By joining the Chemistry Second-Year Learning Community (SLC) you will be surrounded by a small community of second-year students who are learning to navigate their academic and co-curricular pathways to make the most of their experiences as a chemistry student. The SLC program is designed to help you make the most out of your degree by engaging in various social, academic and professional development opportunities.
It's recommended that Chemistry SLC students take two or more of the following courses: CHM 210H, CHM 217H, CHM 220H/222H, CHM 223H, CHM 236H, CHM 237H and CHM 247H/249H.
For more information about Chemistry, visit the undergraduate pages on the Chemistry website.
Apply to a Chemistry SLC
Applications for the 2025-26 academic year will open June 2, 2025, and close June 22, 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for a waitlist, pending space.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Chemistry SLC you must be a second-year student enrolled in any of the following chemistry undergraduate programs:
- Biological Chemistry Specialist
- Chemical Physics Specialist
- Chemistry Specialist
- Synthetic & Catalytic Chemistry Specialist
- Materials Science Specialist
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Specialist
- Chemistry Major
- Environmental Chemistry Major
SLC Course Overview
Students in the Chemistry SLC will meet bi-weekly for core sessions beginning the week of September 8, 2025, with informal hangouts offered in the alternate weeks.
Time:
Sections available:
- Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Your SLC Team
Department: Chemistry
Title: Professor, Teaching Stream & Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies
Years worked for your current department and/or U of T: 28 years
Undergraduate major/specialist and institution: Chemistry, University of Wales (Swansea), United Kingdom
Hometown: Cheltenham, United Kingdom
Why you decided to serve as a faculty advisor: I love meeting with and talking to students at all academic levels and part of that is helping to facilitate smaller communities within our larger Chemistry undergraduate community. I designed the structure of our CHM 151Y Course Community back in 2006 and when Second-Year Learning Communities were started a few years ago I was very keen for us to participate departmentally. I have also been a faculty advisor to Innis College First-Year Learning Community for 19 years and am very invested in helping students to enjoy their university experience (very important!) and to be as successful as possible.
One piece of advice for a second-year student: Please feel free to reach our to me or other members of our undergraduate office as much as you can throughout your undergraduate studies: we are here to help you in all aspects of your chemistry life, including course and program selection, career pathways and research opportunities. We also want to hear from you regarding ways in which we can make your undergraduate experience even better!
Hobby or interest: Thanks to my parents, I've been a huge sports fan since being able to talk (mainly football — the English version! — and cricket) and I'm also a semi-serious runner. My latest race was the May 2025 Toronto Marathon — I'm still suffering from it now!
Department: Chemistry
Title: Chemistry Undergraduate Program Advisor
Years worked for your current department and/or U of T: Six years in chemistry and 18 years at the university
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Why you decided to serve as a staff advisor: I think it’s a great opportunity to interact with students and introduce them to my department.
One piece of advice for a second-year student: Focus on your time management. Write out your deadlines for assignments and tests. Plot out the work that will be needed for the assignments and tests because leaving everything to the last minute won’t help you and will likely cause more stress and anxiety.
Hobby or interest: I’m an avid reader who reviews books for publishers months before they are released on shelves. As of today’s date, I’ve read and reviewed over 100 books for 2025.
Program: Pharmaceutical Chemistry Specialist and Immunology Minor
Year: Three
College: New College
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
An interesting fact: I've been a vegetarian for the past five years.
What do you enjoy most about your studies: Something I enjoy the most about my studies is learning about different drug classes and their role in the different areas of the body.
Hobby or interest: I enjoy working out, going to concerts, trying new restaurants and binge watching Grey's Anatomy in my free time.
Program: Chemistry Major, Biology Major, Immunology Minor
Year: Three
College: Trinity College
Hometown: Almaty, Kazakhstan
An interesting fact: I was once a background actress in the movie “Shazam!”, which was a really cool experience despite not getting to meet any of the actors!
What do you enjoy most about your studies: What I really love about studying chemistry is how many different paths you can take. You can focus more on the physical and mathematical side or go into areas like biological or environmental chemistry, among others. It's super flexible depending on what you're into. Each semester gives you a chance to try something new, and I’ve ended up enjoying topics I didn’t expect. Having that kind of freedom always keeps things very interesting. Furthermore, the professors and the department are always really supportive, which makes it a lot easier to figure out what you're truly passionate about.
Hobby or interest: Some of my favorite hobbies are painting, drawing, and rock climbing. I also love taking long walks around campus and listening to music, especially when the weather's nice. One of the best parts, though, is finding cute new coffee shops and cafes to explore with my friends! Overall, anything that allows me to be a little more creative or takes me on a new adventure is something I’d likely enjoy doing :)
Program: Biological Chemistry Specialist, Biochemistry Major, Immunology Minor
Year: Three
College: University College
Hometown: Coquitlam, British Columbia
An interesting fact: I enjoy taking long walks! Most recent excursion: walked to Rouge National Park from campus (33 km). Next excursion: Vaughan.
What do you enjoy most about your studies: I love using chemistry to explain the origins of everything around us – it’s particularly inspiring for me to learn about the many chemical processes required to sustain life. Most importantly though, I love that I am constantly being surrounded by some of the most passionate, driven, and curious students and faculty in the world.
Hobby or interest: When I’m not holed up in my room, you can find me playing the piano at Hart House (working towards my ARCT Diploma in piano performance!), on the volleyball courts at AC, or wandering the streets of downtown Toronto looking for my next sweet treat. I am always happy to receive recommendations for a café with big windows, outlets, and a good iced matcha latte!
Program: Chemistry Major, Neuroscience Major, Focus in Green Chemistry
Year: Three
College: Trinity College
Hometown: Hong Kong SAR, China
An interesting fact: I play the electric organ, which means I play one-third of my music with my feet!
What do you enjoy most about your studies: I enjoy the challenge, I find beauty in the reactions and reaction mechanisms, and I like seeing how seemingly discrete academic concepts can be integrated to address pressing issues in real life. Whether that be synthesizing nanomaterials for more environmentally friendly hydrogen production, or exploring public health policies to prevent Alzheimer's, there are many topics that I would like to explore through my studies.
Hobby or interest: Reading, creating and listening to music, figure skating, fitness, and trying new things — whether that be swing dancing (recommend) or vinegar with alfredo pasta (my taste buds do not recommend).