Chemistry Students win multiple awards at SOUSCC 2026

The 54th Southern Ontario Undergraduate Student Chemistry Conference (SOUSCC) took place at the University of Toronto Mississauga on March 21, 2026.  

According to Professor Barb Morra, Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies at the Department of Chemistry, the event started with a plenary lecture by Prof. Amanda Hargrove, who shared her research with all attendees in the Grand Hall of the newly constructed Maanjiwe Nendamowinan building at the North end of the UTM campus.  

The Saint George Campus had nineteen undergraduate students who gave oral presentations and twenty two poster presentations across numerous disciplines, Morra noted, including Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Organic and Polymer Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Biomedical and Medicinal Chemistry, and Chemistry Education.

The conference was buzzing with contagious energy and excitement the whole day, with students sharing their research and experiences with other attendees," she said. "I was incredibly impressed by the quality of work that was shared by our undergraduate students, and also by their level of engagement throughout the event.” 

Morra thanked Professor David Armstrong, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, The Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga, for organizing the event.  “I want to acknowledge how well organized and executed the entire event was and would like to thank for the tremendous work he and the student volunteers did to make the event a huge success!” 

Undergraduates from U of T Saint George who won prizes at the conference are: Florence Ho, Martina Lauerova, Yiran Li, Taiqi Luo, Juliana Matthews, Thomas Setio, Charlotte Stein, and Yahan Zhang.

Professor Andrei Yudin was one of many proud chemistry professors celebrating their students’ success in the wake of the conference, offering warm words about students Martina Lauerova and Thomas Setio.  

“Martina has worked to help us understand the concept of isoreactivity from the theoretical perspective," he said. "This work has been carried out in collaboration with the lab of Professor Anatole von Lilienfeld. I am extremely excited about Martina’s contributions because she is spearheading the effort to define a new field of chemistry and is writing a paper detailing her work." 

Thomas Setio has worked under the guidance of graduate student Morgan Cordell in the Yudin lab. "He has developed a series of ring-forming reactions that use vinamidinium salts," Yudin said. "This is part of our ongoing effort to define frame-shifted strategies for chemical synthesis. Thomas has been an outstanding addition to the lab and is a co-author on a forthcoming paper.” 

We asked our award winners for their impressions of the conference experience, of presenting, and the meaning of receiving awards at the conference. 

Yiran Li - CIC Surface Science Division Best Poster

I attended and presented at SOUSCC-54 at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where I presented my research on single metal site catalysts supported on reducible oxides for photocatalytic ethane and natural gas dehydrogenation. It was an incredible opportunity to engage with a wide range of innovative undergraduate research and connect with fellow students across the chemistry community. 

I am especially honored to have received the CIC Surface Science Division Best Poster Presentation Award. This recognition means a great deal to me and motivates me to continue exploring sustainable catalytic strategies for energy and chemical transformations.

I am also deeply grateful for the guidance and support from my supervisor, Professor Geoffrey Ozin, and our research group, whose mentorship made this experience possible. 

Taiqi Luo - TMU Award Best Poster (Organic Chemistry)

This award means a great deal to me and motivates me to continue growing as a researcher.  

It was an absolute honour to conduct research on reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive molecules to address challenges in monitoring the progression of chronic bowel diseases. I am especially grateful to Professor Caitlin Maikawa and PhD student Lucia Huang for their outstanding mentorship. Under their guidance, I not only developed my knowledge of organic and polymer chemistry but also gained an appreciation for the importance of communicating scientific ideas clearly and effectively. 

It was great to learn about the research conducted at various universities in Southern Ontario; some attendees also shared their unique perspectives on my research which I found quite inspiring.

Next year’s conference will be hosted at the University of McMaster, continuing the spotlighting of quality undergraduate research across Southern Ontario, as well as the individual dedication of each student and the supportive research environment fostered within the department. 

“I commend all of our undergraduate researchers for their hard work and am proud of their accomplishments!” Morra said. “See you all next year at SOUSCC55!”