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Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry

Current Student Research Opportunities

Faculty members in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry frequently look for students to help out with research projects. These projects are suitable for a Fourth Year thesis (CHE499Y, or ESC499Y), a project for a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree, or a Summer Research project in the Summer Research Abroad program.

All faculty have research projects for students. Not all projects are listed below. You can contact faculty members  directly to inquire about other possible projects or to propose your own project.

Project Descriptions and Contact Information

Air pollutant emissions from the oil sands and impact on the local first nations community: fort mckay.

Faculty advisor:  Professor Jeffrey Brook

The Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring Program (OSM) operates a heavily instrumented atmospheric monitoring site in Fort McKay, a First Nations community surrounded by the oil sands development. Many pollutants are being measured with high time resolution, including some measures in the vertical and space-based measurements from satellites. Hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter, dust and odours are notably critical air quality issues. A large, publicly-available dataset is available which represents an important opportunity to improve understanding of how the oil sands is impacting the community, its people and its environment, and to apply a range of data analysis techniques.

Research projects of interest will harness novel data mining techniques to learn more about what aspects of the oil sands activities are responsible, when and why they occur (e.g., meteorology) and potentially which industries are responsible.

Contact:  Jeffrey Brook at  [email protected]

Analysis of liquid and solid samples from a pulp and paper mill

Looking for an MEng student to analyze liquid and solid samples from a pulp and paper mill, specifically focusing on wood extractives and sulfur compounds. The aim of this project is to uncover the underlying processes behind the formation of organic deposits within the black liquor evaporation system at a collaborating pulp and paper mill in New Brunswick. These deposits have consistently posed a challenge across multiple mills, leading to significant equipment downtime and revenue loss.

The chosen student will have the opportunity to visit the mill and gain insight into the operational procedures and machinery. Cutting-edge analysis techniques, such as Pyrolysis-GC/MS, LC/MS, ICP, and/or MALDI-TOF-MS, will be employed for the investigation. Analyses will be implemented by the student within our labs, or by other UofT labs. Furthermore, the student will be tasked with integrating the outcomes from all analyses into a cohesive understanding.

Knowledge about organic chemistry and experience with any of the aforementioned techniques is an asset but not a requirement. The ideal MEng candidate is meticulous and committed to producing repeatable and publishable data.

The project duration is flexible, but an immediate start date is preferred.

Contact:  Torsten Meyer at  [email protected] , and Nikolai DeMartini at  [email protected]

Applying machine learning to biomaterials design

Contact : Interested students should contact Professor Gu ( [email protected] ) with a copy of their resume and unofficial copy of their grades.

Centre for Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship (CMTE) projects using machine learning and data science related to operations and finance with industry sponsors

Contact:  Professor Yuri Lawryshyn at [email protected]

Chemical Engineering Education: Chemical Engineering Curriculum Revitalization Project

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry is in the process of reviewing and renewing it's undergraduate curriculum. This project involves:

•  Completing a short review study on chemical engineering curriculum in North America. The focus will be looking at content and delivery and to learn about others recent attempts at curriculum modernization (frameworks used in their review and implementation)
• creating short surveys for students, staff, and faculty. Surveys will be develop in collaboration with the Department Curriculum Committee, Teaching Lab Committee and Jessie Richards, Curriculum Development Specialist in the vice-Provost Office.

Contact:  Professor Jennifer Farmer at [email protected] or Professor William Cluett at [email protected]

Comparing encapsulation processes by spray drying and for interface coagulation

The pharmaceutical and polymer industries developed a number of techniques for producing microcapsules containing active drugs or micronutrients. the student will review the literature of these technologies with a view to developing a technique for encapsulating iron in hot and cold beverages such as tea and fruit extracts, useful in International Development

Contact:  Professor Levente Diosady at [email protected]

Data Science and Analytics in Engineering Education

Data science and AI technologies have enabled educators to make data-driven decisions on policy and best practices. This MEng project is aimed to develop a supervised machine learning algorithm and apply data mining techniques, including descriptive statistics, to discover factors impacting students’ academic performance.

Contact: Professor Ariel Chan [email protected]

Development of method for field testing for folic acid in salt

There is need for folic acid fortification of salt due to very high prevalence of infant mortality in Ethiopia and some Central American countries. we have a technique for adding the folic, but need a way of confirming its presence in the field - qualitatively, but preferably quantitatively.

Contact:   Professor Levente Diosady at [email protected]

Development of method for field testing for iodine in salt

Salt iodization programs are now in place in some 190 countries. UNICEF needs a robust technique for field testing the efficiency of salt iodization programs. We will define a simple, inexpensive technique that can reliably estimate iodine content of salt without electronic instrumentation. We will work with one of our grads who is a senior scientist at UNICEF and one of our LLE speakers this year.

Engineering Education Research

Collaborative Specialisation in Engineering Education

The following opportunities are for BASc and MEng students:

• Student perspectives on remote learning
• Data Mining of student educational experience
• Development of instructional videos and other digital learning objects
• Development on-line instructional modules

For more information about any of these projects, please contact Greg Evans at [email protected] .

Enzyme discovery and development for the functionalization of industrial lignins

Faculty advisors:   Professor Elizabeth Edwards , and  Professor Emma Master

The broad objective of this project is to discover and develop novel biocatalysts or enzymes to upgrade and functionalize intact biomass components, specifically, under-utilized industrial (or technical) lignin sources. The enzymes under study will be derived from fungal and bacterial species that are known to be naturally active on diverse lignin sources and will be biochemically characterized. These will include oxidoreductases (laccases, peroxidases) and novel o-demethylases (catalyzing phenyl-methyl ether demethylation) from anaerobic environmental metagenomic sources. This study targets modifications that increase the hydroxyl content in lignin so that it can be effectively used as a substitute for fossil-fuel derived phenol polymeric blends.

We are seeking an M.Eng student to help with the anaerobic enzyme discovery module of the project. The purpose of this module is to discover novel enzymes from anaerobic microbial cultures that have been maintained in-house for several years on lignocellulosic biomass and have a unique repertoire of enzymes that would be especially useful for lignin modification and valorization. There will be a multi-step screening approach taken towards enzyme discovery using firstly, biochemical methane potential assay and next, specific chemical assays for o-demethylation activity.

In this module, there will be opportunities to train on the maintenance and analysis of the biodegradability potential of these cultures when grown on different, industrially important, lignin substrates. Specific tasks will involve biogas measurements, biogas composition analysis using gas chromatography and acetate measurement using ion chromatography. Next, protein extraction will be done from promising cultures demonstrating lignin biodegradability. Finally the trainee will assist in the development of high-throughput, robust chemical assay aimed at testing crude and purified protein extracts for o-demethylating activities. The project duration is flexible, but an immediate start date is preferred. The student will be supported by other students working on the project.

Contact:  Elizabeth Edwards at  [email protected] , Emma Master at  [email protected]  and Anupama Sharan at  [email protected]

Evaluating hot-water extraction samples from industrial biomass feedstocks

Hot-water extraction of agriculture and forest feedstocks could facilitate the application of enzymes in converting these renewable substrates into valuable biochemicals. Our lab has recently developed a two-enzyme, one-pot technology to transform underused feedstock streams to a diacid. In a partnership with biorefinery companies, we are analyzing their biomass after hot-water extraction to evaluate their suitability to this enzymatic technology.

The prospective M.Eng student will work closely with Dr. Thu Vuong in characterizing hot-water extraction samples, including pH value, dry mass content, chemical compositions (monosaccharides and acidic sugars)… The student would conduct: chemical and enzymatic treatments of hot-water extraction samples, lyophilization or Rotovap, HPLC analyses with different detectors (UV, IR or PAD), TLC analyses, enzymatic colorimetric assays (using a plate reader)…

The project is going, so the student is welcomed to join at the moment.

Contact:  Prof. Emma Master at [email protected] and Dr. Thu Vuong at [email protected]

Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Ionic Clays

Faculty advisor: Professor Vladimiros Papangelakis

Aqueous Process Engineering and Chemistry Group Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry

Rare earth elements (REE) are critical commodities with high accessibility risk due to monopolistic practices of suppliers and increased demand. The development of green and hi-tech applications such as clean energy and advanced catalysis created ongoing requirements for REE in the international markets, with an emphasis on identifying new resources to ensure adequate supply and access.

The present project investigates the use of ionic clay ores as an economical source for REE. Rare earth ions are physically adsorbed on clay minerals, with concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.5 wt.%, and can be easily recovered under mild, ambient conditions via ion-exchange leaching with monovalent salt solutions (such as ammonium sulphate or sodium chloride). This project is of high interest for the mining industry, as it addresses the recovery aspect of REE from ores, as well as the processing industry, as it provides an additional REE supply alternative.

A standardized desorption procedure will be established to systematically investigate the influence of leaching conditions such as lixiviant type, concentration and pH on desorption kinetics and REE extraction levels, aiming to identify the optimum conditions that achieve maximum REE recovery.

The MEng student will be tasked with performing the leaching experiments under various conditions and have the opportunity to be trained in Inductively-Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analytical technique. Furthermore, the student will be tasked with integrating the outcomes from all analyses into a cohesive understanding, by processing and plotting data, discussing/comparing trends and findings, and preparing presentations. The prospective student will work closely with Dr. Georgiana Moldoveanu, who will provide training and ongoing support.

Knowledge about aqueous chemistry and previous laboratory experience are an asset but not a requirement. The ideal MEng candidate is meticulous and committed to producing repeatable and publishable data. The project is going, so the student is welcomed to join at the moment

Contacts: Prof. Vladimiros Papangelakis: [email protected] Dr. Georgiana Moldoveanu: [email protected]

Feasibility Study of Producing In-House Biodiesel to Supply Fuel on Campus

Faculty advisor: Daniela Galatro

In this feasibility study, we will perform a techno-economic evaluation of existing facilities (ChemEng labs) and/or potential modular plants, considering different raw material sources, blending and standalone options to produce in-house biodiesel for transportation purposes. This project includes elaborating process engineering design deliverables (e.g., equipment sizing, process flow diagram, process simulation, utility analysis), cost analysis, and vendor selection.

Requirements: Knowledge of process engineering/design and simulation (Aspen Plus or equivalent).

Contact: Daniel Galatro at [email protected]

Green synthesis nanofiber membrane for efficient oil water separation

Faculty advisor: Professor Ramin Farnood

Context: The project aims to develop a green synthesis of nanofiber nonwoven superhydrophobic fluoropolymer membrane

By using safe and green fabrication process, resulting membranes possessing excellent chemical and thermal stability and are used in efficient oil/solvent and water separation via gravity based separation process to replace traditional separation process such as sedimentation or solvent extraction.

Contact: Yaozhong Zhang at [email protected]

Improving performance of a solar-battery powered remote air quality monitoring site

In the oil sands region the pollutant emissions spread far beyond the fencelines and impact remote areas.  Monitoring in these areas is difficult because no power is available. The Fort McKay First Nations community has developed a solar-battery powered system to address this challenge, but due to limited solar energy and extreme cold in winter months the system experiences downtime.

This design project will involve exploring ways to insulate the batteries to increase their lifetime to reduce or eliminate downtime. Other ideas to improve solar energy input or harness wind energy could also be explored in order to assist Fort McKay in their monitoring.

Intelligent Design of Biomaterials for Mucoadhesion

We are looking for an MENG student to work in Professor Gu’s group on a project briefly described below.

The student will work in Professor Gu's lab on this project will work directly with a PhD student (Jeff Watchorn).

The interactions between materials and proteins are fundamental to the biological fate of bio-interfacting materials yet these interactions are not well understood. Our work focusses on understanding these interactions by mapping them with atomic precision leveraged by nuclear magnetic resonance. These maps are then used to elucidate the underlying structure-activity relationship that governs their biological fate. We are seeking a flexible M.Eng student with interests in both wet lab and simulations experience to prepare NMR samples as well as to work on refining our machine learning models.

Investigation of Pichia Pastoris strains for the successful production and characterization of Auxiliary Activity family 7 enzymes (AA7s)

Auxiliary activity enzymes are oxidoreductases that catalyze the oxidation of carbohydrates (and other compounds) through the action of a Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) co-factor. They are crucial players in the goal to valorize oligosaccharides derived from biomass processing and for building novel functional biopolymers. Pichia Pastoris is a popular expression system for protein production, with relatively cheap growth medium and a high growth rate, compatibility with shake flasks and large-scale bioreactors, and comparatively easy genetic manipulation for heterologous expression.

The prospective M.Eng student would be directly involved in the genetic manipulation phase of the project. This phase involves producing gene constructs for multiple AA7 targets, transformation into multiple strains of P. pastoris , and the validation of protein expression levels. This phase of the project is truly the heart and would directly lead to the successes of the downstream activity screens and biochemical characterization.

The prospective M.Eng student would work closely with a Post-doctoral fellow and other graduate students, which would provide numerous training opportunities in biochemistry and molecular biology. In this increasingly biotech world, genetic engineering, protein production, and protein biochemical characterization are valuable experience to have for a highly competitive job market. Tasks that the student can expect to perform include PCR amplification of genes, insertion of genes into vector constructs, validation of plasmid integrity via RT-PCR and gel electrophoresis, transformation of plasmids into P. pastoris strains, and validation of positive clones via colony and western blotting. Along with these tasks, training on various related instruments should also be expected.

The project timeline has an expected start date in Summer 2021, but a flexible start date could also be accomodated.

Contact:  Emma Master at [email protected] and Olan Raji at  [email protected]

Making of proteins for diabetes prevention from granado beans

Granado beans grown in Chile may have an ability to prevent diabetes. We will work with a colleague who was my post doctoral fellow, in refining technology to isolate proteins from Granado beans, based on ultrafiltration.

MEng Student Researcher - Literature Review for Selenium Removal Cost Analysis

Faculty advisor: Professor Frank Gu

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Meng Student Researcher to assist in conducting a comprehensive literature review aimed at gathering cost analysis data related to selenium removal from water treatment processes (both active and passive treatment). This position will play a pivotal role in supporting our ongoing research efforts to assess the economic feasibility of various selenium removal technologies.

Key Responsibilities:

Literature Review: Conduct a systematic and thorough review of scientific literature, academic journals, research papers, reports, and relevant publications to gather data on the costs associated with selenium removal from water sources.

Data Extraction: Extract and compile cost-related information from identified sources, including capital costs, operational expenses, maintenance costs, and any other pertinent economic data.

Data Synthesis: Organize and summarize the collected data in a clear and structured manner. Create comprehensive databases or spreadsheets to facilitate data analysis.

Quality Assurance: Ensure the accuracy and reliability of the gathered information by critically evaluating the sources and methodologies used in the original studies.

Documentation: Maintain detailed records of all information sources, data extraction processes, and any assumptions or limitations associated with the gathered data.

Report Preparation: Collaborate with the research team to prepare reports or presentations summarizing the findings of the literature review, emphasizing cost-related aspects.

Data Analysis: Support data analysis efforts by assisting in the interpretation of cost data and contributing to discussions regarding the economic viability of different selenium removal methods.

Team Collaboration: Work closely with senior researchers and fellow team members to align the literature review with the broader research objectives and provide input into research strategies.

Qualifications:

• Strong research and literature review skills, with the ability to critically assess scientific literature.
• Familiarity with water treatment processes, environmental science, and chemistry.
• Proficiency in data extraction, organization, and analysis.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work independently.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Familiarity with active and passive water treatment technologies, specifically nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, electrocoagulation, photocatalysis, and saturated rock fill is a plus.

Contact: Professor Frank Gu at [email protected]

Metabolic Engineering for Bio-Nylon Production

Faculty advisor:   Professor Radhakrishnan Mahadevan

Nylon is an essential component of modern life and is made from a polymer of adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine. Current methods of production are accompanied by a significant release of greenhouse gases (such as N2O) and are energy intensive. Hence, there is significant interest in developing bioprocesses for the production of nylon.

As part of this project, the objective will be to engineer yeast strains for improved adipic acid production, tolerance, and high growth rates. The project will involve a combination of modeling and experimental methods to accomplish this goal. The successful candidate will learn a variety of approaches and tools from systems biology and synthetic biology including CRISPR-Cas based manipulation of the genome, metabolomics characterization and other assays including liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and will also learn fermentation techniques.

Pre-requisites:  Basic knowledge of biochemistry and biochemical engineering; Knowledge of molecular biology tools will be a plus.

Contact:  Radhakrishnan Mahadevan at   [email protected]

Microencapsulation of micronutrients for salt fortification

Salt is one of the very few staple foods that is universally consumed at a predictable rate. Building on our long experience of double fortification of salt with iron and iodine, we will test salt fortified with iron and a number of B vitamins tailored to specific regions with multiple micronutrient deficiencies. We can have 4 projects:

• Adding vitamin A to salt
• Microencapsulating ferrous sulphate by spray drying then agglomerating to form salt grain sized premix particles;
• Microencapsuliating iron and B vitamins by extrusion followed by coating
• Developing a protocol to test the quality of encapsulation in iron premixes

Microencapsulation of micronutrients for tea fortification

Tea is widely consumed in South and East Asia. We will develop techniques of adding iron to tea by encapsulation to prevent the formation of off-colours and flavours that would form iron - tea polyphenol complexes.

Obtaining informative data of water contamination in the Thunder Bay area relative to known acute myeloid leukemia clusters

Fort William First Nation (FWFN) has identified a striking blood cancer cluster. The prevalence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in teens and young adults is noticeable, many of whom spent their early childhood living adjacent to lands used for industrial purposes. FWFN would like to know what is causing the high rates of AML in their community and if it is safe to live, work and raise a family in their current location. The area of concern (AOC) is a community located at the northern vertex of Lake Superior and close to the mouth of Kaministiquia River to Lake Superior. This AOC has been affected by a leachate plume from a bark dump migrating towards City Road and other point sources of contamination, with engineering reports confirming the presence of high levels of pollutants at monitoring wells.

This project aims (i) to obtain informative data from existing water quality assessments and analytical reports of surface and groundwater sources; (ii) to identify and link sources of chemical pollutants to the movement of pollutants through systems. These objectives will be achieved by (i) integrating and mapping combined multilayered information using non-supervised machine learning tools; (ii) discriminating and ranking different polluting sources affecting the AOC using multivariable statistical analysis such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA); and by (iii) unravelling the possible relationship between ground (soil and groundwater) contamination and air emissions, using supervised machine learning tools.

The results derived from this analysis will likely yield insight into the influence of specific contaminants on health, and hence, the leukemia cluster.

This project is in collaboration with ATOMS Lab and the Centre for Indigenous People.

Requirements: Knowledge in data analytics and machine learning (in MATLAB, R, Python, or equivalent).

Contact: Daniela Galatro [email protected]

Phosphorous in the Causticization Plant of Pulp Mills – Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies

Faculty advisor: Professor Nikolai DeMartini

Phosphorous enters pulps mills with the wood used in pulping and with biofuels burned in lime kilns. We are interested in the kinetics and equilibrium of phosphorous uptake by lime during slaking and causticizing reactions. This work will involve carrying out slaking and causticizing experiments under different conditions and analyzing both the solid and liquid products. An important aspect of this work will be solid phase identification using a variety of analytical methods including XRD, ICP and XPF which you will be trained to use. Additionally, the student will work with a research assistant (Maryam Mousavi). This work is important to the increased utilization of biofuels in lime kilns, the main source of fossil CO 2 in the industry. It is also important as we attempt to find ways to recover P from the recovery cycle in pulp mills.

Please contact Professor DeMartini ( [email protected] ) with a copy of you resume and unofficial copy of your grades if you are interested in this opportunity.

Plastic waste and biowaste pyrolysis

Faculty advisors:   Professor Donald Kirk

The world is facing a number of challenges in the sustainable energy field. Managing  GHG emissions as well as  wastes are often at odds. A belated realization that plastics do not degrade easily has added to the waste challenges. It is clear that some form of permanent sequestration of carbon is needed to rebalance CO 2 emissions with CO 2   bioabsorption. The research is focused on conversion of wastes containing sufficient carbon content to produce sequestrable char as a valuable soil amendment and eliminate the production of CO 2 and CH 4 . Biowastes such as sewage sludge, have a limited lifespan in soil or landfills and hence returns to the carbon cycle. Non-recyclable plastics have a longer degradation time but it is clear that degradation producing micro and nano particulates causes global contamination with uncertain consequences. Therefore the conversion of these wastes to char which can be used to enhance crop growth, prevent fertilizer runoff, retain moisture and provide micronutrients for restoring degraded lands is desperately needed.

The research on conversion of some biowastes to char has been completed and demonstrated on a commercial scale in Ontario. More biowastes still need to be studied. Research on conversion of plastic wastes has just been started.

Contact:  Donald Kirk at  [email protected]

Postdoctoral Fellow opportunities in electrochemistry and corrosion control

Note: Candidates expected to work in a couple different areas.

• NSERC-UNENE Alliance grant – Corrosion Control and Materials Performance in Nuclear Power Systems (joint with Suraj Persaud, Queen’s University) – 1 or 2 positions
• NSERC-NWMO Alliance grant – Copper Corrosion Mechanisms and Prediction (joint with Queen’s University and faculty in MSE) – 1 position
• Qatar National Research Fund – Towards Science-Based Maps for Stress Corrosion Cracking (collaborative with Shell engineers) – partial position
• Applications of Nanoporous Metals to Sensing and Catalysis – partial position

Contact: Professor Roger Newman ( [email protected] )

Project PS002-2022: Modelling and Simulation of Frosting Behaviour in Contact Ambient Air Vaporizers

The main objective of this project is to build a numerical model in MATLAB to predict the thermal performance of a direct-contact ambient air vaporizer for cryogenic fluids. This model will be validated with commercial vaporizers data.

Requirements: Knowledge in process engineering, heat transfer, and MATLAB. Knowledge in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) would be a plus.

Projects in Air Pollution, Health and Climate

Faculty advisor:   Professor Greg Evans

Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR)

• Measurement of air pollutant exposure in micro-environments
• Statistical mining of air pollution data
• Development and application of inexpensive sensors for smart cities
• Studies of traffic related air pollution
• Occupational exposure to air pollutants

Contact:  Greg Evans at   [email protected]

Projects in Food Engineering

Faculty advisors:   Professor Levente Diosady  and Dr. Juveria Siddiqui

The Food Engineering Research Group at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry performs research on food fortification technologies.  Double Fortified Salt (DFS) technology of adding iron and iodine to salt was developed at the Food Engineering Lab, UofT.  This Double Fortified Salt aims to reduce anemia which is a major contributing factor to the 200,000 annual maternal deaths and more than one million annual infant and neonatal deaths globally. DFS technology is now pilot tested in India and is reaching more than 60 million people.

The following opportunities are for MEng students:

Iron Fortification:  Approximately 2 billion people are iron deficient worldwide. This is best addressed through food fortification, which is transparent to the consumer. Fortification requires a carrier that is universally and uniformly consumed by the target population. For poor rural consumers in South Asia salt and tea are the most promising carriers. Unfortunately, both salt and iron salts are reactive, and the technical challenge is to maintain the bioactivity of the added micronutrients.

This project seeks to develop appropriate technology for adding iron and other micronutrients to either tea or salt.

Mustard Protein Processing:  Mustard is a drought tolerant Canadian crop now used for condiments. Its protein content is well balanced and could be a useful food ingredient replacing soy proteins in manufactured food products. The oil is not allowed in food in Canada, but is a potential fuel feedstock.

This project seeks to further develop processes to simultaneously recover food proteins and biodiesel or green diesel from mustard seed.

Work Load:  Both projects entail laboratory work in 5-6 hour experiments for 5-6 months.

Contact:  Levente Diosady at   [email protected]  or 416-978-4137 and Juveria Siddiqui at  [email protected]  or 416-978-5231.

Projects in the Green Technologies Lab

Faculty advisor:   Professor Charles Jia

• Microwave-assisted Combined Carbonization and Activation of Lignocellulosic Biomass
• Measurement of Conductivity of Porous Carbon Film for Electrode in Super-capacitor
• Targeted Activation of Carbon from Natural Sources for Sub-nano Porosity
• Recovery of Vanadium from Oil-sand Fluid Coke
• Temperature Effect on Sulphurdization of Carbon for Enhanced Hg Adsorption
• Visualization and Elucidation of Hierarchical Porous Structure of Carbonaceous Materials from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Contact:  Charles Jia at  [email protected]  or 416-946-3097.

Sample Analysis and Mill Balances For Mill Sampling Campaign

We are looking for an MENG student to work in Professor DeMartini’s group on a project briefly described below.

The student will work in Professor DeMartini’s lab on this project will work directly with a MASc student (Adam Rogerson).

A sampling campaign will be carried out at a Canadian pulp mill in September. The MENG student will help analyze the samples and perform a steady state mass balance to help correct flows measured at the mill. This is part of a larger dynamic modeling project and these results will be used to help confirm the dynamic model of the mill.

Pulp mill samples will include wood chips, white liquor, pulp, black liquor, salt cake, recovery boiler ash, green liquor, dregs, and lime. Analysis techniques range from inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry, ion chromatography, bomb calorimetry, auto-titration, total organic carbon analyzer, organic elemental analyzer, auto diluter, and dry solids drying. In-person lab training will be provided on all the required analytical techniques.

Previous lab experience with any of the aforementioned techniques and knowledge of the kraft chemical recovery cycle is an asset but not a requirement. The ideal MEng candidate is meticulous, willing to capitalize on mistakes, committed to producing repeatable and publishable data, and will take personal responsibility to maintain a clean lab space.

Contact: Interested students should contact Professor DeMartini ( [email protected] ) with a copy of their resume and unofficial copy of their grades.

Solar photocatalysis for chemical production

Faculty advisor:   Professor Ramin Farnood

In the area of photocatalysis technology, the Farnood group is working to explore the use of visible light irradiation, semiconductor phototcatalysis, and combinations of approaches utilizing hydrogen peroxide as a supplemental oxidant in order to eliminate chemical contaminants from water.

Additionally, in recent years, there is a renewed focused on platform chemicals production via photocatalytic conversion of waste biomass to produce commodity chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements and polymer precursors. Farnood's group is actively involved in projects related to solar chemicals production via the synthesis of new hybrid semiconductor materials that are efficient solar energy harvesters.

Contact: Goutham Rangarajan at [email protected]

Solubility studies for P in the recaust cycle of kraft pulp mills

The student will work in Professor DeMartini’s lab on the Phosphorus project and will work directly with a PhD student (Maryam Mousavi).

The project will involve conducting solubility experiments for P compounds using alkaline mill solutions, lime (CaO) and lime mud (CaCO 3 ). Different analytical methods such as ICP, IC and XRD which all need a short training for the MEng student will be used. This project is in the experimental phase now and the MEng student can help with the new set of experiments. Another aspect of the project is to learn different preparation methods for the ICP analysis of solutions and solids. The prospective students will use acid digestion on the samples prior to ICP.

The student will be involved in running experiments and analyzing the results as well as conducting a literature review.  This will help us to have a better understanding about phosphorus behavior in the chemical recovery cycle of pulp mills and the potential to recover the P from kraft pulp mills. The student will participate in our lab group meetings and have the opportunity to report to our industrial partners.

Stability of Added Vitamins During Food Preparation

To combat birth defects and maternal mortality, iron and B vitamins can be added to salt. However, it is unknown, whether the added vitamins survive during traditional cooking. We will test the effect of cooking, frying and baking on the retention of  B vitamins added through quadruple fortified salt. Analytical techniques including HPLC, ICP and wet chemical  methods will be used. The candidate will work directly with a post doctoral fellow and/or senior doctorate students.

Contact: Juveria Siddiqui [email protected] or Levente Diosady [email protected]

Testing a low cost air pollutant sensor system (AirSENCE) in the oil sands region

SOCAAR has developed the AirSENCE monitor and it is being utilized in many urban areas.  Its application in studying air quality in intensive resource development areas remains to be tested. An AirSENCE is available to deploy to the heart of the oil sands alongside sensitive, accurate monitoring equipment. Large amounts of data will be generated by this initiative.

This project will focus on validation and calibration of AirSENCE using multiple data analysis tools and then on exploring the optimal applications for low costs sensors in the oil sands region.

The case for Blue Hydrogen: A carbon footprint study

Summary: Canada is a global leader in producing blue hydrogen, which is described as having low greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Alternatively, some climate assessments claim that blue hydrogen is 20% worse for GHG emissions than natural gas for heat. Several methodologies have been proposed to assess the life cycle of blue hydrogen with no consensus on GHG emissions. This 4 th Year’s student thesis aims to compile and compare existing life cycle analyses (LCA), formulating solid assumptions and setting the basis to close the LCA gaps, and making a sound conclusion on the impact of blue hydrogen on climate. Chemical engineer students are equipped with the knowledge to elaborate a carbon footprint study by performing material and energy balances around blue hydrogen processes using process simulation software and estimating CAPEX and OPEX.

Using growth conditions to control the production of valuable products from algae

We are seeking a proactive, rigorous, and highly independent Master of Engineering Student to contribute to a project that involves using growth conditions to control the production of valuable products from algae.

The selected Student will work with Dr. Sofia Bonilla and others in the research group led by Prof. Grant Allen. The objective of this M. Eng. project is to develop a lab-scale cultivation process for the optimized production of proteins and specific amino acid profiles from red algae. The Student will help our group to gain a better understanding of growth kinetics and product yields of red algae under different salinities.

Daily activities include sampling and testing algal biomass for protein and amino acid quantification. In addition to experiments, the candidate will be continuously reviewing and summarizing literature. Preferred experience includes laboratory work cultivating, processing, and analyzing biomass. We are looking for a Student to start working on this project immediately.

Contact: Dr. Sophia Bonilla ( [email protected] )

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The Research Opportunities Program (ROP) offers faculty members the chance to engage second- and third-year Faculty of Arts & Science (A&S) undergraduate students (see student eligibility requirements ) in research projects. Through this program, faculty members gain valuable research assistance and support, and students develop research skills while earning course credit.

All faculty members who hold a U of T appointment at the St. George campus are eligible to submit an ROP proposal. Faculty may choose to offer a Y-course (1.0 credit) for summer and/or fall/winter, and offer an H-course (0.5 credit) for fall and/or winter. All ROP courses require approval by the department chair (or designate).

Historically, more ROPs have been offered in the sciences; we encourage more faculty from social sciences and humanities to consider offering ROPs. Please contact us at [email protected] to discuss how you might leverage ROP in your discipline.

The application period for 2024-25 ROP program is now open and the deadline to apply is January 15, 2024 .

Faculty Member Eligibility and Research Support Funding

All faculty members who hold a U of T appointment at the St. George campus are eligible to submit an ROP proposal and supervise an ROP student. However, research support funding is limited to:

• A&S faculty members with continuing undergraduate appointments at St. George, and;
• Faculty members with continuing appointments in academic units that offer A&S undergraduate programs

Funding is based on the total number of students supported per term and the length of the ROP (H/Y). Funding can be provided for up to nine students in summer and nine students across fall/winter, fall and winter. Funds are transferred into the research accounts of participating faculty members by the mid-term of the ROP course.

The funds are meant to directly support the faculty research project in which the ROP students are engaged, as well as hosting the ROP students, and covering their poster printing cost for the participation of the research poster fair.

Funding details are outlined below:

ROP Policies and Procedures for 2024–25

Launch of the new rop system.

• A custom-built ROP system has been launched to facilitate the submission of ROP proposals by faculty members, as well as the review and approval of these proposals by chairs and the adjudication committee.
• If you don’t have access to the ROP system , please email [email protected] with your UTORid.

Faculty Proposal Submission

• If a faculty member has two projects that fall under different academic programs, they may submit two applications — one per program.
• Example: A specific project might be The Impact of Trauma on Cognitive Development. A broad research area might be Trauma and the Brain, with specific sub-project areas on The Impact of Trauma on Cognitive Development and Trauma and Memory Loss.

Student Eligibility Criteria (299/399)

• Based on participant feedback, effective May 2022, the requirement for hosting at least one 299 student for every 399 student will be removed. Instead, A&S undergraduate students must have between 4.0 credits and 13.5 credits completed by the end of the April 2023 exam period. Students will be placed into a 299 course for their first ROP, and a 399 course for their second ROP.
• As the intention of ROP is to provide an opportunity for students to engage in research earlier in their academic career, faculty members are strongly encouraged to consider second-year students (4.0-8.5 credits) for their research projects.

Student Selection Process

• In response to requests by students for a more equitable and transparent ROP selection process, this year we will be continuing a two-round interview process.
• Faculty will be asked to interview students during the round one interview period and to present offers by the round one deadline. Students will have the opportunity to review all round one offers together and select their preferred project. (Note: Offers cannot be rescinded during this time).
• For any projects not filled following round one, there will be a second interview period immediately following round one. Faculty can present offers at any time during round two. See key dates for 2024–25 ROPs for further details.

Key Dates for 2024–25 ROPs

Faculty application process & student selection.

All ROP proposals for the 2024–25 cycle should be submitted through the new ROP System which is designed to streamline the ROP process for faculty members.

Faculty members are encouraged to review the ROP Student Assessment Guide for sample learning goals, activities and assessments that can be adapted for the purpose of their ROP project.

Please follow the following steps to submit your ROP proposal:

• Sign up to attend the ROP information session for faculty and staff.
• Log in to the ROP system with your U of T UTORid and password.
• Submit your ROP proposal application via the ROP system . This ROP system tip sheet is developed to support faculty to navigate the system.
• Your chair or designated approver will need to review and approve the proposal using the ROP system by January 30, 2024.
• ROP applications are adjudicated by the multi-disciplinary Research Opportunities Committee, who offer feedback when appropriate.
• Faculty members will be informed of their ROP status (approval, conditional approval, not approved) by February 7, 2024.

Student Selection Process:

• The approved ROPs will be posted on the CLNx from February 20–March 17, 2024 for students to review and apply.
• Once the application period closes on March 17, 2024, faculty members will be emailed the student application bundles.
• Faculty will be asked to interview students during the round one interview period (March 18–April 5, 2024) and to present offers by the round one deadline. Students will have the opportunity to review all round one offers together and select their preferred project. (Note: Offers cannot be rescinded during this time).
• For any projects not filled following round one, there will be a second interview period immediately following round one. Faculty can present offers at any time during round two (April 10–May 19, 2024).

Additional Program Information

• Faculty members can take a maximum of 18 students into their research project(s) in one ROP cycle, provided they can demonstrate that they are able to provide adequate supervision and support for a large group of students.

Faculty members are encouraged to read the information about ROPs provided to students for examples of past projects, student eligibility and other general FAQs.

For questions about ROP, or for consultation and feedback on new ROP ideas, faculty members are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Experiential Learning & Outreach Support at [email protected] .

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Research Home

Industry Partnerships | Advanced Manufacturing | Data Analytics & AI |  Human Health | Robotics | Sustainability | Water

ROBOTICS RESEARCH Partner with U of T Engineering

From exploring the depths of the ocean to roaming the surface of Mars, robots enable us to tread where it is otherwise too dangerous for humans to go. With advances in artificial intelligence, robots are also finding a niche in our day-to-day lives: they are helping to care for our elderly, delivering goods to our doorsteps and assisting doctors with performing surgery.

U of T Engineering has the largest and most diverse robotics program in Canada with more than 55 researchers and seven Canada Research Chairs in the area of robotics. We are using machine learning to build self-driving vehicles, autonomous flying robots and robotic retrofits for assistive devices such as wheelchairs. We are designing miniature robots that can travel in teams, and even swim through the human bloodstream. We are also building new human-machine interfaces to make programming and interacting with robots more effective and intuitive.

Together with a range of strategic industrial partners including IBM, Toyota, Hitachi High-Tech, Samsung, MDA and Telus, we are ushering in a future where robots will extend human capabilities and improve lives.

RESEARCH CENTRES & INSTITUTES

2019: u of t robotics institute.

The U of T Robotics Institute is the central headquarters for world-leading robotics research and education across U of T. Focused around three research pillars — autonomous field robotics, health-care robotics and manufacturing robotics — this institute will promote high-impact industry and academic partnerships.

2015: CENTRE FOR AERIAL ROBOTICS RESEARCH & EDUCATION (CARRE)

CARRE is preparing engineers and scientists with the interdisciplinary expertise needed to contribute to the growing field of aerial robotics. Applications include environmental monitoring, delivery of goods and even sound and light displays.

2014: TORONTO INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING (TIAM)

TIAM expedites the research and development of advanced manufacturing technologies by creating a multidisciplinary network focused on sharing knowledge, ideas and resources. The Institute demonstrates global leadership by translating lab-based technologies into commercial, scaled-up processes and by contributing to the education of highly qualified personnel in the manufacturing sector. Read more about TIAM. 

2010: INSTITUTE FOR ROBOTICS & MECHATRONICS (IRM)

IRM brings together more than 50 principal investigators from across U of T Engineering and the Department of Computer Science to create the next generation of intelligent and autonomous robots for use in a variety of sectors: health care, exploration, rescue, security and more.

Selected areas of expertise in robotics research at U of T Engineering

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Aerial Robotics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Assistive Robotics
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Human Factors and Transportation
• Machine Learning
• Microrobotics
• Nanorobotics
• Personal Robotics
• Rehabilitation

Robots for Society

• Surgical Robotics

RESEARCH IMPACT

Helping robots see.

From defusing a bomb to exploring distant planets, some jobs are high-risk or even impossible for humans. There is immense potential for autonomous, mobile robots to take on these dangerous roles, protecting human life and allowing us to explore places never before thought possible.

Professor TIM BARFOOT in the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies is helping mobile robots navigate their surroundings. His team pioneered a navigation algorithm called visual teach and repeat (VT&R), which allows a robot to repeat a route that it has travelled without a GPS and using only a single camera. Imagine a robot reaching a dead end inside a long canyon — with VT&R, it can simply backtrack the way it came and try a different route.

Visual navigation is especially useful in scenarios where there is no accurate, global map — like on a distant planet — but it is difficult to deploy in the long-term because of the potential for changes in the landscape. In Canada, for example, many streets look completely different between winter and summer.

Barfoot’s team is now addressing these challenges. Working with industry partners like Clearpath Robotics and MDA, they are creating robots with visual systems that can deal with changes in lighting conditions, changes in landscape, and the presence of other moving objects. This technology will have applications in transportation, planetary exploration, mining, warehouses and military scenarios.

Our aging population needs quality care, including programming that encourages cognitive stimulation, social engagement and independence. As large numbers of health-care professionals retire, growth in our aging population is putting a strain on health- care systems to provide these much-needed services.

As the Canada Research Chair in Robots for Society, mechanical engineering professor   GOLDIE NEJAT is developing a suite of assistive robots that can address these challenges. Her lab is home to Tangy, an autonomous robot that can facilitate bingo and trivia games for groups, and Casper, a robot that assists with the daily activities of older adults with cognitive impairments including dementia. Other robots, such as Brian and Leia, are expressive robots learning to recognize human body language, vocal intonation and facial expressions to engage in more natural assistive human-robot interactions.

Another focus of Nejat’s lab is robot-assisted emergency response. In urban search and rescue operations, time is of the essence. Rescue robots need to be able to effectively search an unknown environment looking for trapped victims as efficiently as possible. Nejat and her group are developing a team of collaborative mobile rescue robots that can learn to coordinate their actions and interact effectively with humans in order to meet the needs of the mission.

Micro- and Nano-robotics for Medicine

The ability to sense and manipulate individual cells — or even smaller structures like chromosomes and proteins — could be very useful in medical procedures such as disease diagnostics, drug screening, and clinical cell surgery. Miniature robots offer solutions.

Mechanical engineering professor and Director of the U of T Robotics Institute  YU SUN holds the Canada Research Chair in Micro and Nano Engineering Systems. He and his team are developing micro- and nano-robots to address challenges in the robotic manipulation of cells and sub-cellular structures. One of their cell-surgery robots uses artificial intelligence to select a single sperm cell with high DNA integrity and insert it into an egg cell for patients experiencing infertility.

Other robots developed by Sun and his team are capable of drilling into a cell’s nucleus to extract specific strands of DNA or measuring communications between thousands of cells for drug screens and personalized heart failure therapeutics. They also have robots that rapidly test mechanical and electrical characteristics of individual cells for distinguishing cancer cells from non-cancerous ones in patient samples.

Flying Robots for All Occasions

Fireworks are popular for celebrations, but they pose a significant fire hazard and can leave behind a legacy of toxic particles that linger in the air long after the display is over.

Arrowonics has a more sustainable solution. Founded by aerospace engineering professor HUGH LIU , the company uses dozens of networked drones to create impressive sound-and-light displays for festivals and other public events. Arrowonics includes several of Liu’s former graduate students, including CEO EVERETT FINDLAY . Findlay and his team have designed the algorithms needed for the drones to communicate with each other and fly in complex formations without colliding.

Over the past year, Arrowonics has produced shows across Canada, including on Victoria Day and Canada Day. They also recently opened their first U.S. operation, and performed in Kuwait City  to celebrate the opening of the newest Four Seasons hotel.

Other UofT Engineering research focuses on similar application for other types of robots, including wheeled vehicles. Professor ANGELA SCHOELLIG and her team are developing techniques that can keep self-driving robots safe while learning new tasks. She is also supervising a team of students who are working to make an electric car into a self-driving one as part of AutoDrive , an international collegiate competition.

“Robots are a powerful way for humans to go places we currently can’t, from inside the human body to the furthest reaches of space. Roboticists at U of T are pushing the boundaries of what is possible.”

PROFESSOR YU SUN

Director, U of T Robotics Institute

THE FUTURE OF ROBOTICS

Aerial monitoring to improve mining operations.

On mine sites, rocks are drilled, blasted, ground up and moved around on an enormous scale. While managers do their best to monitor their operations, they are often limited to taking measurements at particular locations or points in time; the full picture remains elusive.

Drones offer a way to monitor a large area more efficiently than manual inspections or remote sensors. Using an NSERC Collaborative Research and Development grant, mineral engineering professor KAMRAN ESMAEILI and aerospace engineering professor ANGELA SCHOELLIG are partnering with McEwen Mining Inc. to develop a system that can provide a bird’s eye view of mining operations. Images captured by the drones can be analyzed to provide precise information about the effectiveness of rock fragmentation, quality control of blasting, ore dilution and other process steps.

By providing rich data to mine managers, these robots can help them make better decisions, resulting in safer and more efficient, economic and environmentally-friendly mine operations.

A New Generation of Drone Experts

Drones are giving rise to an entire industry of hardware and software manufacturers that can offer solutions to a wide variety of situations, from search and rescue to monitoring the spread of forest fires.

U of T Engineering professor HUGH LIU leads the Research and Training Program in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Funded by an NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience grant, the program aims to educate 150 new experts in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These graduates will drive the expansion of drones into new areas, such as helping farmers keep track of their crops or monitoring environmental changes in Canada’s north.

SPECIALIZED EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS IN ROBOTICS

Our Master of Engineering students can choose from a wide range of technical emphases, including Robotics & Mechatronics and Advanced Manufacturing. Engineering undergraduates can complement their studies with minors in Robotics & Mechatronics, Advanced Manufacturing and Nanoengineering. Engineering Science students can major in Robotics as well as Machine Intelligence -- the first program of its kind in Canada.

LATEST ROBOTICS STORIES

Our innovation clusters.

U of T Engineering has the breadth and depth of research excellence as well as the capacity to effect global change across these key domains.

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LEADING INNOVATION STARTS HERE

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Student Research Opportunities

There are many opportunities for students to get involved with the groundbreaking research conducted by over 50 research groups at MIE.

Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering or Industrial Engineering students interested in working with research groups or pursuing a thesis project may:

• browse research opportunities in the table below, including thesis projects.
• contact  faculty members directly to inquire about research opportunities or potential thesis project supervision.

Master of Engineering (MEng) students interested in pursuing an MEng project may:

• browse available MEng projects in the table below.

Master of Applied Science (MASc) and PhD students conduct research with the support of their supervisor.

Interested postdoctoral candidates can explore the Postdoctoral Fellows Portal or browse open positions on our Careers page.

Prospective graduate students interested in getting involved in research at MIE should review our Programs Overview page.

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We wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.

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U of T welcomes federal budget's investments in research and innovation

 (photo by Matthew Dochstader/Paradox Images)

Published: April 16, 2024

By Rahul Kalvapalle

The University of Toronto is welcoming measures in Tuesday’s federal budget that boost research programs and support a new generation of talent across Canada, strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem and knowledge economy.

The spring 2024 budget , announced by  Chrystia Freeland , Canada’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, allocates more than $3 billion in investments in Canada’s research ecosystem over the next five years. 

This includes increases to the tri-council funding agency budgets, additional support for master’s and PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, and more money for major research infrastructure projects – a clear recognition that universities are drivers of economic growth and can find solutions to the challenges facing Canada and the world. 

“Today’s budget is a very significant and welcome recognition of the critical role the research ecosystem plays in driving Canada’s productivity and prosperity,” said U of T President  Meric Gertler .

“It builds on this government’s earlier investments in research and innovation, and helps secure Canada’s global competitiveness for future generations.”

The budget’s key elements for the post-secondary sector include an increase of 30 per cent, across five years, in Canada’s three research funding agencies: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

The budget also invests $825 million in support of master’s and PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, boosting the value of these scholarships and fellowships significantly, and adding a further 1,720 students or fellows each year. 

“In the knowledge economy, the global market for ... ideas is highly competitive and we need to make sure talented people have the right incentives to do their groundbreaking research here in Canada,” the budget document states.

In addition, the budget lays out a plan for the creation of an advisory Council on Science and Innovation, which will be tasked with setting priorities and boosting the impact of federal investments in science and innovation. And it proposes the creation of a new capstone research funding organization to optimize the impact of the federally funded research councils.

The budget also earmarks $2.4 billion,  previously announced , to consolidate Canada’s competitive edge in AI – a field where U of T researchers are playing a leading role.

The measures come as post-secondary institutions in Ontario grapple with a challenging financial environment  and follows growing calls across Canada for reinvestment in research and innovation.

U of T is a member of the Coalition for Canadian Research , which has urged the federal government to increase support for research to enhance Canada’s competitiveness as a destination for top talent and accelerate Canadian researchers’ efforts in tackling pressing national and global challenges.

“Canada has many strengths in this new strategic race, including unparalleled access to talent, an increasingly successful commercialization pipeline from researchers to business, and a federal government focused on developing the industries of tomorrow,”  Leah Cowen , U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, noted in a May 2023 column for The Hill Times . 

In October, the coalition – whose members include post-secondary institutions as well as research hospitals, life sciences companies, charities, students and early-career researchers – released  an open letter  calling for “ambitious reinvestment” to support Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem amid an increasingly competitive global landscape and rising societal and economic challenges.

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Each summer, hundreds of U of T Engineering students gain research experience working in labs on campus and across the world.

Put your lab experience to the test with a summer research position that will open your eyes to leading-edge engineering research in action. In addition to the many U of T Engineering professors who hire undergraduate students as team members on campus, this is a fantastic way to get a hands-on look at how research unfolds in another country. Of the 300+ engineering students who participated in summer research opportunities in 2019, 80+ students worked in top-notch research labs all over the world, from the National University of Singapore to the University of Queensland.

Professors engaged in research report their results in articles they write for prestigious journals; that’s how engineers and scientists around the world learn about the latest advancements in their fields. When a journal article is published, every team member's name appears on the paper, including the names of undergraduate students who contributed to the work. Even before you graduate, you can begin to build an impressive resume of accomplishments. All hours worked count toward your practical experience requirement.

Opportunities to gain global research experience include:

• Undergraduate Summer Research Exchange : Administered through the  Centre for International Experience (CIE) , this program is a fantastic way to gain engineering research experience abroad at world-class institutions like Darmstadt University of Technology and Chinese University of Hong Kong. Funding to cover basic costs are available for all successful applicants.
• APS 299Y – Summer Research Abroad : This for-credit research-based summer course is now in its second year. Depending on the nature of the research project, this course may count toward your engineering program, or an engineering minor.
• EngSci Research Opportunities Program : Each year, EngSci students have the opportunity to conduct research at a variety of institutions worldwide.

Learn more about summer research at U of T Engineering

Top U of T undergraduate Ben Agro is taking his passion for research into a direct-entry PhD

‘A world of possibilities’: U of T Engineering undergraduate students host virtual summer research conference

Why more U of T Engineering students than ever are going global

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Home > My Opportunities > Research > What research-based courses are there?

What research-based courses are there?

One of the best ways to enhance your education and gain valuable research experience is to take research courses. These courses allow you to get involved in research around a topic that your instructor assigns you or a topic of your choosing. These courses last anywhere from two weeks to a full year and you earn course credits for each course you take.

Click on the programs to see a list of research courses that may be offered in that program.

• ACT398H0: Research Excursions
• ACT399Y0: Research Excursions
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• ANT398H0: Research Excursions
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• ANT491Y1: Internship in Anthropology
• ANT497Y1: Independent Research
• ANT498H1: Independent Research
• ANT499H1: Independent Research
• ARH398H0: Research Excursions
• ARH399Y0: Research Excursions
• AST299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• AST398H0: Research Excursions
• AST399Y0: Research Excursions
• AST425Y1: Research Topic in Astronomy
• BCB330Y1: Special Project in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• BCB430Y1: Advanced Special Project in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• BCH299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• BCH372Y1: Summer Research in Biochemistry
• BCH374Y1: Research Project in Biochemistry
• BCH472Y1: Advanced Summer Research Project in Biochemistry
• BCH473Y1: Advanced Research Project in Biochemistry
• BCH478H1: Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory
• CAS393H1: Independent Research
• CAS393Y1: Independent Research
• CAS498H1: Independent Research
• CAS498Y1: Independent Research
• CDN395H1: Independent Study in Asian Canadian Studies
• CDN420Y1: Senior Essay
• CDN425H1: Independent Research in Canadian Studies
• CHM299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• CHM396Y0: Research Topic Abroad
• CHM397H0: Research Abroad in Chemistry
• CHM398H0: Research Excursions
• CHM399Y0: Research Excursions
• CHM399Y1: Research Excursions
• CHM499Y1: Introduction to Chemistry Research
• CIN492H1: Independent Studies in Cinema
• CLA299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• CLA398H0: Research Excursions
• CLA399Y0: Research Excursions
• CRI396H1: Research Participation
• CRI397Y1: Research Participation
• CRI450H1: Advanced Research/Reading
• CSB299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• CSB397Y0: Research Abroad in Cell & Systems Biology
• CSB399Y0: Research Excursions
• CSB497H1: Independent Research in Cell and Systems Biology I
• CSB498Y1: Independent Research in Cell and Systems Biology I
• CSB499Y1: Independent Research in Cell and Systems Biology II
• CTA299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• CTA395Y0: Research Topic
• CTA396Y0: Research Topic Abroad
• CTA495Y1: Independent Topics in Astrophysics
• DRM299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• DRM485Y1: Senior Seminar: Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies Thesis
• EAS299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• EAS398H0: Research Excursions
• EAS399Y0: Research Excursions
• ECO299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• ECO398H0: Research Excursions
• ECO399Y0: Research Excursions
• ECO499H1: Honours Essay in Applied Microeconomics
• EEB299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• EEB397Y1: Research Project in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• EEB398H0: Research Excursions
• EEB399Y0: Research Excursions
• EEB405H0: Temperate Field Biology
• EEB405H1: Temperate Field Biology
• EEB410H0: Lake Ecosystem Dynamics
• EEB410H1: Lake Ecosystem Dynamics
• EEB497H1: Research Studies in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
• EEB498Y1: Advanced Research Project in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• EEB499Y1: Advanced Research Project in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology II
• ENG299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• ENG398H0: Research Excursions
• ENG399Y0: Research Excursions
• ENV299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• ENV421H1: Environmental Research
• ENV492H1: Independent Studies Project
• ENV493H1: Independent Studies Project
• ESS299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• ESS391H1: Directed Studies
• ESS392Y1: Directed Studies
• ESS398H0: Research Excursions
• ESS399Y0: Research Excursions
• ESS491H1: Undergraduate Thesis Project
• ESS492Y1: Undergraduate Thesis Project
• EST420Y1: Independent Study
• EST421H1: Independent Study
• FAH299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• FAH398H0: Research Excursions
• FAH399Y0: Research Excursions
• FIN420Y1: Independent Study
• FIN421H1: Independent Study
• FOR401H1: Research Paper/Thesis in Forest Conservation
• FOR418H1: Urban Forest Conservation Field Camp
• FRE299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• FRE398H0: Research Excursions
• FRE399Y0: Research Excursions
• FRE490Y1: Senior Essay
• FRE491H1: Independent Study
• FRE492H1: Independent Study
• GER299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• GER398H0: Research Excursions
• GER399Y0: Research Excursions
• GER490H1: Independent Study
• GGR299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• GGR398H0: Research Excursions
• GGR399Y0: Research Excursions
• GGR462H1: GIS Research Project
• GGR491Y1: Research Project
• GGR493Y1: Geography ProfessionalExper
• GGR497H1: Independent Research
• GGR498H1: Independent Research
• GGR499H1: Independent Research
• HIS299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• HIS395H1: Independent Studies
• HIS395Y1: Independent Studies
• HIS398H0: Research Excursions
• HIS399Y0: Research Excursions
• HIS498H1: Independent Studies
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• HMB394Y0: International Research Project in Human Biology
• HMB395Y1: Human Biology Research Project
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• HMB399Y0: Research Excursions
• HMB496Y1: Research Project in Human Biology
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• HPS299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• HPS481H1: Special Research Opportunity in History of Medicine
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• HPS484H1: Special Research Opportunity in Philosophy of Science I
• HPS485H1: Special Research Opportunity in Philosophy of Science 2
• HPS495Y1: Individual Studies
• HPS496H1: Individual Studies
• HPS497H1: Individual Studies
• HPS498H1: Individual Studies
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• HST450Y1: Undergraduate Health Research Project
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• IMC299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• IMM450Y1: Research Project in Immunology
• INI299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• INI334H1: Urban Field Course
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• INI405Y1: Independent Studies in Writing and Rhetoric
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• INI407H1: Independent Studies in Writing and Rhetoric
• INI434Y1: Independent Research in Urban Studies
• INI435H1: Independent Research in Urban Studies
• INI436H1: Independent Research in Urban Studies
• INI438H1: Advanced Urban Research Project
• INI438Y1: Advanced Urban Research Project
• INS398H0: Research Excursions
• INS399Y0: Research Excursions
• INS493H1: Independent Experiential Studies
• INS494Y1: Independent Experiential Studies
• INS495Y1: Independent Research
• INS496H1: Independent Research
• INS497H1: Independent Research
• INS498Y1: Independent Research
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• LAS410H1: Independent Study
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• LIN495Y1: Individual Project
• LIN496H1: Individual Project
• LIN497Y1: Individual Project
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• LMP299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• MAT299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• MAT397Y1: Research Project in Mathematics
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• MAT399Y0: Research Excursions
• MAT497Y1: Research Project in Mathematics
• MGY280H1: Second Year Specialist Research
• MGY299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• MGY480Y1: Special Research Project
• MSE498Y1: Design and Research Project
• NEW299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• NEW399Y0: Research Excursions
• NEW469Y1: Senior Research Project in Equity Studies
• NEW497Y1: Independent Community Engaged Research
• NEW498H1: Independent Community Engaged Research
• NFS394Y1: Research Course in Nutritional Science
• NFS494Y1: Research Projects in Nutritional Sciences
• NMC299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• NMC399Y0: Research Excursions
• PCL299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• PHL299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
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• PHL399Y0: Research Excursions
• PHY299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• PHY396Y0: Research Topic Abroad
• PHY397Y0: Exchange Research Project Abroad
• PHY398H0: Research Excursions
• PHY399Y0: Research Excursions
• PHY478H1: Undergraduate Research Project
• PHY479Y1: Undergraduate Research Project

POL299Y1: Research Opportunity Program POL395H1: Research Participation POL396H1: Research Participation POL397Y1: Research Participation POL398H0: Research Excursions POL399Y0: Research Excursions POL499Y1: Senior Thesis and Thesis Seminar

• PRT299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• PRT398H0: Research Excursions
• PRT399Y0: Research Excursions
• PSL299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• PSL350H1: Mammalian Molecular Biology
• PSL379H0: Comparative Marine Mammal Physiology in the Field
• PSL398H0: Research Excursions
• PSL495H1: Communicate Biomedical Science
• PSL496Y1: Translational Physiology Research Project
• PSL497H1: Translational Physiology Research Project
• PSL498Y1: Project in Physiology
• PSL499H1: Project in Physiology

PSY299Y1: Research Opportunity Program PSY309H1: Research Specialization: Practicum PSY400Y1: Research Specialization: Thesis PSY405H1: Individual Projects PSY405Y1: Individual Projects PSY406H1: Individual Projects PSY406Y1: Individual Projects

• RLG398H0: Research Excursions
• RLG399Y0: Research Excursions
• RLG490Y1: Independent Research
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• RLG493H1: Independent Research
• SDS458H1: Research Essay in Sexual Diversity
• SDS459Y1: Honours Essay in Sexual Diversity
• SDS460Y1: Advanced Research in Sexual Diversity Studies
• SLA299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• SLA398H0: Research Excursions
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• SLA498Y1: Independent Studies
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• SMC299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• SMC388Y1: Independent Study in Book and Media Studies
• SMC395Y1: Independent Study in Celtic Studies
• SMC396H1: Independent Study in Celtic Studies
• SMC398H1: Independent Study in Book and Media Studies
• SMC433Y1: Independent Studies in Christianity and Culture
• SMC434H1: Independent Studies in Christianity and Culture
• SMC435H1: Independent Studies in Mediaeval Studies
• SMC457H1: Directed Research
• SMC472Y1: Research Seminar in Christianity and Education
• SMC490Y1: Senior Essay in Mediaeval Studies
• SOC299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
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• SOC490Y1: Independent Research
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• SOC492H1: Independent Research

SPA299Y1: Research Opportunity Program SPA398H0: Research Excursions SPA399Y0: Research Excursions

• STA299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• STA398H0: Research Excursions
• STA399Y0: Rese Excursions
• TRN299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• TRN307H1: International Experience I
• TRN308H1: International Experience II
• TRN406H1: Community Research Partnerships in Ethics
• TRN407Y1: Community Research Partnerships in Ethics
• UNI299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• UNI393Y1: University College Independent Studies
• UNI394H1: University College Independent Studies
• UNI495Y1: University College Independent Studies
• UNI496H1: University College Independent Studies
• VIC299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• VIC493H1: Vic Capstone Research Colloquium
• VIC494H1: LCT Senior Research Paper
• VIC494Y1: LCT Senior Research Paper
• WDW299Y1: Research Opportunity Program
• WGS460Y1: Honours Seminar

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For feedback about this website, email:  [email protected] .

CREMS Summer Research Program

The Comprehensive Research Experience for Medical Students (CREMS) Summer Research Program provides opportunities each year for medical students enrolled at the University of Toronto to participate in a full-time summer research project between their first and second year, or second and third year of medical school, under the supervision of a faculty mentor. The CREMS Program is only open to current University of Toronto students. 

The CREMS Summer Research Program runs for 10 to 12 weeks from late May/early June to mid/late August. Students will work on the research project on a full-time basis with one week granted for holidays. Students are to arrange holidays with their supervisor directly.

A stipend of $5,500 is included; CREMS will contribute $2,750 and the supervisor will be responsible for $2,750. The supervisor is also responsible for any extraneous study or travel expenses.

NOTE: The option of invoicing for student payments was introduced as a courtesy during COVID because the HR departments at hospitals were too overwhelmed to onboard CREMS and GDipHR students. We are pleased that this is no longer the case and will no longer offer this option to PI’s. PI’s are responsible for arranging student payment for their portion of the stipend. Please remember that a student’s after deduction pay must be the equivalent of $2750.

2024 CREMS SUMMER PROJECT CATALOGUE

5. Chow, CW - Comparison of respiratory oscillometry to standand pulmonary function tests in diagnosis of lung disease.pdf

30. Drewlo, S - Optimizing Pregnancy through PLGF Pharmacological Advances in Placental Biology.pdf

31. Sinyor, M - Medical Conditions and Stressors in People Who Die by Suicide in Toronto An Analysis of Coroner’s Records 1998-2022.pdf

36. Chan, A - A qualitative assessment of attitudes toward the use of protective wrist guards for gymnast wrist injury prevention.pdf

40. Mohindra, R - Using machine learning algorithms to improve the accuracy of asthma diagnosis in the emergency department.pdf

42. Lemos, N - Impact of Nerve-Sparing Surgery for Deeply Infiltrating Endometriosis on Bladder Function a Retrospective Cohort Study.pdf

51. Appel, L - AnxEMU–VR Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Impact of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy on Epilepsy Seizure-Specific Interictal Anxiety In People with Epilepsy.pdf

52. Ferguson, P - The Impact of a Regional Outreach Program in a Centralized Sarcoma Centre.pdf

54. Sockalingam, S - Psychosocial Predictors of Response to Telephone-Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Patients Post Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.pdf

57. Rosenbaum, D - Psilocybin-asssisted Existential, Attachment, and RelationaL (PEARL) Therapy.pdf

66. Boulos, M - Strengthening Oropharyngeal Muscles as a Novel Approach to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea A Randomized Feasibility Study.pdf

69. Kozloff, N - Evaluating service use and outcomes for youth with developmental disabilities who are admitted to the Early Psychosis Intervention program.pdf

70. Fehlings, M - Novel classification models to enhance predictions of neurological outcomes in spinal cord injury.pdf

73. Roche-Nagle, G - Women’s abdominal aortic Aneurysm - Repair early Or at threshold.pdf

74. Dick, J - Development of a flow-based biomarker panel to capture hierarchy classification in AML.pdf

75. Steiman, A - Project ECHO Rheumatology – Rationale and Results from a Mixed Methods Study to Capture Impact.pdf

77. Freeman, S - Targeting the glycocalyx in cancer an adaptation for immunoprotection.pdf

78. Furlan, A - Can we Do Better to Help People with Fibromyalgia An Analysis of Factors Contributing to Improved Quality of Life Among People with Fibromyalgia.pdf

85. Spitzer, R - Sinai SUPport A collaborative model of care for Substance Use in Pregnancy.pdf

87. Hardisty, M - Quantifying Osteosarcopenia Temporal Progression using Imaging-Based Biomarkers in Young Age Prostate Cancer Patients.pdf

91. Crawford, S - Advancing Endovascular Interventions with Precision AI Aortic Segmentation.pdf

93. Fu, L - Impact of circulating biomarker sFlt-1 and PlGF testing on the management of women with suspected preeclampsia.pdf

96. Paul, R - A Deep Neural Network-Based Algorithm for the Diagnosis and Management of Distal Radius Fractures.pdf

97. Lim Fat, G - An environmental scan of institutional policies on ALC patients with analysis of real life adherence to ALC designation guidelines at UHN and Sinai Health.pdf

99. Okun, N - Patient Experience in Accessing Time Sensitive Information and Testing in the First Trimester of Pregnancy.pdf

101. Sheehan, K - Psychosomatic Futurities in Transplantation A Qualitative Study of Body-Mind Interaction and Psychosocial Coping.pdf

105. Farcas, M - Clinical deployment of a novel device for real-time monitoring of current management practices in continuous bladder irrigation.pdf

107. Ballios, B - Discovering human retinal organoid models of inherited retinal diseases.pdf

116. Badhiwala, J - Development of Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Models for Personalized Prediction of Functional Status after Spinal Cord Injury A Precision Medicine Approach.pdf

119. Yao, C - Enabling Virtual Oral Cavity Cancer Surveillance with Computer Vision.pdf

121. Khosravani, H - Machine learning assisted swallowing assessment (MASA), expanding the boundaries of stroke and beyond.pdf

125. Librach, C - Interaction and cumulative effect of mutations in maternal fetal genes associated with implantation failure and repetitive pregnancy loss after single euploid embryo transfer.pdf

126. Madjunkova, S - Profiling of the Human Embryo Metabolic Response to Ploidy by NMR.pdf

128. Singh, J - Temporal changes in mechanical ventilation strategies in patients with acute brain injuries a registry-based cohort study.pdf

152. Lall, R - Closing the Loop on mental health referrals in Scarborough in a medium sized practice. A QI research project.pdf

153. Berkhout, S - The Stories We Tell Developing a Methodological Approach to Visual Narrative Analysis in Digital Storytelling.pdf

155. Dimaris, H - Psychosocial Support Needs Reported by Retinoblastoma Survivors and Parents of Children Affected by Retinoblastoma.pdf

156. Gallie, B - DEPICT HEALTH Pilot Project.pdf

Please note that CREMS will not support any pre-determined student/supervisor pairings. Supervisors must agree to open their projects to all students who apply and interview all students that are interested.

Faculty submissions are due  February 9, 2024 . The CREMS 2022 Supervisor and Project Information Form can be found here: Supervisor & Project Information Form. Due to the overwhelming number of faculty submissions to the program we do not have the capacity to review more than one project submission per faculty therefore you may only submit 1 project per year .

Projects must be remote-capable (in case of new restrictions) or have an alternative remote option outlined.  “The decision about where the project occurs (remote or in a lab) will be decided by the supervisor based on the policies in place at the supervisor’s institution during the time of the placement, and the specific circumstances of the lab.” 

Interested faculty should complete a Supervisor & Project Information Form email it to  [email protected]  by   February 9, 2024.

When saving your submission, please use the following format : Last Name, First Initial, Project Title.

Submitted projects will be reviewed and scored by the CREMS adjudication committee.  We typically receive 150+ applications and can fund around 40-50 projects. CREMS positions will be offered to the supervisor/projects with the highest scores.  We expect to complete the review process and notify successful applicants that their project will be posted by April 1, 2024 .  

Accepted projects will then be posted below on the CREMS website and medical students will be invited to apply directly to the supervisors. Supervisors should interview at least 5 interested applicants and select one student to work with. In the interest of fairness, we require that supervisors do not pre-select a student to work with. Supervisors are required to list all the students that were interviewed along with the name of the selected student. Interviews must occur after April 8, 2024

We only allow ONE student per project. Once the selection is made supervisors are to notify the CREMS office by May 1, 2024

Once a student is selected and CREMS is notified of the selection, supervisors will be sent a Mentor Agreement Form to be signed by the supervisor and the student. This agreement outlines that the supervisor and student agree to work on the funded project, understand the expectations of the program, and that the supervisor agrees to pay half of the total stipend in the amount of $2750. Supervisors payments must also be arranged through their own finance department. CREMS is not able to invoice or pay on a supervisors behalf. Please note, the Mentor Agreement Form is obtained by advising CREMS of your student selection. A template will not appear on the website. 

The dual-signed,  Mentor Agreement Form must be sent to CREMS by May 15, 2024. 

Write to us at [email protected] if you have any questions or require further details.

Application Process

Requirements for successful completion

Upon completion of the Summer Program, students will be required to submit via email to Lisa at [email protected]. A call for these deliverables will go out the first week of September and will be due the first week of October. 

Formal Project Abstract fit for publication

Supervisor and CREMS Program Evaluation Form

One-page Informal Report outlining the student’s research experience

A call for these deliverables will go out in September

Students are required to participate in the annual Medical Student Research Day held in February of the following year, by submitting an abstract and presenting a poster of their findings. Successful completion of the Summer Program will be evaluated by the CREMS Program Director and Coordinator.

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Research Opportunities Program (ROP)

The Research Opportunities Program (ROP) gives undergraduate students in their second and third year the chance to join a professor’s research project and earn course credit towards their degree and program requirements.

Fields Institute Undergraduate Summer Research Program (FUSRP)

The Fields Institute Undergraduate Summer Research Program (FUSRP) welcomes carefully selected undergraduate students from around the world for a rich mathematical research experience in July and August. Students accepted for the program will have most of their travel and on-site expenses covered by the Institute. Most of the program's funding supports student expenses and all student placements are based at Fields.

• Summer Research Awards for Undergraduates

Students who wish to gain experience with mathematical research under the supervision of one of our faculty members have several programs through which they can apply for funding. These include NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Awards,  Math Department Research Awards, and University of Toronto Excellence Awards. All of these provide students with a stipend of $7,500 for a research commitment of 14-16 weeks, taking place between May 1 and August 31. 

NSERC USRAs are restricted to Canadians (citizens and permanent residents) but the other two are open to both Canadian and international students. 

Independent Reading Courses

Deadline to apply: May 13, 2024 (for summer semester September 17, 2024 (for 2024-2025 academic year)

Reading Courses provide an opportunity for students who are eligible to study a topic in Mathematics that interests them, aligns with their future area of study, and which the current course offerings do not cover.

Students and faculty supervisor develop the content and evaluation method of the reading course, and student submits the application form to the mathematics Undergraduate team. 

Reading courses are done for credit, however are not eligible for cr/ncr and only one reading course credit is eligible to be used to towards a Mathematics program requirement. Please speak with the Mathematics Undergraduate team regarding having a reading course credit count for a program requirement.

Send your application form and unofficial transcript to [email protected]

Questions? Email: [email protected]

Research Courses

Deadline to apply: September 17, 2024 (for 2024-2025 academic year)

Research courses provide an opportunity for students who are eligible to work closely with a faculty supervisor on a Mathematics research project that interests them, and aligns with their future area of study.

Student and faculty supervisor will agree to the research project, develop the objectives, and evaluation method of the research course. Student will submit the application form to the mathematics Undergraduate team. The application form will include details of the project along with intended outcomes.  

Research courses are done for credit. This means the student can not be paid for their research work. Research courses are not eligible for cr/ncr and only one research course credit is eligible to be used to towards a Mathematics program requirement. Please speak with the Mathematics Undergraduate team regarding having a reading course credit count for a program requirement.

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Undergraduate research opportunities

Pathobiology Specialist students have access to various types of research opportunities at the University of Toronto. 

These can be:

• Course-based and part of the curriculum, or
• Non-course based such as summer research programs

1. Course-based research 

Lmp305y1: pathobiology research analysis and project  .

For undergraduate students in their 3rd year. 

This course has a lecture-based component that introduces 3rd year Pathobiology Specialist students to biomedical research and to provide them with the analytical and practical skills required to be a successful scientist. Students will also carry out a full-year independent research project under the supervision of a LMP faculty member. 

See LMP305Y1: Pathobiology Research Analysis and Project for more information. 

LMP405Y1: Project in Pathobiology 

For undergraduate students in their 4th year. 

You can enroll in an independent research project to be completed under the supervision of an LMP faculty member. 

See  LMP405Y1: Project in Pathobiology  for more information. 

Research Opportunity Program (ROP) 

For undergraduate students in their 2nd and 3rd year (LMP299Y1 or LMP399Y1). 

With the Arts and Sciences Research Opportunity Program (A&S ROP), you can perform research under an LMP faculty member and earn course credit towards your degree and program requirements. You select and apply for approved projects posted through CLNx. 

This program is administered by the A&S ROP office, find out more on their website . 

Independent studies 

For undergraduate students in their 3rd year and 4th year. 

Many colleges also offer independent studies courses where you can perform research under an LMP faculty member and earn course credit towards your degree and program requirements. 

Consult your college program website or contact your college registrar’s office to identify potential opportunities. 

2. Other research opportunities 

Lmp summer undergraduate research experience (sure)  .

A summer research program, usually over 12 weeks, working with a research supervisor in LMP. 

See the  LMP Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Program (SURE) for full details and how to apply. 

Work Study Program 

The Work Study program offers paid, on-campus positions that provide you with an opportunity to strengthen your skills and enhance your undergraduate experience.  

All Work Study positions are Co-Curricular Record (CCR) recognized. 

The program runs twice a year: fall/winter and summer terms. 

• Career Learning Network  for more information 
• Log into CLNx  using your UTORid for full details on program dates, hours and rate of pay, student eligibility and Work Study postings. 

T-CAIREM AI in Medicine Summer Student Research Program

A summer research program to introduce undergraduate and medical students to AI research in health and encourage the next generation of professionals to pursue careers that use AI to make biomedical discoveries, improve clinical care, and create better health outcomes. Projects are carried out under the supervision of a T-CAIREM member. 

See more on The Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine (T-CAIREM) website .

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• Research Projects in Human Biology

Deadline for HMB496Y1/HMB499Y1 in the Summer Term: May 1 Deadline for HMB496Y1/HMB499Y1 in the Academic Term: September 1

Important note: we have a policy of not allowing students to do a second research project course (HMB499Y) in the same lab.

Prerequisites 

Requirements for 3rd year students:

• 9 FCE complete
• HMB200H1/HMB201H1/HMB202H1/ HMB203H1/HMB204H1, BCH210H1 /CHM247H1, BIO230H1/BIO255H1, HMB265H1/BIO260H1
• cGPA 3.5 or higher, and permission of the Human Biology Program*

Requirements for 4th year students:

• 14 FCE complete,
• a 300+ level laboratory course, HMB200H1/ HMB201H1/ HMB202H1/HMB203H1/ HMB204H1, a HMB300‐level course
• cGPA 2.5 or higher, and permission of the Human Biology Program*

*Permission from Human Biology Program will be provided upon approval of student's application. 

Read through the HMB Research Project FAQ for more information.

PROJECT GUIDELINES & COURSE EXPECTATIONS 

A research project course presents an opportunity for students to learn and demonstrate competence in scientific research skills. Supervisors have a special responsibility to ensure both academic standards and fair treatment of the student, by conforming to the University of Toronto regulations such as the grading practices policy and by having realistic and appropriate expectations for student performance. 

Expectations 

The project should allow for the student to play an active role in project design, experimentation, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting results and conclusions both orally and in writing; and have a good chance of producing results before the course ends. The project preferably should be novel or a novel part of a bigger project, and cannot be a repetition of existing results. Projects can vary and wet lab based, computer based, literature based, human data/survey based projects are all suitable. For the latter, collection and analysis of data/literature is preferable, not simply literature review. Students cannot be paid for course credit work. Research can be remote or in person. 

1. Students  are expected to be at the bench, or its equivalent, for ~8 hours per week in both the fall and winter session or 16 hours per week in the summer session. While time may vary week to week, students are expected to be actively working on their projects throughout the academic year, which includes additional time outside of the lab, working on literature research, analysis, writing assignments, meetings, talks etc. Students are expected to attend HMB workshops, comply with the course evaluation scheme, and be proactive with their time management. Students are expected to adhere to the University’s Code on Academic Matters, and to all safety regulations and protocols. 

2. Faculty Supervisors  ( any UofT faculty member may serve as supervisor, they need not be SGS appointed* ) are expected to play an active role in the training and evaluation of the student, and to encourage the student to interact with other researchers in the lab and join activities such as lab meetings. Supervisors are expected to provide laboratory space (if necessary), materials, and direction to their own student. Supervisors are responsible for all matters of safety and training for the student and the project. Supervisors are also responsible for obtaining Research Ethics Board (REB, human) and Animal Use Protocol approval, prior to the start of the course (if required). Supervisors are expected to mark their own student’s written assignments, and final presentation, in a timely manner, to comply with course grade deadlines. Supervisors are asked to be aware of the University’s Code on Academic Matters, and if you suspect your student of plagiarizing and/or unethical conduct, to contact Human Biology. 

Graduate or Post-doctorate trainees may act as indirect supervisors for the students – to have undergraduates support research and help them gain valuable training/mentorship skills. They may also serve as evaluators for assignments on behalf of the faculty supervisor though grades must be approved and submitted by the faculty member.

*For more information on supervisor eligibility please see the HMB Research Project FAQ

Evaluation Overview (Detailed instructions for each evaluation will be posted on the course web site) 

*Specific details and late penalties will be available on the course syllabus, and can change. 

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Home » Learning Abroad » Prepare/Plan » Funding » University of Toronto – Mitacs Globalink Research Award

University of Toronto – Mitacs Globalink Research Award

Globalink research award: connecting research worldwide.

Take your research abroad with the University of Toronto – Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA)!

This award offers funding for senior undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows to conduct 12–24-week research projects at U of T and abroad.

The GRA gives students a chance for academic growth, international research collaboration, and invaluable experiences. Don’t miss the opportunity to apply and embark on this remarkable research journey!

Contact us for the most up to date application process (the application process is subject to change): [email protected]

GLOBALINK RESEARCH AWARD (GRA) Special Calls have been launched!

• Quantum Technology Call –> Learn More (Application Deadline: For internships starting in  Spring 2024 , submit by  January 12, 2024. For internships starting in  Summer 2024 , submit by  March 31, 2024. )
• British High Commission in Ottawa –> Learn More (Application open: February 9 to March 26, 2024 )
• National Research Foundation (NRF) Korea –> Learn More (Application open: February 22 to March 26, 2024 )
• Special calls
• Inbound Section: Coming to U of T
• Outbound Section: Going Abroad
• U of T Faculty Members

These special calls for the Mitacs Globalink Research Award present unique pathways for professors, students, and researchers to engage in cutting-edge projects and foster international collaborations. Explore these programs and seize the chance to contribute to innovative research endeavours, enhance your academic journey, and make a lasting impact in the world of arts and science.

 If you have questions or need more information about these special calls, feel free to email [email protected] . 

Quantum Technology Call

• Date: For internships starting in Summer 2024, submit your application by March 31, 2024.
• Level: All levels — undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs.
• Themes: Quantum Technology
• Eligible Institutions: open to participants from institutions that collaborate with Mitacs international partners and other eligible countries and regions.
• Award Amount: $6,000 for projects lasting 12 to 24 weeks (~3 to 6 months). $12,000 for projects extending from 24 to 36 weeks (~6 to 9 months). Collaborating with a Mitacs international partner increases the award to $9,000 for 12 to 24 weeks, and $15,000 for 24 to 36 weeks.

Submit applications to [email protected] . Visit the program’s website for more information and application details.

British High Commission in Ottawa (United Kingdom—inbound and outbound students)

• Application open: February 9 to March 26, 2024
• Level: PhD students or postdoctoral fellows
• Themes: AI Safety: The understanding, prevention, and mitigation of harms from AI. These harms could be deliberate or accidental; caused to individuals, groups, organisations, nations or globally; and of many types, including but not limited to physical, psychological, social, or economic harms.
• Other requirements: Participants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• Eligible institutions: All universities in the UK
• Co-funding: No financial contribution is required from the Canadian institution
• Award amount: $6,000 CAD 

If you have any questions or require more information, you can contact us via email at [email protected] .

National Research Foundation (NRF) Korea (Korea — travel to Canada)

• Application open: February 22 to March 26, 2024
• Level: Full time master’s and PhD students, or postdoctoral fellows
• Themes: All fields of Science and Technology, Interdisciplinary studies involving S&T and Humanities or Social Sciences
• Other requirements: Participants applying to Canada must be Korean citizens or permanent residents of Korea. Participants applying from Canada must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• Eligible institutions: All universities in Korea
• Award amount: $9,000 to $15,000 (approximately)
• Application process and submission: Submit to NRF directly (see document attached) and email to [email protected] .
• Call website: National Research Foundation of Korea

* Download the following document to apply:

Application Process

International partner collaborations, eligible countries and regions.

The Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA) provides $6,000 CAD in funding for students to conduct a 12- to 24-week research project abroad.

Applications should be submitted 16 weeks (roughly four months) prior to the project start date, and acceptance notifications are typically received within 12 weeks.

Participants have up to a year to make travel arrangements after receiving the Outcome letter. Before departure, applicants must complete the Mitacs Code of Conduct and Ethics, as well as the International Pre-Departure forms. Grant funds are disbursed upon form submission. If possible, it is highly recommended to submit all documents, including the Mitacs Code of Conduct and Ethics, and the International Pre-Departure forms at the moment of project submission.

The GRA offers students a chance for academic growth, international research collaboration, and invaluable experiences. Don’t miss the opportunity to apply and embark on this remarkable research journey!

For more information, check out the Mitacs GRA website !

*Please refer to the Inbound section or Outbound section for more specific details. For more information regarding the application process, refer to the “How to Apply’ tab on the Mitacs website .

*Submit the application documents 16 weeks (rougly four months) in advance ! *

Inbound information section : Inbound GRA applicants are students and postdoctoral fellows registered at institutions outside of Canada awarded the GRA to conduct research at UofT.

Outbound information section : If you are a degree seeking student or postdoctoral fellow at U of T conducting research at external institutions or countries, you are considered an outbound applicant.

To begin , check if your desired institution for the research internship is covered by a Mitacs international partner with GRA, or if this institution is located in one of the countries listed under other eligible countries and regions . Projects with international partners are fully funded by Mitacs and their international partners, and don’t require co-funding from your U of T supervisor.

To apply for the Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA), connect with your supervisors independently to discuss possible projects, as Mitacs does not facilitate connections.

Before preparing the application, ensure UofT endorsement by contacting Mitacs and [email protected] to confirm the specific requirements and obtain the application materials.

Please note that signatures may take 1-3 weeks to obtain. Complete the application package, including the application form and research proposal, and submit it 16 weeks (rougly four months) before the project start date.

Once completed, email the package to the Mitacs Business Development representative and/or [email protected] .  If it’s possible, it is highly recommended to submit all documents at once including the Mitacs Code of Conduct and Ethics, and the International Pre-Departure forms. 

*For projects with international partners , follow the submission process outlined on the “International Partner Tab” of the Mitacs GRA website.

The application process for the Mitacs Globalink Research Award spans several stages over a period of approximately 16 weeks (roughly four months, or one University of Toronto semester).

For example, to travel for your research project in May, start the application process around four to six months prior, in October or November. Have the application package ready to submit by December. You will receive the outcome of your application by April, and if successful, you can begin your project with the GRA.

Most importantly, you and your supervisors should submit the application package to Mitacs approximately 16 weeks (roughly four months) before the project start date.

Projects with international partners are fully funded by Mitacs program and their international partners.

Please refer to the below list of international partners, and please note the below information is subject to change. Refer to the Mitacs website for the most up-to-date information.

If your country or institution of interest is not listed, please check the Other Eligible Countries and Region tab .

• Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF)
• Fundação Araucária Foundation 
• Consejo de Rectores de las Universidades Chilenas (CRUCH-FUDEA)

European Union

• Travel to other EU countries (not listed here) only where projects are a part of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) RISE program 
• Aix-Marseille Université (AMU)
• Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
• France-Canada Research Funds Consortium (FCRF)
• French Embassy in Canada
• Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (Inria)
• Université Côte d’Azur
• Université Grenoble Alpes 
• Université de Lorraine
• GSI Heavy Ion Institute (Helmholtz Association)
• Forschungszentrum Jülich (Helmholtz Association)
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
• Max Planck Society
• National Research Council and Aachen University (inbound to Canada only) 
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
• National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
• National Research Foundation of Korea
• Universidad Technologica El Retono (UTR)
• National Research Foundation of Singapore / AI Singapore (AISG) 

South Africa

• National Research Foundation South Africa (NRF South Africa)
• National Cheng Kung University, Global Research and Industry Alliance (NCKU GLORIA)
• Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine

United States

For more information, check the “ international partner information ” tab on the Mitacs GRA website .

*If your desired international partner is not listed above, it indicates that the international partner is not currently collaborating with Mitacs . However, it is possible that your desired country may still be eligible for the Globalink Research Award (GRA). Refer to the “ Other Eligible Countries and Regions ” page for more information.

Please check if your desired institution for the research internship is covered by a Mitacs international partner first. If not included on the international partner list, then your project may require co-funding from your U of T supervisor.

If the institution is not on the international partner list, please review below for non-eligible countries. If your country isn’t on the list below, contact [email protected] to start the application process.

Mitacs determines this list by following guidelines from the Government of Canada’s Global Affairs Travel Advisories .

• Non-eligible countries and regions for outbound students — All other countries are eligible

Afghanistan

South Sudan

Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Burkina Faso

North Korea

Central African Republic

Papua New Guinea

Democratic Republic of Congo

• Non-eligible countries and regions for inbound students — All other countries are eligible

*If your country does appear on our list of ineligible countries, please reach out to [email protected] to see if an exception is possible.

Email us: [email protected]

When emailing [email protected] or Mitacs for the first time, please make sure to include the following information (if available):

• Your planned host institution and supervisor
• Your home institution and supervisor
• A brief description (1-2 sentences) of your planned research project
• Your planned project dates

If you are a degree seeking student at U of T conducting research at external institutions or countries: please refer to the Outbound section .

This section is for guidance for inbound Globalink Research Award (GRA) applications. Inbound GRA applicants are students and postdoctoral fellows registered at institutions outside of Canada planning to conduct research at U of T.

The Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA) provides $6,000 CAD for senior undergraduate, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in select Mitacs partner countries to conduct 12–24-week research projects at the University of Toronto.

If you are a U of T GRA supervisor, please refer to the  U of T Faculty Members tab for more about your responsibilities.

Please connect with your home university to complete any required pre-departure steps before travel.

Learn more about the Mitacs Globalink Research Award.

To apply for the award, follow these steps below.

• Eligibility
• Securing Supervisors
• Complete and Submit the Application
• Start and End Dates
• Waiting Time for Your Application
• If Successful?
• Prepare for Arrival

Check your eligibility

• Must be registered as full-time undergraduates, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows at an eligible university or institution and remain as such throughout the Globalink Research Award. Postdoctoral fellows* may apply if their date of graduation from a PhD program is no more than 5 years prior to the proposed start date of the research project.
• Must come from an eligible Mitacs partner country, and, in some cases, a Mitacs international partner. Check international collaboration partners and/or eligible countries , and Mitacs GRA website for more information. If your home institution country is on the non-eligible countries list, please contact via  [email protected] .
• Cannot undertake a research project at an institution in Canada where you have previously completed a degree and/or been employed.
• Must be the legal age of majority in Canada (18 years of age or older).
• Must meet the travel requirements for your intended destination in Canada, including visa and/or immigration requirements and associated documentation
• Cannot have previously received a Globalink Research Award (no more than one Globalink Research Award per academic lifetime).

*Are you a postdoctoral fellow? If so, please check with your University of Toronto supervisor regarding the minimum salary/stipend requirements for hosting a visiting postdoctoral fellow. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Secure your home and host supervisor

As a prospective inbound student to the University of Toronto (U of T), you will need to secure an academic supervisor at your home institution as well as one at U of T. The U of T host supervisor will provide $2000 CAD in co-funding to add to the Mitacs funding, for a total of $6000 CAD.

*For projects involving Mitacs international partners , the co-funding requirement for U of T supervisors is waived.

Host Supervising Professors (at U of T)

• Must hold a faculty position at U of T
• Must be eligible to supervise graduate students and hold Tri-Council funding

Home Supervising Professors

• Must be recognized faculty members at their institutions
• Must be eligible to supervise graduate students

To secure a supervisor, graduate students could go to the Find a Supervisor website to look for more specific details and guidance.

It is recommended to check your home department’s guidance for ways to secure your supervisor. Contact faculty members in your home university for their guidance. You can also use University of Toronto department lists to find contacts in your area of interest, and explore U of T professors and their research areas. Then, you can contact potential supervisors directly.

* Submit the application documents 16 weeks (rougly four months) in advance!*

• Research projects must fit within the University of Toronto’s  thematic research areas of strategic importance (PDF) .
• Additional information on research project eligibility  can be found on the Mitacs website .
• U of T funding form – If your project requires co-funding, your University of Toronto supervisor must complete a Funding Form. Email [email protected] for more information.
• Application materials must be attached in ONE email and submitted as instructed by Mitacs, or to  [email protected] .

*Contact [email protected] for specific application information and steps

*If it’s possible, it is highly recommended to submit the Pre-Departure form and the Code of Ethics form at the moment of submission, as it decreases risks of delays or missing documents further in the process.

Planning start and end dates

Refer to the application timeline for more information.

Research projects are conducted over 12–24-weeks at University of Toronto. You may complete up to 25% of the total project length at your home institution. Please view U of T’s academic terms below if you would like to plan the start of your project in accordance with U of T’s academic terms. You may come for longer than one term.

For both Undergraduate students and Graduate students:

Your start date at UofT can be any time during the year. However, it is recommended that you start when the term starts (as stated below)

Fall semester: September to December

Spring/Winter semester: January to April

Summer semester: May to August (recommended)

When you receive confirmation from an academic supervisor at your home university and an academic supervisor at U of T, you can start preparing your application materials. The application process for the Mitacs Globalink Research Award is outlined here .

Await the outcome of your application:

You will receive a “Review Results” letter from Mitacs – Globalink Research Award approximately 10-12 weeks after submission.

If successful?

Congratulations! You received the Globalink Research Award!

Upon receiving a successful application outcome, complete and submit the Pre-Departure form and the Code of Ethics form to Mitacs . Please connect with your home university to complete any required pre-departure steps before travel. If you have any pre-departure related inquiries, please reach out to your home institution for assistance.

Please note that your funding will not be released until these documents are completed and submitted.

*If possible, it is highly recommended to submit the Pre-Departure form and the Code of Ethics form at the moment of submission, to decrease risks of delays in the process.

Prepare for arrival

You will need to complete the requirements before your project:

• Check with your home university and complete any required pre-departure steps.
• Obtain appropriate health insurance for your time in Canada.
• Obtain appropriate visas and required permits. If you have any questions about this, please contact the following University of Toronto offices:

Postdoctoral fellows, contact:

Postdoctoral Fellows Office: [email protected]

Undergraduate students, contact:

Your supervisor at U of T and/or  [email protected]

Graduate students, contact:

School of Graduate Studies International: [email protected]

Students or researchers from external institutions or countries applying for the Globalink Research Award to conduct research at UofT: please refer to the Inbound section .

This section is for guidance for outbound Globalink Research Award (GRA) applications. Outbound GRA applicants are degree seeking students or postdoctoral fellows registered at U of T planning to conduct research at external institutions or countries.

The Mitacs Globalink Research Award provides $6,000 CAD for senior undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows in Canada to conduct 12–24-week research projects at universities overseas.

Please note that the Mitacs Pre-Departure Form is signed by U of T Safety Abroad ( [email protected] ) once all Safety Abroad requirements are complete.

• Prepare for Your Arrival
• Must be registered as full-time undergraduates, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows at an eligible university or institution and remain as such throughout the Globalink Research Award. Postdoctoral fellows may apply if their date of graduation from a PhD program is no more than 5 years prior to the proposed start date of the research project.
• Must travelling to an eligible Mitacs partner country, and, in some cases, a Mitacs international partner. Check international collaboration partners and/or eligible countries , and Mitacs GRA website for more information. If your desired destination is on the non-eligible countries list, please contact via  [email protected] .
• Cannot undertake a research project at an institution where you have previously completed a degree and/or been employed.
• Must meet the travel requirements for your intended destination, including visa and/or immigration requirements and associated documentation.
• a Globalink Research Award (no more than one Globalink Research Award per academic lifetime).
• Mitacs-Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)  program funding.

Visit the Mitacs Globalink Research Award – “Eligibility”  tab for more details.

As an outbound U of T student, you will need to secure an academic supervisor at a host institution as well as one at U of T. The U of T supervisor will provide $2,000 CAD in co-funding to add to the Mitacs funding, for a total of $6,000 CAD.

It is recommended to check out your department’s guidance of ways to secure your supervisor. For example, laboratory medicine and pathobiology students can refer to Finding a supervisor for your MSc or PhD for more information.

Plan your project start and end dates

Refer to the application timeline to plan your project.

Research projects are conducted over 12–24-weeks at a host institution. You may complete up to 25% of the total project length at your home institution (U of T).

Keep in mind that the host institution term dates may not be the same as U of T. Check with your host institution for any recommendations for when to arrive and start your project. Also, review the academic terms of your host institution to align the start of your project accordingly. Taking these factors into account will help ensure efficient project planning and coordination.

Complete the application and submit

*Submit the application documents 16 weeks (rougly four months) in advance!*

• Complete the Globalink Research Award application form 
• Research projects  must fit within the University of Toronto’s  thematic research areas of strategic importance (PDF) .
• U of T funding form: If your project requires co-funding, the University of Toronto supervisor must complete a Funding Form. Email [email protected] for more information.
• Application materials must be attached in ONE email and submitted as instructed by Mitacs, or to   [email protected] .

*Contact  [email protected]  for specific application information and steps.

You will receive a “Review Results” letter from Mitacs – Globalink Research Award approximately 10-12 weeks after submission.

• Complete and return the signed Pre-Departure form to Mitacs. The form must be signed by U of T Safety Abroad: [email protected] .
• In order for Safety Abroad to sign the Mitacs Pre-Departure form, students need to fulfill all of  U of T Safety Abroad requirements.
• Complete and return the Code of Ethics form to Mitacs.

Have questions about your pre-departure steps? Email [email protected] .

Prepare for your arrival

You need to complete the requirements before your project:

• Obtain appropriate health insurance.
• Obtain appropriate visas and required permits. If you have any questions about this, please contact your host institution and/or the embassy or consulate of your host country.

If encountering any outbound-specific questions, contact:

U of T Globalink Research Award team ( [email protected] ): questions about funding, pre-departure steps, application process.

Safety Abroad ( [email protected] ): questions related to planning travel, Safety Abroad requirements , Mitacs Pre-Departure Form.

Your host supervisor/host institution: questions about your project, visas, arrival process, on the ground support.

Gain insights into the vital support faculty provide to interns and participants throughout their research projects, and discover below the essential duties of host supervisors and home supervisors in the Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA) program.

• Supervisors’ responsibilities

Funding Process

Supervisors’ responsibilities.

Host supervisor’s responsibilities

The host supervisor is responsible for ensuring that there is an administrative owner for the visit in place and will assist with the administrative processes as needed. In addition, the host supervisor will:

• Adhere to institutional policies for visiting researchers 
• Provide ongoing direction and research support to the intern prior to and during the research project 
• Advise the intern on appropriate travel arrangements and accommodation 
• Provide the intern with any necessary documentation to support the visa application 
• Ensure the intern has appropriate lab and/or office space and resources during the research project
• Submit an exit survey and sign the final report prepared by the intern 

Home supervisor’s responsibilities

• Adhere to institutional policies for research abroad 
• Provide ongoing direction and research support to the participant prior to and during the research project 
• Submit an exit survey and sign the final report prepared by the participant 

Additional responsibilities of the Canadian institution and supervisor

In addition to the above, the Canadian supervisors and institutions – whether home or host – have additional responsibilities, specifically:

• Supporting interns with the necessary preparations for travel abroad (institutional travel policy, immigration application support) 
• Assuming fiduciary responsibility for the Mitacs grant
• For inbound students (hosting incoming students at the University of Toronto), assisting with administrative processes as needed and ensure that there is an administrative owner for the visit.

Learn more by visiting the Mitacs GRA website, and referring to the “Award Guidelines” tab.

To be eligible, supervisors:

• Must hold a faculty position.
• Must be eligible to supervise graduate students (UofT supervisors must be eligible to hold Tri-Council funding).
• If the project requires co-funding, U of T supervisors must have identified co-funding of $2,000 CAD to contribute to a total award value of $6,000 CAD. (Projects with Mitacs international partners are fully funded by Mitacs and their international partners).
• U of T supervisors must complete and submit the U of T funding form. This form must be submitted as part of the GRA application package. Please contact  [email protected]  to request the funding form.
• U of T supervisors will need to set up a MRA (My Research Application). More information about MRAs .
• In most cases, the total Globalink Research Award funding will be released to the U of T supervisor’s MRA. The supervisor will then distribute funds to the student.
• If the project requires co-funding, the U of T Globalink Research Award team will later invoice the account noted on the abovementioned Funding Form for the co-funding.

Receiving students? See the Inbound section for more information.

Sending students? Please refer to the Outbound section .

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the Mitacs Globalink Research Award at the University of Toronto. Get quick and accurate information regarding eligibility, project supervision, institutional requirements, international partnerships, and more.

Visit the Mitacs website and click on the FAQ tab for general Mitacs GRA questions.

For UofT-specific FAQs , refer to the pages below.

Before Application:

Inbound applicants are students or postdoctoral fellows registered at institutions outside of Canada applying for the GRA to conduct research at the University of Toronto: Inbound information section .

Outbound applicants are degree seeking students or postdoctoral fellows at the University of Toronto applying for the GRA to conduct research outside of Canada: Outbound information section .

Visit the eligibility tab of the Inbound section or Outbound section for more information. Also visit  Mitacs Globalink Research Award – “Eligibility”   for further details.

To apply, email [email protected] to obtain application materials which generally include a research proposal and an application form.

Yes, senior (third / fourth year) undergraduate students are eligible to apply for the GRA at U of T.

Incoming Students (Inbound) can:

Contact faculty members in your home department for guidance and recommendations. Use University of Toronto department lists to find contacts in your area of interest, and explore U of T professors and their research areas. Then contact potential supervisors directly.

Outgoing Students (Outbound) can:

If you don’t already have a U of T supervisor, utilize U of T department lists to find contacts in your area of interest, and explore U of T professors and their research areas. Contact potential supervisors in the relevant research area directly for guidance. For host supervisors outside of Canada, you can speak with faculty members at U of T for their suggestions. Otherwise you can also research institutions abroad, looking through departments and research teams, and then reaching out to potential supervisors

For more information, graduate students could go to Find a Supervisor website to look for more specific details and guidance. It is recommended to check with your department for guidance on ways to secure your supervisor.

The key deadline for the Globalink Research Award (GRA) application process at UofT is to submit the completed application package 16 weeks (rougly four months) before the project start date. You can view an example timeline of the application process here.

Yes, the GRA at U of T welcomes applications from international students who meet the eligibility criteria. International students should ensure they have the necessary study permits and immigration documentation for their research period.

Please note that students registered at institutions outside of Canada should refer to the Inbound section for eligibility information, and students registered at the University of Toronto should refer to the Outbound section for more information.

*To see if you’re eligible, please also visit  Mitacs Globalink Research Award – “Eligibility”   for more details.

Projects with international partners are fully funded by Mitacs and the international partner and as such, the co-funding requirement for U of T supervisors is waived.

Projects in an eligible country but without a Mitacs international partner require co-funding of $2,000 CAD. In other words, the U of T supervisor would be responsible for covering part of the funding ($2,000 CAD).

For more information, refer to the international partner collaborations and other eligible countries sections. For more a comprehensive overview of the funding process, visit the Mitacs website .

If your desired host country does appear on the list of ineligible countries , you can still reach out to  Mitacs  to see if an exception is possible. Email [email protected] with any questions.

The University of Toronto’s Globalink Research Award team: [email protected] .

Even if not involved in the project outside of Canada, your U of T supervisor has what is called “fiscal responsibility” for the Mitacs GRA funding. What this means is that your U of T supervisor is responsible for administering the funding, and in cases where co-pay is required, providing $2000 CAD when invoiced. For more details, please reach out to  [email protected]  or speak with your U of T supervisor.

After Application

Outcome letters are typically issued 10-12 weeks after application submission. For this reason, you should submit your application materials 16 weeks prior to your project start date.

• Obtain appropriate visas and required permits. If you have any questions about this, please contact your host institution.

*For inbound student, please connect with your home institution’s international office to complete any pre-departure requirements before travel.

*For outbound students, please check with [email protected] to complete pre-departure requirements before travel.

For Inbound students :

Upon receiving a successful application outcome, complete and submit the Pre-Departure form and the Code of Ethics form to Mitacs. If you have any pre-departure related inquiries, please reach out to your home institution for assistance.

For Outbound students :

• Complete and return the Pre-Departure form to Mitacs. (students need to have their Mitacs Pre-Departure form signed by Safety Abroad)
• In order to complete the form, students need to fulfill all of  U of T Safety Abroad requirements.
• Please contact  [email protected]  for any pre-departure related questions.
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Current Engineering Undergraduates

Summer Research FAQs

Why should i do research in the summer.

Summer is a great time to gain practical experience  in a mentored environment where you can focus on defining problems and identifying solutions. You can work with a professor and work on complex problems.

This is a great opportunity to help you figure out if research is for you (or not for you!). Working with your professors and classmates in the summer is also a good way to network and make contacts. Summer research can also be used towards your   Professional Experience Requirement  for your degree. It may also qualify for PEY Co-Op – contact the Engineering Career Centre to learn more.

How do I find research opportunities?

You can l ook up professors and researchers and the projects they are working on. Start by  r eview ing a department's website to learn about the research they are conducting. You can search beyond U of T and look for research opportunities outside of Toronto or Canada as well .  

Read up on the projects and the work done by the professor to see if you are interested in gaining experience in that area. Various departments may post summer research opportunities on their website. Select research projects that you are interested in and contact the professor or research team .  

There are also s ome specific programs at U of T t hat involve research which you can consider :  

• APS299Y - Summer Research Abroad : This is a unique for-credit research-based summer course. Depending on the nature of the research project, this course may count toward your engineering program or an engineering minor. Check with your department for details. This program is not open to EngSci students.  
• The Engineering Science Research Opportunities Program (ESROP) : Through ESROP, EngSci students will join established research groups, gain a deeper understanding of the research process, and take part in intellectually vibrant research activities. EngSci Students will have the opportunity to work with faculty members on research-based collaborations over the summer.  
• Summer Research Abroad : Administered by the Centre for International Experience, t his is an exciting opportunity for upper-year undergraduate students in science, engineering, and other fields to acquire hands-on lab and research experience. Summer research projects are available at partner institutions for 8 to 12 weeks over the summer term.  
• Work Study Program : The Work-Study program at U of T is an excellent way for students to develop knowledge, skills and experience that complement their academic studies through paid work on campus. The positions generally require about 12 hours of work per week. The Work-Study program now has a research-stream that can help you more easily faculty-led research opportunities.  

How do I contact professors and researchers?

The best way to contact researchers/professors is by email in late December or early January. It is advised to include your CV or resume, unofficial transcripts, and especially any connections that you may have (professor of your class).  

Write a professional email that introduces you, indicates your intentions and asks if you can meet to talk about working with them in the summer. Contact multiple professors/researchers; you don’t need to limit yourself to emailing just one. However, tailor your email and m ake it specific to the researcher and/or project . The email doesn’t need to be very long but should provide enough details for them to understand your interest.   

How do I improve my resume?

To get your resume ready, there are lots of resources available to help you. You’re Next Career Network (YNCN) holds a Resume Hack Event as part of their Fall and Winter Career Fair .

You can review  Career Exploration & Education’s Résumé and Cover Letter Toolkit (PDF) to get started, or book a Résumé Ready appointment with one of their career peer advisors.  The Career Learning Network  is also a great place to sign up for resume workshops and for additional resources and support.

How do I prepare for the interview or meeting?

YNCN and Career Exploration & Education are great resources that can help you to learn how to interview well. To learn more about general interview tips, consider reviewing Career Exploration & Education’s get help with interviewing . That said, r emember : this is not a typical job interview. It is primarily about being interested in a professor/researcher’s work and how you would like to have the chance to work with them. Before you r interview or meeting, be sure to review projects that they have worked on in the past or are currently working on.    

Are grades important?

Grades may have an impact , and some professors may request a copy of your transcript. However, there are additional factors professors and researchers consider when hiring students for summer research opportunities.  

What do I do if I do not get a summer research opportunity?

Do not worry if you do not secure a summer research position. Throughout your time at U of T, there will be multiple opportunities for you to get hands-on experience.  

If you’re looking to take advantage of the four-month summer period to be productive and get involved , there are many options you can pursue, including getting  a summer job, volunteer ing , participat ing in a design team, design ing your own project, and finding additional opportunities to gain skills and knowledge.  

Are there important deadlines I need to know?

There is no set deadline for when to contact professors, but the best time is in late December or early January. Other deadlines include applying for research scholarships and awards ( generally in January/February).  

Are scholarships available?

Scholarships and awards for research are a way of compensating you for the work and time you have spent o n the summer research opportunity. The deadlines to apply range from January to March .  

Some examples of awards include:  

• 2024 FY Summer Research Fellowship Application (PDF)
• Dean’s Undergraduate Student Summer Research Pivot Fellowship  
• NSERC U ndergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)
• University of Toronto Excellence Award (UTEA)
• ESROP (Engineering Science)
• IBBME awards  
• Exchange programs  
• Professor’s Grant Funding  
• Department-specific summer research awards  

How do I maximize the value of summer research?

• Make learning objectives for yourself , and keep a weekly list   of what you achieved and what you will achieve next week.
• Take advantage of the opportunity to work closely with professors and researchers by remaining curious, asking lots of questions , and asking for specific feedback to help you improve your research skills.   
• Participate in the Undergraduate Summer Research Program . W eekly sessions are held for participants to learn success skills that enhance their research experience and form a community of student researchers.  
• Present your research work at the  Undergraduate Engineering Research Day (UnERD) . This event gives undergraduates the opportunity to share their achievements from their summer research in an academic showcase  
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Multiple fisheries projects received funding to advance research

Thanks to $1.3 million in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding, we at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will move forward several fisheries projects, including work at several of our agency’s stations from both the western and eastern Great Lakes.

Three projects will be supported in 2024, which will aid in restoration of sustainable populations of coregonines in Lake Ontario to reestablish their historical roles as forage for predators.

Researching coregonines

A first project at the Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officein Michigan will support researching coregonine populations, including fish like cisco and bloaters. Research will include a focus on Lake Huron and will continue to collect baseline information on lake herring communities, including the assessment of the post-stocking survival, growth and maturity of these cultured cisco. This will allow staff to assess reproduction.

Studying lake herring

A second project, led by the Green Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, in Wisconsin, will study wild lake herring for Saginaw Bay Restoration. The conservation office will also evaluate a proof-of-concept process for collecting wild juvenile fish for development into future broodstock broodstock The reproductively mature adults in a population that breed (or spawn) and produce more individuals (offspring or progeny). Learn more about broodstock . Currently, staff face hazards when accessing offshore winter spawning locations for fish collections and other serious logistical challenges, including achieving high capture efficiencies and personnel safety. The work will test a fundamentally different approach of capturing juvenile fish to determine rates of survival during capture of the fish, subsequent isolation through the rearing process, and whether this new method is feasible.

Partnering to benefit regional fisheries

For a third project, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding will also be used by the Allegheny National Fish Hatchery, and the Northeast Fishery Center, both in Pennsylvania, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey Tunison Lab, in New York, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

In addition to the projects described above, work will include developing a better understanding of how these fish play a role in the food web. Planned work will also improve health and quality of juvenile bloater, fish health monitoring, assessment and monitoring of wild populations and hatchery production, spawning habitat evaluations, population viability analysis, and development of technical capabilities. This also includes evaluation and analysis of using eDNA to monitor populations and help focus traditional fisheries survey efforts. Lastly, work will also include infrastructure enhancements to increase production of coregonines.

“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been very instrumental in supplementing our ability to support reintroductions of native prey species to the Great Lakes. We could not do this amount of work without it,” Midwest Region Hatchery Program Supervisor Kurt Schilling said.

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U.S. centenarian population is projected to quadruple over the next 30 years

The number of Americans ages 100 and older is projected to more than quadruple over the next three decades, from an estimated 101,000 in 2024 to about 422,000 in 2054, according to projections from the U.S. Census Bureau. Centenarians currently make up just 0.03% of the overall U.S. population, and they are expected to reach 0.1% in 2054.

The number of centenarians in the United States has steadily ticked up since 1950, when the Census Bureau estimates there were just 2,300 Americans ages 100 and older. (The Census Bureau uses calculated estimates for years prior to the 1990 census because it has identified large errors in the census counts of centenarians for those years.)

In the last three decades alone, the U.S. centenarian population has nearly tripled. The 1990 census counted around 37,000 centenarians in the country.

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand how the population of Americans ages 100 and older looks today, and how it is expected to change in the next 30 years. U.S. population estimates come from the U.S. Census Bureau , and global projections are drawn from the United Nations’ population projections under its medium variant scenario .

All racial groups are single-race and non-Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race.

Today, women and White adults make up the vast majority of Americans in their 100s. This trend is largely projected to continue, though their shares will decrease:

• In 2024, 78% of centenarians are women, and 22% are men. In 30 years, women are expected to make up 68% of those ages 100 and older, while 32% will be men.
• 77% of today’s centenarians are White. Far fewer are Black (8%), Asian (7%) or Hispanic (6%). And 1% or fewer are multiracial; American Indian or Alaska Native; or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. By 2054, White and Asian adults are projected to make up smaller shares of centenarians (72% and 5%, respectively), while the shares who are Hispanic (11%) or Black (10%) will be larger. (All racial categories here are single-race and non-Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race.)

The U.S. population overall is expected to trend older in the coming decades as life expectancies increase and the birth rate declines. There are currently roughly 62 million adults ages 65 and older living in the U.S., accounting for 18% of the population. By 2054, 84 million adults ages 65 and older will make up an estimated 23% of the population.

Even as the 65-and-older population continues to grow over the next 30 years, those in their 100s are projected to roughly double as a percentage of that age group, increasing from 0.2% of all older Americans in 2024 to 0.5% in 2054.

Centenarians around the world

The world is home to an estimated 722,000 centenarians, according to the United Nations’ population projections for 2024. The U.S. centenarian population is the world’s second largest – the UN estimates it at 108,000, slightly larger than the Census Bureau’s estimate.

Japan is the country with the greatest number of people in their 100s, at 146,000. China (60,000), India (48,000) and Thailand (38,000) round out the top five.

In each of these countries, centenarians make up less than 1% of the overall population, but combined, they account for more than half (55%) of the world’s population ages 100 and older.

Looked at another way, centenarians make up a bigger proportion of the total population in Japan, Thailand and the U.S., and smaller shares in China and India, which have large but relatively young populations. There are about 12 centenarians for every 10,000 people in Japan, five for every 10,000 in Thailand and three for every 10,000 in the U.S. That compares with fewer than one centenarian for every 10,000 people in China and India.

By 2054, the global centenarian population is projected to grow to nearly 4 million. China is expected to have the largest number of centenarians, with 767,000, followed by the U.S., India, Japan and Thailand. As a proportion, centenarians are projected to account for about 49 out of every 10,000 people in Thailand, 40 of every 10,000 in Japan and 14 of every 10,000 in the U.S. Six out of every 10,000 people in China will be centenarians, as will about two of every 10,000 in India.

• Older Adults & Aging

Katherine Schaeffer is a research analyst at Pew Research Center

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Missouri S&T professor receives $875,000 from Rio Tinto for critical minerals research 

Posted by greg edwards on april 22, 2024.

Dr. Lana Alagha conducts research in a Missouri S&T mineral processing laboratory. Photo by Michael Pierce/Missouri S&T.

A Missouri S&T professor has been awarded $875,000 from Rio Tinto , a global mining group, for a two-year project researching new techniques to recover critical minerals in the waste byproducts that come from extracting and refining copper.    “Our project will test new chemical dissolution strategies and purification techniques to produce pure gallium and germanium compounds from these waste materials,” says Dr. Lana Alagha, a Robert H. Quenon Associate Professor of Mining Engineering. “The new chemicals, or functionalized ionic liquids, we will use were designed specifically for this type of purpose.”    Alagha and one of her former Ph.D. students, Dr. Mostafa Khodakarami, were recently awarded patents for these chemicals, which Alagha says will work well due to their ability to effectively separate specific components from the materials.    Alagha says gallium and germanium are important elements due to their multiple uses with semiconductors, microchips, optics, health care and pharmaceuticals, and other high-tech applications.    The federal government considers both elements to be critical minerals. The Energy Act of 2020 defines critical minerals as non-fuel minerals vital to the nation’s economic or national security.    “There is currently little-to-no production of these two elements in the United States, and we rely to an alarming extent on importing them,” Alagha says. “If successfully implemented, our research could lead to a much stronger domestic supply of these important resources.”    She says recovering gallium and germanium from the wastes created when processing copper is an unconventional approach, but this type of out-of-the-box thinking is necessary for the United States to have a more resilient supply of critical minerals.    Both gallium and germanium are more often recovered as a byproduct of other metal refining process, such as with aluminum, zinc and lead, but Alagha says it should be possible to recover both of the elements with the chemical compounds she will develop to dissolve the waste products and with the new purification techniques she will test after that.    Alagha is a member of S&T’s mining engineering faculty, but she is an expert in the field of chemistry as well, having earned a Ph.D. in materials chemistry from the University of Texas at Dallas.  She says she looks forward to working directly with Rio Tinto as an industry partner for this project.    “Industry partnerships help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application,” she says. “They help facilitate the transfer of knowledge, technologies and innovations from academia to industry and vice versa. Working with Rio Tinto will help take my research in this area to the next level.”    Dr. Saskia Duyvesteyn, Rio Tinto’s chief advisor of research and development, says her organization appreciates having this relationship with S&T.    “Rio Tinto is constantly looking for better ways to extract critical minerals from our byproduct streams,” she says. “After starting production of tellurium in 2022, we are excited to explore new techniques to produce gallium and germanium compounds in partnership with Dr. Alagha and Missouri S&T. Demand for these critical minerals used in high-tech applications is only going to grow, and we are proud to support efforts to increase domestic production.”    Alagha’s co-principal investigators from Missouri S&T for this project are Dr. Michael Moats, chair and professor of materials science and engineering, and Dr. Marek Locmelis, associate professor of geosciences and geological and petroleum engineering at S&T and faculty fellow in research and innovation.    Alagha is also involved in multiple other projects focusing on mineral recovery using unconventional sources. One of her projects with over $700,000 in funding through the Critical Materials Innovation Hub led by Ames National Laboratory also focuses on extracting gallium and germanium, while another $375,000 project funded by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory focuses on recovering tellurium, as well as gold and silver.

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.   

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