Professor Sophie Rousseaux has taken on the role of Associate Chair Graduate Studies, beginning July 1, 2025.
The change was announced by Department of Chemistry Chair Mark Lautens, earlier in the summer months. “Sophie has done admirable service in the department over the years. She has a large research group and has worked with many graduate students,” he said, in a message announcing the appointment to the department and chemistry community. “I am grateful she has agreed to take on this role. Please welcome her."
Rousseaux takes over from Professor Mark Taylor, who held the Associate Chair position for the past three years.
In announcing the transition, Lautens noted that the Associate Chair role is a large and complicated job. “It requires much work behind the scenes to make the best experience possible for our graduate students. I am indebted to Mark for agreeing to continue in this role when I assumed the Chair.”
Taylor expressed gratitude for the chance to meet graduate students across the Department during his tenure, and to learn about their research as well as personal interests outside of the lab. “I hope there will be ways for us to maintain those connections when my time in the role is done. Our students' collective achievements are amazing, and it was a privilege to be able to celebrate them.”
He also enjoyed the chance to work closely with staff in the graduate and chair’s offices. “I’m indebted to Anna Liza, Laura, Keisha, Alyx, Victoria, Lisa and Stefanie, for their patience and wisdom in helping me to stay on track and on task. Getting a sense of the complexity of the operations of the department helped me to appreciate just how talented and indispensable they are.”
"Thanks also to Sophie Rousseaux for taking on the role as Associate Chair,” Taylor said. “I’m confident that it is in great hands.”
Though new to the position, Rousseaux is excited by the possibilities. “As Associate Chair Graduate, your role is very much in support of students, and that is central to everything that I will do.”
Rousseaux joined the U of T Department of Chemistry in 2015. Her group’s research interests include organic synthesis, catalysis, and organometallic chemistry. She is excited about helping graduate students to build strong connections while at the university. “I want to encourage students to find community through their graduate experience. Beyond scientific training, that's the most valuable thing that I experienced as a graduate student. Community–not just networking–creates a sense of belonging.”
“I have really fond memories of the friends I made in grad school. Getting a graduate degree in chemistry inevitably means you will face challenges. That's part of the research process. Having a community to support you through difficult times as well as in your future career is so important.”
Rousseaux also believes chemistry research is becoming ever more interdisciplinary. “I think there’s an expectation that graduate students should have a stronger ability to communicate or cross talk – not only across the subdisciplines of chemistry, but also to fields like engineering or biology.”
"Right now, we're at a unique crossroads, with opportunities to address some of the major challenges that we face as a society,” Rousseaux said, “Think of the health-based questions we’ve faced lately, or the issue of environmental sustainability.”
She believes University of Toronto graduate students are uniquely positioned to collaborate on global challenges. “We have strong institutional partnerships with the hospital network as well as Strategic Initiatives like the Acceleration Consortium, CRAFT and PRiME. The Department has great opportunities to contribute to significant global problems through our new generation of graduate students.”
With a vibrant community of principal researchers, graduate scholars and postdocs, the department is empowering the next generation of scientific leaders to shape a better, more sustainable future. Rousseaux’s leadership in the Associate Chair role promises to further strengthen the department’s commitment to fostering a dynamic, inclusive, and globally engaged graduate community.
Getting a graduate degree in chemistry inevitably means you will face challenges. That's part of the research process. Having a community to support you through difficult times as well as in your future career is so important. --Prof. Sophie Rousseaux