University of Toronto Scarborough

Diana Valencia receives Guggenheim Fellowship

siddiq22 — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:35:26 +0000

Diana Valencia receives Guggenheim Fellowship

Research & Innovation

siddiq22 Fri, 07/21/2023 - 12:35

Faculty

Scarborough

Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences

Guggenheim Fellowships

University of Toronto Scarborough

landscape

Diana Valencia (supplied photo)

Astrophysicist Diana Valencia has received a 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship for her research on what makes up planets.

An associate professor in the department of physical and environmental sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Valencia was among the 171 fellows honoured with the prestigious award in April.

About 3,000 researchers, scholars and artists apply for the award each year. Valencia was the only winner in the category Astronomy – Astrophysics.

“I am a woman of colour and the U of T Scarborough campus is so diverse that I want to showcase that. I want to show this is something that people from all walks of careers and life can achieve,” Valencia says.

Working with multiple teams, Valencia is leading the analysis of first-of-its-kind data: measurements of low-mass exoplanets and stars that are precise and consistent enough to explore the connection between the composition of stars and planets.

The study showcases her multidisciplinary approach, combining geophysics with astrophysics, that has distinguished her as a leader in the field.

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Myrna Simpson recognized with Clair C. Patterson Award

lanthierj — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 17:23:10 +0000

Myrna Simpson recognized with Clair C. Patterson Award

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 02/21/2023 - 12:23

Faculty

Scarborough

Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences

University of Toronto Scarborough

landscape

Myrna Simpson (photo by Ken Jones)

Myrna Simpson, a professor in the department of physical and environmental sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough, is this year’s recipient of the Clair C. Patterson Award from the Geochemical Society.

It’s the second time a U of T faculty member has received the award, which celebrates innovative breakthrough research in the field of environmental geochemistry.

“Having two U of T faculty recently recognized with this award really demonstrates that U of T is a leader in environmental geochemistry,” Simpson says, noting University Professor Barbara Sherwood Lollar received the award in 2019.

Simpson’s early research focused on developing methods to unravel complex environmental processes at the molecular level to better understand how climate change and other human-caused activities were fundamentally changing the environment.

Over the past 15 years, her lab has used a series of innovative techniques, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry, to address knowledge gaps related to global environmental change, pollution and long-term storage of used nuclear fuel.

“I am particularly proud of how my group has been able to provide new insight into geochemical processes in the environment and uncover the ‘why’ behind so many processes. Knowing the ‘why’ means we are better prepared for protecting the Earth,” says Simpson.

It’s the latest in a series of honours for Simpson, who also becomes a fellow of the Geochemical Society. The Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Integrative Molecular Biogeochemistry, Simpson recently received the DIMA Award from the Chemical Institute of Canada and last year was a co-recipient of the Sir George Stokes Award.

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Ruby Sullan named a Cottrell Scholar

lanthierj — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 18:40:45 +0000

Ruby Sullan named a Cottrell Scholar

Research & Innovation

Teaching

lanthierj Fri, 02/12/2021 - 13:40

University of Toronto Scarborough

Department of Chemistry

Women in STEM

landscape

(Photo by Ken Jones)

University of Toronto Scarborough Assistant Professor Ruby Sullan has been named a Cottrell Scholar by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.

The Cottrell Scholars program honours outstanding teacher-scholars who are recognized by their scientific communities for the quality and innovation of their research programs and their potential for academic leadership. Sullan is the only scholar at a Canadian university among the 25 honourees named this year.

Sullan's research is part of the global fight against antimicrobial resistance. Her lab is developing multifunctional and biocompatible nanomaterial-based therapeutics – or nanotherapeutics. She also seeks to address a gap in undergraduate laboratory curriculum by allowing students to study and probe surfaces and materials at the nanoscale.

"It is highly motivating knowing that your contributions at the formative stage of your career have been recognized," says Sullan. "It makes me more excited to bring our research ideas into fruition. And the Cottrell Award will be instrumental to this; I see it as a gift that will keep on giving. I am also truly excited to be part of the Cottrell community of Scholars."

Sullan joins Professor Andrei Yudin, who was named a Cottrell Scholar in 2001, as winners of this award from the department of chemistry.

University of Toronto Scarborough

Diana Valencia receives Guggenheim Fellowship

Read the U of T Scarborough story

Myrna Simpson recognized with Clair C. Patterson Award

Read the U of T Scarborough story

Ruby Sullan named a Cottrell Scholar

Read more about Sullan