Annual UT2-Mac joint graduate student workshop held on UofT Campus

Third UT2-Mac workshop was first to be held in conjunction with CMSC 2022 

Attendees at the third UT²-Mac 2022 Graduate Student Workshop in front of Walberg Building, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Toronto (Photo: Jason Tam)

From June 20 to 24, U of T Engineering hosted professors and graduate students from the University of Tokyo for the third UT2-Mac Joint Graduate Student Workshop between the University of Tokyo, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto. This was the first time that the annual workshop was integrated into the Canadian Materials Science Conference (CMSC 2022) bringing together a diverse set of materials researchers from across Canada, while facilitating research and education collaboration between both Canadian partners and the University of Tokyo.

The workshop featured more than 50 presentations in topics beyond materials science, including bioengineering and nuclear engineering.

This year’s theme, titled “Reconnections and Research” refers to the two years of the COVID pandemic that not only greatly slowed research, but also prevented travel and the in-person gatherings that greatly facilitate both collaboration and the exchange of ideas. This year represented a rebooting of this meeting, with participation of faculty and students from multiple engineering departments from both McMaster University and The University of Tokyo, as well as the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at University of Toronto.

“We were very happy to be able to host the UT2-Mac workshop in person for the first time in three years,” said Professor Jun Nogami (MSE), one of this year’s faculty co-leads.

There is nothing like face to face meetings and conversations in terms of providing connections, friendships, and opportunities for collaborations between our three universities.”

UT²-Mac 2022 attendees visit Toronto Island on the fifth day of the workshop  (Photo: Jason Tam)