Professor Ghoshdastidar

ChemClub has expanded and I'm delighted that the Faculty of Science has highlighted the stories of two of our ChemClub Mentors! We have half a semester of waffle making, McMaster Greenhouse Trips, Reach for the Top Trivia and more!

McMaster Faculty of Science on LinkedIn: Arya Ebadi was having a tough time making friends during his first year at… Arya Ebadi was having a tough time making friends during his first year at McMaster University. “I was pretty shy and didn’t know how to meet people,” says…

When you're a Prof now but you wax nostalgic about your old Residences gig...

Introducing ChemClub at McMaster!

https://science.mcmaster.ca/new-prof-runs-weekly-social-club-for-students/?fbclid=IwAR3jZxrLpE0GOP_zx_GPMHNEqOjqv468afmwWF9857PGt3oNfH3tUvrvr6o

Throwback prof runs weekly social club for first-year students - Faculty of Science - McMaster University Jim Avik Ghoshdastidar’s making it easier for first-year science and engineering students to forge friendships. He’s seen firsthand how those connections can help students with their transition to university. Jim spent 13 years living and working in eight student residences across three universi...

For each of my “First Day of Classes” lectures, I’ll ask my students where Home is for them by placing a pin on a virtual map of the world. It’s a lovely moment for my students to take pride in the communities that have helped to shape their lives, to see the richness in the diversity of citizenship, nationalities and cultures that make up our class community and an opportunity to emphasize the value we have in meeting, interacting and connecting with folks from all around the world.

Inevitably, in classes of the size I teach, pins on the map may miss their target location, or in an act of whimsy, a student may select an area that they have no connection to. At some point a few years ago, after listing all the countries I could that had pins near them, I made a remark that I was "so honoured to see that colleagues from the Antarctic Research Station were joining us for the class." To my delight, it generated a hearty laugh from the audience. And for a Professor like myself who has no skill for humour, seeing that I had serendipitously stumbled on a joke, I tucked that line away. And every year, I look forward to this particular First Day of Class lecture icebreaker to trot out the only joke I’ve ever made that has consistently generated year after year.

So, if you remember me making this joke in your class, know that once again, it killed 😉

CHY 102! Thank you for coming to our Chem Cram Study Hall tonight. Keep working at it and do your best; that all we as Profs can expect of you and all you can expect of yourself. Just remember all these people in your Academic Family Tree faced their own professional and personal challenges; keep persevering and reach out if ever you need! I am proud of my predecessors in Chemistry but the most important link are those who will follow and that's YOU!

A packed house for Dr.Foucher this morning! Before class, I had a chance to talk to a group of 30 students and after class I left learning three things: the majority do not believe that a hotdog is a sandwich, a surprising number of them claim the Antarctic Research Station as "Home" and their reasons for wanting to become engineers give me hope that we'll all be in good hands. y'all picked a great bunch of students!

My heart is full of joy this morning. In thirty minutes, this auditorium will be full of the next generation of engineers. And my colleagues and I get to welcome them to the next step in their journey. Best job ever

Folks, it'll be a few days before they are no longer afraid of me and I can get some better pictures but the ChemCat family is getting bigger! CJ, the OG ChemCat has been at her forever home with my parents in Cambridge for the past three years, and these two little ones are joining me in Toronto.

Had a visitor at work today!

Couldn't ask for a more beautiful day for graduation! Wishing my studes in CHY 423 and all the very best as you celebrate your degree! See you in line and I can help with your hoods!

After taking 13 cohorts of , and first year students to their Principal's Welcomes/Matriculations, I got to FINALLY assist with my first convocation as a faculty member. Had a blast helping the 2020/2021 graduates of and with their gowns and hoods. So grateful to share in the joy and celebration of the culmination of so much hard work! Congratulations!

These beauties finally bloomed today! Marks are in, seedlings are planted and Season 4 of the Circle is out! Feels like it's

I'm celebrating the 20th anniversary of Galt Collegiate's World Record Hug attempt today. 1838 people circled the school in this collective hug to kick off the school's 150th Anniversary celebrations. We worked for months to plan and prepare and it started a cascade of events in my life that lead me to where I am today.