The Transitions Program:
- Prepares early career scientists for the next stage of their careers
- Expands the national chemical sciences network
- Shows early career scientists the diversity of careers with possible with a chemistry degree
- Creates opportunities to showcase local innovation
Monday, Jun. 16
Community Involvement Breakfast
Monday, Jun. 16
7 – 8 AM ET
Meeting Room 209
A key catalyst in your transition from academia to industry is getting involved in your community! By taking action in your community, you will position yourself to meet countless like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds, who by working together, become an indispensable member of your network. Not to mention, volunteering is an excellent way to improve your non-technical skills. Join us on the morning of Monday, June 16th to learn ways to get involved in different opportunities within the CIC: Local Sections, Student Chapters, and Member Resource Groups such as Canadians Working for Inclusivity in Chemical Sciences, and Pride. Enjoy a light breakfast, sign up to volunteer, and make friends with other conference delegates before heading to the first day of technical sessions – space is limited.
Peering Into the Mist: The Interdisciplinary Structure of Problem Solving in Industry and Government
Monday, Jun. 16
8 – 11:40 AM ET
Meeting Room 211
The Peering into the Mist symposium will focus on creating an interactive, gamified learning experience which aims to help bridge the gap between young chemists and professional careers with a specific lens on sustainability and how it is perceived and navigated in the workforce. By introducing attendees to a variety of professionals who encompass a larger portion of the possible career paths in industry and government than is typically represented in career panels, we hope to engage a wider audience while working to develop a strong network of individuals pursuing a fulfilling chemistry career.
This symposium is “non-traditional” in that participants will be able to engage with chemistry professionals through hands-on activities, flash talks, a panel discussion, a virtual media presentation, and a dedicated networking session.
Panelists:
Emma Davy (Research Scientist, Carbon Engineering)
Paniz Pahlavanlu (Senior Policy Analyst, Canadian Forest Service)
TBD (Research Scientist, Gilead)
Tentative Schedule:
8:00 AM – 8:20 AM Opening Remarks and Introductions
8:20 AM – 9:20 AM Flashtalks and Panel Discussion
9:20 AM – 9:40 AM Meet the Panelists
9:40 AM – 10:00 AM Break*
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Guided Activity-based Networking Session
11: 30 AM – 11:40 AM Closing Remarks
Note: Activities will remain open during the break, attendees are welcome to continue networking and participating throughout.
Small, Medium, and Large Industry-Academia Collaborations
Monday, Jun. 16
8- 11:40 AM ET
Meeting Room 213
The 21st Century has seen a deliberate effort to increase the amount of collaboration between industry and academic research groups. This symposium will highlight such research and seeks to include examples of collaborations between academia and corporations of all sizes.
Mastering the Job Interview: Tips for Career Ready Chemists – Presented by Carleton Career Services
Monday, Jun. 16
2 – 3:20 PM ET
Meeting Room 209
Please join Carleton University’s Career Services for an interactive workshop on how to effectively prepare for job interviews and leave a lasting impression with employers. Whether you’re preparing for your first job in the chemical sciences or looking to sharpen your interview skills, this session will provide you with the tools and confidence to succeed in your next interview.
Through engaging activities, you’ll gain tips for tackling different types of interview questions and learn how to communicate your strengths clearly and confidently to employers.
At the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to:
- Identify types of interview questions including informational, behavioural, and situational questions
- Discuss strategies to prepare for a job interview
- Identify the benefits of using a Situation-Action-Result (SAR) response for specific interview questions
- Identify proper interview etiquette to create a good impression with an employer
Public Speaking Workshop – Presented by Downtown Ottawa Toastmasters
Monday, Jun. 16
4 – 6 PM ET
Meeting Room 209
Is fear of public speaking holding you back? In today’s reality, personal connection is more important than ever. This fun workshop gives you the plain facts on overcoming nerves. Through live practice, you will take the first steps to becoming a confident speaker.
Presented by: Downtown Ottawa Toastmasters, is a Club dedicated to developing effective speakers. We’re part of Toastmasters International, a non-profit with over 270,000 members worldwide.
This event is limited to a maximum of 35 participants and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. No registration is required.
Tuesday, Jun. 17
Culture of Lab Safety – Sponsored by Brenntag
Tuesday, Jun. 17
8 – 9:40 AM ET
Meeting Room 209
A Look at the Chemical Safety Multiverse: Protecting Your Lab’s Sacred Timeline
Do you ever look at a safety incident and wonder “what would happen if we made a different decision or took a different action?” Here’s your chance to explore the Chemical Safety Multiverse. Every decision, action, or inaction in your lab leads to many possible outcomes, branching off, creating a multiverse of laboratories. In some timelines your decisions prevented catastrophic incidents. In others, well, you’re not so lucky.
In this interactive session we are going to look at real world examples of chemical safety incidents taken from both industry and academia and discuss what actions (or inactions) could have been taken to prune the timeline and prevent the incident from happening. We are also going to look at how our actions/inactions also could lead to a worse outcome.
The goal of this session is to learn to see what the unintended consequences of decisions we make while working in chemistry can lead to. This will help us make decisions that prevent or mitigate safety incidents and protect the Laboratory Safety Sacred Timeline.
Science Meets Parliament: Advice for Engaging with Public Policy
Tuesday, Jun. 17
10:30 – 11:30 AM ET
Meeting Room 209
Science Meets Parliament is Canada’s premier training experience to prepare researchers in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and engineering to speak with elected officeholders, government departments, and public servants. Since 2018, SMP Delegates have discussed their work in more than 600 meetings with Parliamentarians at events in Ottawa, Victoria, and Toronto. In this special session for CSC 2025, SMP program organizers and former Delegates will share some of the key lessons we’ve learned to help you engage with public policy and form relationships across the science-policy divide. Our discussion will include an introduction to the program and its aims, our top tips for connecting with political decision makers, and an extensive Q&A period.
Presented by:
Matt McTaggart
Christopher Caputo
Cécile Malardier-Jugroot
ACS on Campus: Promoting and Advocating for Your Career
Tuesday, Jun. 17
2 – 3:20 PM ET
Meeting Room 209
Landing your first job can be challenging. Once you have achieved that goal, how do you continue to further your career and make sure your contributions are noted? Participants who join Promoting and Advocating for Your Career will take away a strong understanding of the meaning of advocacy, the benefits of self- advocacy, and tips on successfully self- advocating in their career. ACS will also be introduced as an additional resource that participants can use after the session to further their career development.
Careers Outside the Lab – Sponsored by Canadian Nuclear Labs
Tuesday, Jun. 17
4 – 5 PM ET
Meeting Room 209
Curious about where a chemistry degree can take you beyond the bench? Join us for a dynamic panel discussion highlighting the diverse and exciting career paths that exist outside the traditional academic laboratory setting. From entrepreneurship and regulatory affairs to science communication, policy, and industry leadership, our panelists—each with varying backgrounds in chemistry—will share their unique journeys, insights, and advice for navigating alternative careers. Whether you’re a student, recent graduate, or a professional considering a change, this session will broaden your perspective on how your scientific skills can thrive in unexpected places.
SOLD OUT!
Student x Industry Networking Event – Sponsored by Anton Paar
Tuesday, Jun. 17
7 – 9 PM ET
Location: Heart & Crown – ByWard Market (67 Clarence Street, Ottawa)
Mingle with industry professionals at the networking event! Catalyze your career transition by practicing your flash introductions and making new valuable connections with CSC 2025 delegates! Appetizers and one drink ticket per person is included, space is limited. Registration required – reserve your spot today
Wednesday, Jun. 18
Grading and New Token Economy Functionality, Focuses on Student Engagement and Motivation – Presented by Catalyst Education
Wednesday, Jun. 18
8 – 9:40 AM ET
Meeting Room 209
Student engagement and motivation are critical challenges in large lecture and lab courses,
where passive learning often prevails. This session explores the use of a token economy
system to incentivize participation, improve learning outcomes, and create a more
interactive classroom experience. By rewarding behaviors such as attendance, activity
completion, and collaboration, instructors can encourage consistent engagement while
providing students with flexible learning opportunities. This session will cover theoretical
foundations of token economies, real-world applications in general chemistry and other
STEM courses, and practical strategies for implementation in large courses. Attendees will
receive a framework for designing their own token-based incentives, and learn how to
manage these systems across hundreds of students with ease.
Whether you’re new to the concept or looking to refine your approach, this session will
provide actionable takeaways for fostering a more dynamic and student-centered learning
environment.
You will:
● Understand the principles behind token economies in education.
● Learn practical steps to design and implement a system in large lecture or lab
courses.
● Discuss how technology can facilitate the management of token systems at
scale.
Presenters: Kimberly Taylor, Amber Dood and Erica Anderson
Light refreshments will be provided on a first come, first serve basis
SOLD OUT!
Entrepreneur Workshop – Hosted by KPM
Wednesday, Jun. 18
10 – 11:40 AM ET
Meeting Room 209
SOLD OUT!
Bruker Lunch and Learn
Wednesday, Jun. 18
12:40 – 1:40 PM ET
Meeting Room 209
Advanced Spectroelectrochemical Techniques for Battery Research
Dr. Sergey Shilov, Bruker Optics, USA
The combination of electrochemistry with vibrational spectroscopy is a powerful tool for studying electrochemical reactions, battery research, and failure analysis. Each molecule has a unique infrared and Raman signature, providing great specificity in the analysis of the molecular change during electrochemical reactions.
An overview of the spectroelectrochemical tools, optimization of the setup, and details of communication between the potentiostat and the spectrometer will be presented. Examples of applications will include the electro-oxidation of metal-organic complexes, carbon analysis in flexible electrodes, chemical mapping of the solid electrolyte interface of lithium metal batteries, and analysis of gases evolved during the batteries’ decomposition
LIMITED SPACES REMAIN!
Cooking with Chemistry
Wednesday, Jun. 18
1 – 3 PM ET
Location: crEATe Kitchen Studio, Level 1 Rogers Centre
Join us for an engaging exploration of the science behind food! This interactive session will delve into the chemistry of key culinary elements, including eggs, the Maillard reaction, and the complexities of chocolate from its origin. Discover how heat, composition, and chemical reactions influence texture, flavor, and function in the culinary world. Perfect for food enthusiasts, science lovers, and anyone curious about the magic that happens in the kitchen!
Registration is required, reserve your spot below:
SOLD OUT!
National Research Council (NRC), Clean Energy Innovation Centre and Metrology Research Centre
Wednesday, Jun. 18
12:30 – 4:30 PM ET
Join us for an exclusive off-site tour of the National Research Council’s Clean Energy Innovation Research Centre and Metrology Research Centre in Ottawa. This unique opportunity offers a behind-the-scenes look at world-class research advancing Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy, including innovations in clean energy, critical minerals, advanced materials, and industrial decarbonization. You’ll also visit Canada’s national measurement laboratory, where experts develop and maintain trusted measurement standards that support government and industry.
Transportation to and from the NRC facilities will be provided as part of this event. Don’t miss your chance to connect with leading researchers and witness Canadian scientific innovation in action.
Registration is required, reserve your spot below:
IP 101 Workshop: Demystifying Intellectual Property – Presented by Carleton University
Wednesday, Jun. 18
4 – 6 PM ET
Meeting Room 209
This workshop will help participants understand the basics of Intellectual Property (IP). It will introduce participants to the main types of IP that are important to chemists and chemical engineers – patents, copyright, trademarks and trade secrets. By understanding the differences between different types of IP, it will explore how leveraging different forms of IP can create an IP strategy that gives you an advantage over competitors. It will also explore common pitfalls and myths around IP and provide guidance on what to expect when working with university Technology Transfer Offices.
Thursday, Jun. 19
Publishing in Chemistry – considerations in ethics, integrity, and access – Sponsored by Canadian Science Publishing
Thursday, Jun. 19
8 – 9:40 AM ET
Meeting Room 209
Ethical considerations in chemical research should start at the conception of a research question, through data collection and authorship, within peer review systems, and on to the access and protection of the final published manuscript. Join Canadian Journal of Chemistry (CJC) publishing professionals and editors to discuss the policies, considerations, and structures that exist within the publishing industry to facilitate ethical research and publishing practices.
This workshop will include some breakout discussions and brief activities. All conference attendees are welcome, from students to established researchers and chemists. Topics will include policy development in collaboration with the international scholarly publishing communities, assessing new applications of generative artificial intelligence, detecting fraudulent research and maintaining the integrity of the scientific record, and the intersections of funding, policy, and universities libraries as they relate to the future of science publishing.
The discussion will be hosted by Dr. Jocelyn Sinclair (Journal Development Specialist, CJC), with contributions from CJC’s co-Editor-in-Chief Prof. Alison Thompson (Dalhousie University), Melanie Slavitch (Director, Integrity and Engagement, Canadian Science Publishing), and Michael Donaldson (Director, Strategic Initiatives, Canadian Science Publishing).
Women in Chemistry Career Panel
Thursday, Jun. 19
12:45 – 1:45 PM ET
Meeting Room 209
Diversity is a cornerstone of success in every industry, and chemistry is no exception. While everyone’s journey is distinct, there is immense power and empowerment in sharing one’s personal story. Our panelists will delve into their unique paths in the world of chemistry, shedding light on the diverse backgrounds that have shaped their careers. They will discuss challenges they have encountered, obstacles they’ve overcome, and moments of triumph that have brought them joy in their professional lives. By sharing their experiences, they aim to inspire others, highlight the importance of diverse perspectives in scientific advancement, and foster a more inclusive environment for future generations of chemists. This panel is organized by the Empowering Women in Organic Chemistry Eastern Canada and CSC.
