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Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences

Nirusha Thavarajah

photo of Dr. Thavarajah
Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
Email
nirusha.thavarajah@utoronto.ca
Telephone number
416-287-7473
Building EV 544
Website My Webpage

Teaching Interests

  • First Year Introductory Chemistry I: Structure and Bonding (CHMA10H3)
  • First Year Introductory Chemistry II: Reactions and Mechanisms (CHMA11H3)
  • Second-Year Physical Sciences Research Experience (PSCB90H3)
  • Fourth Year Advanced Bio-Organic Chemistry (CHMD47H3)
  • Fourth-Year Directed Research (CHMD90H3 & CHMD91H3)

Research Projects

 

Green Chemistry & Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Project 1: Designing hydrogels and aerogels for water treatment 
  • Project 2: Creating technology to recover nutrients from waste biomass 
  • Project 3: Developing nanomaterials and nanocomposites with potential applications in agriculture

 

Awards and Grants

  • University of Toronto Scarborough Teaching Award, June 2023.
  • Dean's Merit Award, Julne 2023, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough.
  • Teaching Equipment Grant ($14,102.00), May 2023, Accessible Chemistry Labware and Equipment, Co-investigators: Prof. Kris Kim and Prof. Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis.
  • Experiential Learning Grant ($5000.00), Jan 2023, Sustainable Agriculture with Ghana, Co-Investigator: Prof. Phani Radhakrishnan.
  • Global Classroom Grant ($5000.00), Sept 2022, Sustainable Agriculture: An Interdisciplinary and International Experiential Learning Project, Co-Investigator: Prof. Phani Radhakrishnan.
  • Pedagogies of Inclusive Excellence Grant ($8000.00), September 2022, Development of Custom Textbook and Homework Questions for First-Year Chemistry, Co-investigators: Prof. Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis, Prof. Kris Kim, Prof. Alex Voznyy, Prof. Ruby Sullan, Prof. Bernie Kraatz, Prof. Xiao-an Zhang, and Prof. Lana Mikhaylichenko.
  • Dean's Merit Award, July 2022, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough.
  • CTL Teaching Enhancement Grant ($2,500.20+$3000 from DPES), May 2022, Module Development for Student Success with Reading and Comprehension: How to Read and Analyze Scientific Journal Articles, Co-investigators: Prof. Kris Kim and Prof. Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis.
  • E-Campus Ontario Grant ($65,400.00), Feb 2021, Customizable Simulations for Chemistry, Environment, and Engineering, Co-investigators: Prof. Mark Schmuckler (project lead), Vice Provost - Innovation in Undergraduate Education, Prof. Greg Evans, Dr. Kimia Moozeh, and Dr. Qin Liu.
  • Global Classroom Grant ($ 9556.00), Sept 2021, Designing Culturally Relevant Public Health Vaccination Campaigns, Co-Investigator: Prof. Phani Radhakrishnan.
  • CTL Teaching Enhancement Grant ($5,323.20+$3000 from DPES), May 2021, Video Tutorials with Adaptive and Guided Learning Exercises for an Advanced Bio-Organic Chemistry Course.
  • Dean's Merit Award, July 2021, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough.
  • CTL Teaching Enhancement Grant ($5000.00+$5000 from DPES), Dec 2020, Technical Illustrations and Guided Learning Activities for First Year Chemistry, Co-investigators: Prof. Kris Kim and Prof. Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis.
  • Junior Faculty Award for Excellence in Science Education, Aug 2020, Presented by Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Committee Chairs, SickKids/University of Toronto.
  • CTL Teaching Enhancement Grant ($5000.00+$5000.00 from DPES), May 2020, Visual Schematics to Support Laboratory Technical Skills, Co-investigators: Dr. Kris Kim & Dr. Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis.
  • Learning and Education Advancement Fund (LEAF), ($42,316.40), Dec 2019, Academic Writing in First-Year Chemistry using Peer-to-Peer Feedback: Developing Research and Science Communication Skills through a Mock Journal Article Submission Process, Co-investigators: Prof. Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis, Prof. Kris Kim, Prof. Ruby Sullan and Prof. Oleksandr Voznyy.
  • Dean's Experiential Education Grant ($17,910.00), Sept 2019, Interdisciplinary Science-on the Go- Project, Co-investigators: Prof. Aarthi Ashok and Prof. Zohreh Shahbazi.
  • Young Investigator-The Best Presentation Award, Jul 2019, Presented by Technological Advances in Science, Medicine, and Engineering Committee Chairs, SickKids/University of Toronto.
  • Honorary Guest, Oct 2019, Women's Uprising Event by UTSC Tamil Student's Association.
  • Honorary Guest, Oct 2018, Women's Uprising Event by UTSC Tamil Student's Association.
  • CTL Teaching Enhancement Grant ($3009.00), Dec 2018, Peer-Peer Learning Online Question Bank.
  • CTL Professional Development Grant ($300.00), Apr 2017. 100th Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition.
  • Excellence in Education Award, Presented by Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Committee, August 2016.
  • University of Toronto Scarborough Teaching Award, May 2016.
  • CTL Professional Development Grant ($300.00), Apr 2016, 99th Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition.
  • CTL Professional Development Grant ($300.00), Apr 2015, 98th Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition.
  • Spectrum: Women of the Year, June 2015, Environmental and Physical Sciences Students' Association (EPSA), University of Toronto Scarborough.
  • University of Toronto Fellowship, June 2002.
  • Dalton Chemical Laboratories Organic Chemistry Scholarship, June 2000, University of Toronto.

Recent Publications

  1. Thavarajah, N., & Moozeh, K. (2022, August). Virtual Delivery of Chemistry Laboratories During COVID-19 Pandemic. Presented at 26th Annual Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Conference, SickKids, Toronto.
  2. Thavarajah, N., Radhakrishnan, P., Romain, J., Agarwal, V., Ghosh Biswas, R., & Khorashahi, C. (2022, August). Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Focused Inter-Disciplinary Experiential Learning Project in a Global Context. Presented at 26th Annual Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Conference, SickKids, Toronto.
  3. Thavarajah, N., & Ganesan, N. (2021, July). Virtual Tools to Enhance Student Engagement in an Online Learning Environment. Presented at 25th Annual Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Conference, SickKids, Toronto.
  4. Thavarajah, N., Thiagalingam, A. & Radhakrishnan, P. (2021, July). Women in STEM Leadership: Building Resilience and Raising High. Presented at 25th Annual Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Conference, SickKids, Toronto.
  5. Thavarajah, N., & Ganesan, N. (2021, July). Moving Lab Exercises to the Cloud. Presented at 25th Annual Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering Conference, SickKids, Toronto.
  6. Ganesan, N., & Thavarajah, N. (2021, March). Conducting Online Examinations. Presented at 25th IABD 32nd Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual), University of North Florida.

Education

  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, University Health Network
  • Ph.D., Synthetic Organic Chemistry, University of Toronto
  • M.Ed., Teaching in Higher Education, University of Ontario Institute of Technology
  • LL.M., Intellectual Property Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • B.Sc. (Hons.), Specialist in Biological Chemistry, University of Toronto