Faculty of Science hosts chemistry symposium with Japanese students and faculty

As part of its efforts to provide more international exchanges for students and researchers, the Faculty of Science at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology is strengthening ties with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) in Kitakyushu, Japan.

In 2016 Jean-Paul Desaulniers, PhD, Associate Professor of Chemistry, spent a week at Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) teaching an organic chemistry course. That visit helped pave the way for this fall’s inaugural UOIT-KIT Symposium in Chemistry, marking the first time the Faculty of Science has hosted a delegation of chemistry students and faculty from Japan.

Seven KIT and nine university chemistry students presented various topics during the two-day event, focusing on chemical biology, organic chemistry, materials chemistry and inorganic chemistry. 

Prizes for outstanding oral presentations at the UOIT-KIT Symposium in Chemistry went to:

• Veronica Cavallari, Master of Science (MSc) candidate, University of Ontario Institute of Technology
• Kazuya Inoue, MSc candidate, Kyushu Institute of Technology  
• Samira Mansouri, MSc candidate, University of Ontario Institute of Technology
• Shuhei Takahashi, PhD candidate, Kyushu Institute of Technology

Quotes

“The opportunity for the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Kyushu Institute of Technology students to interact with each other at the symposium was an incredible opportunity. As our university expands its international exposure, we look forward to starting future student exchanges and collaborations between our institutions.”
-Professor Jean-Paul Desaulniers, Symposium Chair, Faculty of Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

“The Kyushu Institute of Technology students have benefitted greatly by this experience at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. They learned that face-to-face interactions with other chemists help pave the way to starting good global relationships.”
-Professor Mitsuru Kitamura, Kyushu Institute of Technology

“It was a wonderful opportunity to meet students and professors from Japan with common research interests.”
-Samira Mansouri, Master of Science candidate, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

“The visit to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology was an incredible opportunity. I was able to meet with their students and to share valuable opinions and suggestions.”
-Shuhei Takahashi, PhD candidate, Kyushu Institute of Technology