Message from the Chair

Welcome to our Chemistry Department. You will find here inspiring teachers, enthusiastic students and talented researchers tackling the biggest questions in science.

We offer a rich selection of programs of study and research into all disciplines of chemistry and the interdisciplinary links with environmental science, physics, mathematics, biology, engineering, medicine and nanoscience. We are blessed with research faculty who are routinely recognized as world leaders in their fields of inquiry, with teaching faculty who win multiple awards, and with technical and administrative staff who excel and garner university acclaim for their achievements.

There is tremendous choice and opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to choose a research 'home' from the breadth of our faculty research interests. We firmly believe that excellence in research leads to effective teaching and the inherent effort of explaining complex chemical principles leads to new research opportunities. Our students are integral to the learning that transpires in Chemistry and we maintain high standards for both our instructors and students.

The past ten years have witnessed a renewal of our faculty and facilities. Twenty young research and teaching faculty have joined along with several senior Canada Research Chairs. The labs for teaching and research have been rebuilt allowing students and faculty to safely conduct important and challenging experiments. There is magnificent lab space for first and second year undergraduate students, all working in their own fume hood, and taught with the latest in teaching technologies.

The Davenport labs built in 2000 have two floors of exceptional labs for synthesis and biological chemistry. We have large, new, fully equipped departmental facilities for every type of chemical analysis including mass spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction with over $20 million dollars worth of equipment purchased in the past 10 years. A few years ago, outgoing Chair Scott Mabury headed a Departmental Self Study that describes this amazing success story. On the basis of this study the Department received a glowing External Review Response.

We invite you to explore our web site, enrol in our courses, join our graduate program, carry out cutting-edge research, engage our faculty and staff and enter the diverse and interesting world of Chemistry. It will give you the power to improve the quality of our daily life. I hope you will join our community of chemistry scholars, make the most of the opportunities we offer, and build a rewarding career.

   

Robert A. Batey
rob.batey@utoronto.ca 
416-978-3566