Chem Eng Utoronto

🏆 Congratulations to Chemical Engineering PhD candidate Rachel Asbury on receiving a student research award at Probiota Americas 2026.

Rachel was recognized for her research exploring how prebiotics selectively influence gut microbial communities, helping advance our understanding of the human microbiome and the future of personalized nutrition.

“I was honoured to win the award,” says Asbury. “I am familiar with the high calibre of research presented at this conference, so to have my work recognized was rewarding.”

Asbury’s presentation was selected as the top-rated student abstract in the conference’s Scientific Frontiers program, earning her the opportunity to present her research to industry leaders, researchers, regulators and clinicians.

👏 Well done, Rachel!

Read more at the link in our bio.

Congratulations, Class of 2T6 & 2T5 + PEY! 🎓🎉

Today, we celebrated our newest ChemEng graduates at Convocation and our annual reception.

Over the past several years, these students have demonstrated incredible dedication, resilience leadership and innovation. Now, they join a global community of ChemEng alumni ready to make an impact in industry, research and beyond.

As Prof. Ramin Farnood, Chair of the Department, shared: “Your education has prepared you not only to solve complex engineering challenges, but also to lead with curiosity, integrity and purpose.”

Thank you to the families, friends, faculty and staff who joined us in celebrating this milestone. 💙

🌵 U of T Engineering capstone research has revealed that nopal (prickly pear cactus) could waterproof rainwater harvesting tanks across rural Mexico — offering a local, low-cost alternative to imported chemicals.

Working with Mexico-based NGO Isla Urbana, the fourth-year students tested cactus formulations against the current commercial product. Their top-performing coating is now moving to field tests, marking a significant step toward empowering communities to build and maintain their own sustainable water systems.

"It's a highlight to be able to demonstrate our bright engineering students to the global community and it's reflective of the impact we can and do have as a faculty," says Professor Bradley Saville (ChemE), who supervised the project.

🎓 As they prepare to graduate next week, join us in congratulating the team:

• Aymun Qayume (ChemE)
• Yusra Chowdhury (MechE)
• Kareem Madanat (MechE)
• Lily VanderWoude (MechE)

🔗 Read more about their project: uofteng.ca/7dycmk

What does the future of chemical engineering look like?

At the Canadian Societies for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 2026 Conferences and Exhibition (x2026) which wrapped up last week, U of T Chemical Engineering students explored cutting-edge research, presented their own work, connected with peers and industry professionals, and gained new perspectives on the future of the field.

The conference also highlighted the impact of U of T faculty, with Professor Ning Yan receiving the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Award and Professors Jennifer Farmer and D. Grant Allen recognized for their contributions to organizing the successful event.

From machine learning and molecular discovery to sustainability, entrepreneurship and professional development, x2026 showcased the many ways chemistry and chemical engineering are shaping our world—and the students helping lead that future.

🔗 Read the full story at our link in bio!

Making manufacturing safer through chemical engineering🦺

As part of her industry-sourced MEng project, ChemE alum Vishakaa Satheeshkumar (MEng 2T5) explored safer handling and disposal methods for hazardous inkjet cleaning waste used in food and beverage manufacturing.

“The industry-sourced project enhanced my learning by helping me understand the challenges involved in applying theoretical findings and data modelling to industry settings,” says Vishakaa.

Now, she’s continuing her journey toward her P.Eng designation and will begin her MBA at this August.

🔗 Read more at https://chem-eng.utoronto.ca/news/meng-student-explores-safer-hazardous-waste-handling-in-the-food-and-beverage-industry/

🌱 June is National Indigenous History Month.

Begin or continue your journey towards understanding Indigenous heritage, truths and culture with the U of T Engineering Indigenous Cultural Competency Toolkit.

🔗 Explore the toolkit: https://uofteng.ca/icct

🎉 Big congratulations to ChemE graduate students Thomas Pruyn, Amro Aswad and Sartaaj Khan from Professor Mohamad Moosavi’s research group!

The trio has been selected as part of the inaugural 2026 cohort of ChatGPT Futures, recognizing students using AI to advance research, innovation, and creativity.

Their work on MOF-ChemUnity — materials with promise for carbon capture — which was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society in December 2025, helped earn them this international recognition.

As part of the award, they will:
✨ Visit OpenAI headquarters in San Francisco
✨ Receive research API credits
✨ Receive a $10,000 grant

“This is wonderful for our student community, and I hope it inspires all our students to be ambitious and develop cutting-edge research!” - Professor Mohamad Moosavi

Congratulations Thomas, Amro & Sartaaj on this outstanding achievement! 👏

Rea more - 🔗 link in bio!

The Fall 2026 application deadline is quickly approaching — May 31, 2026 for both domestic and international applicants.

To support prospective students as they finalize their applications, we will be hosting our final applicant drop-in session on May 26 at 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) for anyone with questions about the program or application process.

To register, please email [email protected].

The Food Engineering Lab at U of T was well represented at the 2026 Canadian Food Engineering Conference (CFEC), held at the University of Guelph, on May 14-15.

A special shoutout to Christiana Anih for receiving the Best Oral Presentation award in recognition of her outstanding research presentation 🏆.

Congrats to the entire team on a successful conference! 🎉