NSERC CREATE Training Program for Graduate Students in Scalable 2D-Materials Architectures | Chemical Engineering

Hands-on training with world-renowned researchers! Gain job-ready skills in exchange with German universities.

Atoms are the building blocks of all materials and, in solids, are typically arranged in three-dimensional structures that create the materials we use today, like glass, plastics or ceramics. The Nobel Prize winning discovery that atoms could be arranged in only two-dimensions, like flat, atomically thin sheets opened up a world of possibilities to create improved materials and products.

With a growing number of 2D-materials companies in Canada and globally��looking to leverage these possibilities, this NSERC CREATE graduate training program aims to grow a Canadian hub of expertise in this strategic area which will compete on the international stage.��The underlying theme of the CREATE is to train students in the multidisciplinary aspects of scale-up from the technical, the techno-economics to the social impacts.��This value-added experience will produce job-ready trainees capable of transforming the 2D-materials industry in Canada.

2D-MATURE��aims at producing excellent work��and research-ready graduates who view the entire innovation ecosystem and consider the ecological and societal implications of their work.��

: Learn more about our world-renowned researchers and supervisors.��

The program involves:

synthesis and processing of scalable 2D materials;
analysis and modelling of their functionality in realistic architectures; and
implementation of these materials in optoelectronic and energy storage devices.��

The next round of applications will take place in 2024.

��Contact us if you are interested��in joining the CREATE program.

We acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).��

International graduate students and faculty members arrived on campus in June for 2D-Mature Summer School # 2

Graduate students and faculty members from the Universitat Duisburg-Essen and the University of Cambridge arrived at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in June to join their U��ݮ��Ƶ counterparts for the second summer school of the program.

Last summer faculty and students from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ travelled to the Universitat Duisburg-Essen in Germany.

The students are participating in ongoing graduate student training aimed at leveraging 2D materials for various manufacturing applications.

The training held at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ brought together international academia, industry partners and students to collaborate on the multidisciplinary aspects of producing, utilizing and scaling up 2D materials.��

On the first Sunday of the summer school, the group travelled to take in the sights at Niagara Falls.

Professors Peter Kratzer, Marika Schleberger, and Rossitza Pentcheva

A big group of people standing in front of a white bus on a sunny day

The graduate students attended lectures from their supervisors and other professors.

The group also had lectures delivered by industry partners, such as , Vice President of Business Development for and Corey Travers from Angstrom Engineering, a company that specializes in thin film deposition systems. The group had an opportunity to visit the facility.

A group of people gathered around a sign for Angstrom Engineering — 2D-Mature group outside of Angstrom Engineering

Matt Heuft of Evercloak talking in front of two screens — Matt Heuft, Vice President of Business Development for Evercloak

The training included Indigenous perspectives. former Interim Executive Director of delivered a lecture to the training group. The group was treated to an Indigenous dinner featuring braised venison following the presentation. ��

a man and two women sitting at a round table with food on it — 2D-MATURE group members about to enjoy the Indigenous meal.

At the dinner, the group played PechaKucha (a Japanese phrase meaning chit-chat.) ��PechaKucha is a storytelling format in which the presenter only has six seconds to talk about each slide of their presentation. The students' presentations celebrated the diversity within the group. Everyone had a great time learning more about the students’ lives and experiences!

a woman in a blue shirt standing in front of a screen — Tobiloba Fabunmi talking about Nigeria.

a man standin in front of a big screen in a dark room — ORnel Jose Padilla Estrada talking about Columbia.

a man in a white shirt standing in front of a big screen in a dark room — Horace Ingram Looi talking about Malaysia.

Many of the students from Universitat Duisburg-Essen will remain at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ for six to eight months to continue their collaborations with students and faculty. The students received hands-on training and had lab tours of various labs where they would be conducting their research.

a group of people standing in a lab with equipment in the background — Professor Kevin Musselman talking to 2D-MATURE students.

a man with glasses talking to students looking in a lab window — Professor William Wong talking to students outside his lab.

Sessions were held for each student to present their ongoing research to the group.

A lively poster session was held in the E7 Event Space. Check out the photo gallery below:

a woman with long black hair standing in front of a poster board

Tobiloba Fabunmi and her research poster

a woman in a blacl shirt and jeans standing in front of a poster board

Casey Dudding and her research poster

a woman in a white shirt standing in front of a poster board

Sarah Jankhani and her research poster

two men with a poster board between them

Denys Vidish and Ahmed Shahin with a research poster

a woman in a brown jacket gesturing to a poster board

Jun Wang and her research poster

a man and woman standing with a poster board between them

Professor Kevin Musselman and Poojita Durgamahanti and her research poster

a woman in glasses amiling in front of a poster board

Teri Siu and her research poster

a man in glasses giving the thumbs up in front of a poster board

Zhuoyang He and his research poster

a group of people looking at poster boards

Event goers enjoyed the poster session

People enjoying the poster session

Graduate students' on-boarding took place January 18th and 19th��

Professor Michael Pope at adventure game room with his students holding a trophy.

Ahmed Shahin,Tong Wang, Ryan Zamperoni, Casey Dudding,Keenan Black-Araujo, Emily Yip, Michael Pope, Teri Siu, Jixi Zhang, Jun Wang, Poojitha Durgamhanti

After a six month application process PhD and MASc students have arrived on their respective campuses. The students, who selected which of eight projects they would like to participate in, were excited to meet their faculty supervisors. On January 18th and 19th, PhD students at Universitat Duisburg-Essen, as well as PhD and MASc students at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, were welcomed into the program.

Organizers injected some fun into the on-boarding agenda! The University of ��ݮ��Ƶ students did some enjoyable team building during an excursion to an escape room. They also bonded over lunch at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ Grad House.

Other on-boarding activities for the students included an introduction to their chosen project, as well as informational meetings about research integrity, research data management, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The group is excited to begin work on their projects. The University of ��ݮ��Ƶ students are also looking forward to a trip to Germany in June, 2023 to attend their first program workshop.