Chemistry is the Central Science. Chemists study the basic interactions between atoms and molecules that make up more complex structures. They can also be seen as inventors and even artists when they combine atoms to produce new compounds, such as more effective drugs, higher-performance textiles, more-resistant plastics, and greener fuels. Biochemists shed light on the structure of the complex molecules that make up all living organisms and on the impressive network of chemical processes that are the very essence of life. In addition to the classical areas of biochemistry and organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and theoretical chemistry, various additional areas of expertise in the department include biological and biopharmaceutical chemistry, catalysis, materials chemistry, and computational chemistry.  Specific research interests of the faculty members cover a range of interests from nanostructured materials and fuel cells to photochemistry and membrane proteins.

Research groups

• Analytical – Berezovski, Mayer
• Bioorganic, Biopharmaceutical, Biochemistry – Barriault, Beauchemin, Ben, Boddy, Campbell-Valois, Carrier, Chica, daCosta, Goto, Keillor, Ogilvie, Pezacki, Pratt, Shuhendler
• Chemistry Education – Flynn, Focsaneanu
• Inorganic – Baker, Brusso, Detellier, Fogg, Gambarotta, Hemmer, Murugesu, Richeson, Sayari
• Organic – Alper, Barriault, Beauchemin, Ben, Brusso, Chan, Gagosz, Keillor, Newman, Ogilvie, Organ, Pezacki, Pratt, Scaiano
• Catalysis – Alper, Baker, Barriault, Beauchemin, Fogg, Gagosz, Gambarotta, Giorgi, Newman, Organ, Sayari, Scaiano, Woo
• Materials – Brusso, Bryce, Chan, Detellier, Giorgi, Hemmer, Murugesu, Sayari Scaiano
• Physical – Bryce, Giorgi, Goto, Mayer, Pratt, Scaiano, Shuhendler, Stolow, Teitelbaum
• Computational and Theoretical – Bryce, Chica, Mayer, St-Amant, Stolow, Woo

BioMOLAR Network

The BioMOLAR Network is a network of researchers in chemistry interested in the study of BiomacroMOLeculAR systems.  Find out more about our research, seminar series, and resources.

Researchers in Earth Sciences explore the origin of the Earth, its history, its evolution, its minerals and its fossils. They study the Earth's crust and everything associated with it, from glaciers to coral reefs, from earthquakes to volcanic eruptions, and from mountains to oceans.

They also help locate natural resources, such as underground water, oil, natural gas, diamonds, gold and base metals like nickel, and develop environmentally responsible extraction techniques.

Earth Sciences provide a broad spectrum of research opportunities. Research interests among the staff include physical sedimentology, structural geology, tectonics, archean geodynamics, rock magnetics, isotope hydrogeology and paleoclimate, igneous petrology, environmental geomicrobiology, geochemistry and mineral deposits, mineralogy of plutonic rocks, isotope and environmental geochemistry.

Research groups

• Environmental Geoscience
• Geochemistry / Petrology
• Geomatics / Geomathematics
• Mineral Resources Studies
• Sedimentary Systems

Mathematical models are powerful tools in all areas of contemporary society, compact-disc coding, electronic communications security, aircraft de-icing, video games, analysis of stock market quotations and treatment of cardiac disorders.

Research areas in the department are divided in pure mathematics, applied mathematics, probability and statistics. There are a number of research groups covering areas such as algebra, analysis, applied mathematics, combinatorics, data science, Lie theory, logic and foundations of computing, mathematical physics, number theory, probability and statistics, and topology.

Research groups

• Algebra
• Analysis
• Applied Mathematics
• Cryptography and Number Theory
• Data Science and Machine Learning Group
• Discrete Mathematics
• Geometry and Topology
• Lie Theory
• Logic and Foundations of Computing
• Statistics and Probability

Elementary particles, the atom, macromolecules, solids, gases, cells, the human brain, planets, galaxies...everything is governed by the law of physics.

Physicists study the fundamental principles governing natural phenomena and apply them to understand the world around us, from the simplest - like planetary motion - to more complex phenomena - like chaos, superconductivity or black holes.

Technological breakthroughs like the laser, fibre optics and semiconductor devices such as transistors and solar cells all illustrate principles of physics.

The main fields of research in the department can be presented as being condensed matter physics, photonics, biophysics and environmental physics. Research interests among the staff include, more specifically, semi conducting type materials (optical and electronic properties); photonics (optical fibers, optical telecommunications, light-matter interactions, optical communication, bio-materials in ophthalmology); natural and synthetic layered materials and anomalous magneto-elastic materials, lake sediments; quasicrystals and amorphous metallic alloys; properties of solids subjected to extreme conditions; surface phenomena; superconductivity and theory of insulators; material sciences (dynamics of polymers and DNA, soft materials); and theoretical physics (non-linear dynamics, inverse problems, screened potentials, physics of quasar).

Research groups

• Biological Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Photonics