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56 representatives from four universities, including two faculty members and six graduate students from Ontario Tech, participated in the International University Exchange Symposium in Chemistry and the 6th Kyutech-Ontario Tech University Chemistry Symposium (November 9, 10 and 13, 2023) at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) in Japan.
56 representatives from four universities, including two faculty members and six graduate students from Ontario Tech, participated in the International University Exchange Symposium in Chemistry and the 6th Kyutech-Ontario Tech University Chemistry Symposium (November 9, 10 and 13, 2023) at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) in Japan.

Ontario Tech University’s expanding global collaborations spark new research opportunities and provide students with opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge through international work, study and travel. 

Building and maintaining strong relationships with local and global partners is a top priority and a key component of the university’s Strategic Research Plan. Sharing information and ideas on an international scale has never been more important to post-secondary institutional growth and increasing Ontario Tech’s profile on the global stage.

In early November, Ontario Tech Chemistry faculty and graduate students participated in the 6th annual Kyutech-Ontario Tech Symposium in Chemistry and the International University Exchange Symposium in Chemistry, hosted at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) in Japan. 

Over three days, faculty and students from Kyutech, Ontario Tech, Khon Kaen University (Thailand), and Mansoura University (Egypt) presented research findings on various topics, including chemical biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, forensic chemistry, materials science, natural products chemistry, and wastewater chemistry.

Ontario Tech presenters in Japan
  • Dr. Jean-Paul Desaulniers, Professor, Faculty of Science
  • Dr. Theresa Stotesbury, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science
  • Muna Abdulaziz, PhD candidate (Materials Science)
  • Colin Elliott, PhD candidate (Applied Bioscience)
  • Marjan Saeidi, PhD candidate (Materials Science)
  • Virginia Chiu, MSc candidate (Applied Bioscience)
  • Tomas de Melo, MSc candidate (Applied Bioscience)
  • Fanqi Kong, MSc candidate (Materials Science)
Outcomes of Ontario Tech’s international collaboration

Dr. Desaulniers, leader of the Kyutech-Ontario Tech University exchange program, is grateful to the Sakura Science Exchange Program, Kyutech and the Faculty of Science at Ontario Tech University for support.

Ontario Tech’s relationship with Kyutech began in 2016 when Dr. Desaulniers spent one week teaching the intensive course Topics in Organic Chemistry at Kyutech’s Department of Applied Chemistry. Over the past seven years, important research collaborations with Kyutech and Dr. Desaulniers’ lab have resulted in the development of new chemically-modified ribonucleic acids (RNAs) as next-generation medicines (with joint-institutional research published in peer-reviewed journals: two in American Chemical Society Publications in June 2020 and March 2022, and two in Chemistry Europe Publications in July 2021 and August 2022).

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Quotes

“Since 2016, our relationship with Kyutech has grown into active collaborations with Kyutech research groups, resulting in numerous joint publications. In 2019, active discussions with Khon Kaen University started at Kyutech because of our joint symposia. As a result, I am now supervising an international Thai PhD student. Ontario Tech University’s Chemistry program continues to look forward to enhancing collaborations with Kyutech and other international universities, to prepare students for a globalized economy.”
-Jean-Paul Desaulniers, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Science, Ontario Tech University

"This symposium was my first conference experience, and it was incredibly eye-opening. I was inspired by every presenter's research because it was a fantastic opportunity to get a glimpse of the leading research done in labs on the other side of the world. I hope that the connections created from this symposium will continue to give rise to long lasting relationships and countless collaborations in the coming years between Ontario Tech and Kyutech. I personally hope to collaborate with research at Kyutech in the future. International chemistry symposia and collaborations clearly strengthen Ontario Tech’s research and partnerships at the international level."
-Virginia Chiu, MSc candidate (Applied Bioscience), Ontario Tech University

“Partnerships spawned by international relationships such as with Kyutech continue to strengthen research intensity at Ontario Tech University. The legacy of this ongoing collaboration in Japan signals the value of developing new academic and research connections at home and abroad that create unique international opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Congratulations to Dr. Desaulniers and the Faculty of Science for building this flourishing global partnership.”
-Dr. Les Jacobs, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Ontario Tech University