Brock University Department of Chemistry and Centre for Biotechnology

Chemistry MSc candidate Areeba Iqbal (Prof. J. Gao - supervisor) will defend the thesis “Exciton interactions in chiral two-dimensional perovskites” on Thursday, Aug. 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. in closed format.

The examination committee includes Melanie Pilkington, Chair; Jasneet Kaur, External Examiner (Brock University); Jianbo Gao, Supervisor; and Travis Dudding and Georgii Nikonov, Supervisory Committee Members.

The Matta research team studies photosynthesis to help better understand and improve crop yields.

Photosynthesis research sheds light on crop yields, energy efficiency Divya Matta Kaur is looking to a single-celled organism — commonly seen in blue-green algal blooms — for ways to help crops harness the sun’s energy more efficiently. Her lab’s latest work builds on their previous research examining the process ...

Canada Cup of Robotics helps international youth build confidence, career-ready STEM skills Alongside hard-earned victories and new friends from around the world, Canada Cup of Robotics – Niagara 2026 participants emerged with confidence, career-ready skills and new possibilities they may have never otherwise imagined for themselves. The event brought thousands of students, mentors and ....

The Duncan research team published a review examining the use of non-beta-lactam antimicrobials.

Covalent Inhibitors in Antimicrobial Drug Development—Beyond β-Lactams For nearly a century, since the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming, we have used covalent inhibitors as antimicrobial drugs. The success of penicillin in treating microbial infections led to numerous other antibiotics containing β-lactam, the reactive warhead that forms the covalent adduc...

Chemistry PhD candidate Srini Vemulapalli (Prof. T. Dudding - supervisor) will defend the thesis titled “Photophysical Properties of Cyclopropenium Ions with Applications in [4+2] and [3+2] Cycloadditions” on Tuesday, June 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. in PLZ 600F.

The examination committee includes Marilyne Carrey, Chair; Travis Dudding, Supervisor; Stefan France, External Examiner (Georgia Institute of Technology); Jim Willwerth, Internal Examiner; and Melanie Pilkington and Tony Yan, Supervisory Committee Members.

A huge thank you to Team 2056 OP Robotics for their help and support in transporting robots and projects to and from judging sessions at the Canada Cup of Robotics.

Faculty of Mathematics and Science 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, Chemistry Prof. Divya Matta urges graduates to make "live-giving" change.

Gallery: Award-winning prof urges grads to make ‘life-giving’ change “As a chemist, I spend much of my life thinking about transformation.” The idea of growth — and the power of perseverance — was central to Assistant Professor of Chemistry Divya Kaur Matta’s message as she addressed Brock’s newest graduates ...

Chemistry PhD candidate Rozhin Rowshanpour (Prof. T. Dudding - supervisor) will defend the thesis “Developing New Strategies in Organic Synthesis Through Photocatalytic Azo Formation, Radical Fluorination, and Carbonyl Activation” on Monday, June 15, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The defence will take place in PLAZA 601C.

The examination committee members are Maureen Reedyk, Chair; Travis Dudding, Supervisor; Rebecca Davis, External Examiner (University of Manitoba); Yifeng Li, Internal Examiner; and Georgii Nikonov and Tony Yan, Advisory Committee.

The Zelisko research team published a paper comparing platinum catalysts for the hydrosilylation of alkenoic acids.

A comparative examination of platinum catalysts for the direct hydrosilylation of alkenoic acids Three platinum sources, Adam's catalyst, Karstedt's catalyst, and platinum black, were utilized to mediate the hydrosilylation of alkenoic acids with hydrosilanes. All catalysts exhibited the capacity to mediate hydrosilylation with varying degrees of efficiency, which correlated to the nature of th...