and professional development events already in the works for the upcoming semester, including another Career Exploration Series instalment next week with Natasha Peer, Senior Analyst, Business Transformation at 4Refuel (register here: https://ces-natasha.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb). We hope to see you at all our future events!

Have you ever wondered how your chemical engineering background can help you advance in the sector? If yes, join us for a career talk with Natasha Peer, P.Eng, Senior Analyst Business Transformation at 4Refuel!

Having worked as Process Engineer within Shell in Sarnia for 4 years, Natasha discovers her passion for the side of the energy industry. Her drive for experience outside of engineering took her to a variety of business or management consultant roles before working for 4Refuel as Senior Analyst Business Transformation. This strategy-focused role involves completing benefit analysis while taking a critical look at all projects to ensure they meet the minimum financial requirements.

In this talk, you will get a chance to learn more about Natasha's role in the energy industry, her exciting career path as well as advice for young professionals. The talk will also be followed by a Q&A and a speed-networking session with all attendees as well as our guest speaker, Natasha!

Register now for the event at: https://ces-natasha.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb

Our career fair may be over, but we’re continuing to showcase the companies and organizations represented at the fair and more! Meet one of our Gold Sponsors, GreenCentre Canada (GCC), a non-profit chemical company that aims to accelerate the transfer of green chemistry innovations into valuable products, processes, and services.

GCC works with start-ups and well-established industrial companies, providing support for sustainable technology development projects. They work out of two state-of-the-art labs in Kingston, specializing in areas such as water treatment, bio-based products, polymers and coatings, and inorganic and electronic materials, just to name a few. With a team of highly experienced chemists, chemical engineers, and business professionals who work closely with clients, GCC has consistently demonstrated their expertise and commitment to growing green chemistry initiatives.

GCC is currently ! Apply to be their new Development Scientist now at: https://greencentrecanada.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=10
If you would like to learn more about GCC and career opportunities with them, check out their company profile on our website! http://cictorontosection.ca/company-profiles/greencentre-canada/

Save the date for our next Career Exploration Series, featuring Valerie Chiykowski, Ph.D. on Thursday, August 12 at 6:30 PM EDT!

After finishing a Ph.D. in material chemistry at the University of British Columbia, Valerie has utilized her science experiences and applied them to solve problems beyond research as Associate Director at Creative Destruction Lab (CDL). During the talk, she will provide an overview of her role and journey as well as introduce you to various CDL works in rapid commercialization and adoption of advanced materials. Following the talk, we will have a speed-networking session with all attendees and Valerie herself. This event is free and open to all, so register now at https://ces-valerie.eventbrite.ca/?aff=fb!