In our Catalyzing Chemistry series, we talk to the department's graduate students about their research, interests, and the journeys that brought them to U of T. Today Alexei Kieran talks about seeking an intersection between logic and creativity... and finding it in organic chemistry!
Bio: Hello! My name is Alexei (he/him), I grew up in the forests surrounding Montreal, QC. I began studying organic chemistry in CEGEP as an elective, just because I wanted to take a course with my girlfriend that semester. I fell in love, going on to graduate first-class in bio-organic chemistry at McGill University. There, I did research with C.J. Li’s group, where I researched metal-free reactions that use light as a source of energy. At U of T, I joined Sophie Rousseaux's group to explore nickel catalysis, this time using electricity as a source of energy. Outside the lab, I enjoy skiing, concerts, cycling, and playing piano or board games with my family (who already misses me very much).
Campus: St. George (downtown)
Research Group: Rousseaux Group
What branch of chemistry do you specialize in, and whose research group have you joined?
Technically, I am an organic chemist, joining the Rousseaux group. But I am not a fan of categorizing my specialization. The biggest joys in chemistry to me are where fields intersect, combining their benefits but also their challenges. This is why I am currently working on new synthetic reactions using electrochemistry. Running a current through an ongoing reaction unlocks completely new perspectives on what is possible. For example, we can avoid using problematic substances like cyanide (which I really don't want to be telling my family I'm working with).
Do you remember the moment when you decided to pursue an advanced degree in Chemistry? It’s a big decision - what sparked this for you?
I spent most of my childhood seeking an intersection between logic and creativity, which I got through piano, puzzles, story writing, or board games rather than school. When I took my first organic chemistry class, I thought, hey, this feels just like those hobbies. Some fantastic professors of advanced courses at McGill - namely professors Légaré and Lumb - cemented my certainty that I found my calling, as did the advanced organic lab course. Organic chemistry was just so much cooler than anything else I was learning, I could focus on these courses for hours at a time.
We’d love to share more about your journey as a scholar and student, and this includes anything you may wish to share about communities you’re part of, identities you’d like to highlight, or challenges you’ve encountered along the way. If there’s anything along these lines you’d be open to talking about, please do!
Growing up, I spent six summers working on an organic farm. This environment was very similar to chemistry lab work. Many people have a negative reaction when I say this - really, it's that, firstly, both require careful physical work. But also, farming made me grow comfortable with repetitive, off-screen processes. Both harvests and extractions are more like therapeutic rhythms to me, rather than chores.
What makes your sub-branch of chemistry most extraordinary or exciting?
Organic chemistry doesn't stop at asking what happens - you need to ask why and how. In my earlier science education, I often felt frustrated - we were taught that certain things occur, but rarely the reasoning behind them. In synthesis, although you might sometimes stumble across a successful reaction by chance, to make it truly useful - to optimize it, expand its scope, and apply it - you have to dig into how the atoms are moving, and why the reaction proceeds in that particular way.
What are you looking forward to most as you begin your graduate studies at U of T?
I’m most looking forward to the independence - the chance to set my own pace, explore ideas that interest me, and take complete ownership of my productivity, my lifestyle, and just my overall happiness.