EWOC EastCan – Newsletter Summer 2026

Newsletter Summer 2026

Happy Summer!

Conference season is a chance to get inspired, strengthen connections, and create better science through the support of a healthy community

Who We Are

Meet the EWOC EastCan team!

Chair & Treasurer

Roxanne Lessard

Associate Scientist | Paraza Pharma

Vice-Chair

Dilan Polat

Senior Scientist | Paraza Pharma

Secretary

Sarah Taylor

MSc Student | Concordia University

Comms & Atlantic Rep

Mikhailey Wheeler

PhD Candidate | Memorial University

Quebec Rep

Daliah Farajat

PhD Candidate | McGill University

Advisors

Sanela Martic

Associate Professor | Trent University

Sophie Rousseaux

Associate Professor | University of Toronto

Dana Winter

Director Chemical Sciences | Paraza Pharma

General Members:

Emily BrownKelly Burchell-ReyesRadina Koleva Carla EymardLaura MaillouxNegin Nabavi Niousha NazariChitra PandiparambilBhavana Uppalapati Emilia WesolkowskiMaxim BoucherAnnie Li David TongCarlee MontgomeryTania Mariana OliveiraPaula Martin MoyanoAzalea Uva

Recent Events

Looking back on EWOC EastCan @ x2026

EWOC Career Panel group photo, May 27 2026

📸 Group photo — EWOC Career Panel

First, a special thank you to our sponsors Gilead Sciences, Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Paraza Pharma Inc., & the CSC Organic Division — we could not have these moments without your continuous support!

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CSC x2026 Symposium

This year, the theme of CSCx2026 was Erasing Boundaries. EWOC hosted a symposium featuring talks from both industry & academia, bridging topics from science to EDI.

Often, these talks featured anecdotes about the speaker's individual journey with chemistry, creating a space where women and allies can connect, learn from each other, & become inspired.

The symposium featured 15 speakers across two morning sessions. In addition to talks from 11 students & 3 academic experts, the symposium started with a plenary talk from Dr. Rebecca Ruck, one of the founders of EWOC.

🏆 A huge congratulations to the four winners of our oral presentation awards!

Negin Nabavi

University of Toronto

Talk: Nickel-Catalyzed Three Component Carbocyanation of Alkynes via Reductive Transnitrilation

Britney Achu

University of Ottawa

Talk: Beyond Representation: Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to Practicing Critical Race Theory and Culturally Responsive Teaching in Undergraduate Chemistry Education

Aryssa Lazaroo

Université de Montréal

Talk: Regioselective Alkylation of Benzotriazoles with Alkyl Diazoniums

Breanna Taylor

Simon Fraser University

Talk: Total Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Salarins

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EWOC WestCan Chapter

This year, we had the honour of sharing a poster board with the EWOC WestCan Chapter!

Did you know?

EWOC EastCan's career panel at CSC 2025 inspired SFU graduate students Breanna Taylor and Megan Schroeder to start the EWOC Western Canada Chapter!

Check them out!

EWOC WestCan

@ewocwestcan ✉️ ewocwestcan@outlook.com

Student Spotlights

Highlighting some of our x2026 student speakers

Braeden Hourihan

Q: Why did you choose your specific area of chemistry?

"I actually started in inorganic chemistry for my MSc, which ended up not being the right fit for me. I decided I needed a change for my PhD and chose organic chemistry, because I truly enjoyed organic synthesis. I love the problem-solving aspects, and I find the real-world applications to the pharmaceutical industry very interesting!"

Dinithi Rajapaksha

Q: What was your favourite part of CSCx2026?

"[...] meeting & connecting with new people. As an introvert, I often feel hesitant about starting conversations with people I have just met, but CSCx2026 was a rewarding opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, exchange ideas, make new connections, & gain more confidence."

Farnaz Rezaei

Q: What has been something unexpected or particularly meaningful personally during your graduate studies?

"One of the most meaningful parts of my journey has been becoming a mother during my MSc. I had to take a break from lab work, which could have been a setback. However, I used that time to focus on strengthening my theoretical knowledge, and when I returned, I came back stronger. Becoming a mother did not hold me back; instead, it made me more motivated and determined in many ways.”

Bhavana Uppalapati

Q: What has been one of the most rewarding parts of your graduate studies so far?

"Mentorship. I've always loved teaching, but I find mentorship even more rewarding because I can work one-on-one with a student, help them start their scientific journey, inspire them, & watch as they grow. [...] I also think being a mentor has significantly helped me improve skills such as project management, mindset, conflict resolution, & leadership. I attribute most of my growth over my PhD to being a mentor to several students."

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Career Panel Highlights

Q: What advice would you give to your younger self?

"Try not to compare yourself to others. As long as you enjoy what you are doing, you are on the right path." — Anne-Catherine Bédard (Research Scientist - Dow)

"The road is not straight & it is okay to not know what comes next." — Amélie Dion (Director, Discovery Process - Merk)

"Challenge your assumptions. Learn to ask yourself: What if I am wrong? Being right is not important, finding the solution is." — Stéphane Caron (VP Chemical R&D - Pfizer)

"Science is a huge sine curve – you need to get used to the highs & the lows. It is like this for everyone." — Corinna Schindler (Professor - UBC)

"Opportunities will always present themselves. Just keep learning & don't stress!" — Kristin Burford (Director, Medicinal Chemistry - Xenon Pharmaceuticals)

"'You can do it!' I would tell myself that it is okay to not know things. Learning to sit with that discomfort is important" — Christine Le (Associate Professor - York University)

A HUGE thank you to our amazing panelists! 🎉

Fundraising

EWOC Magnet Campaign 2026

$5 / magnet

Every purchase helps fund travel grants for women and gender-diverse people to attend organic chemistry conferences. Magnets are now available!

Visit here to purchase!

Upcoming Events

The energy from Toronto carries us forward. EWOC EastCan's next Career Panel will be hosted at QOMSBOC 2026 — & we can't wait to see you there.

Université de Montréal - Nov. 6-8, 2026

The Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Research Conference (CBGRC) is an academic conference that showcases graduate student research from across Canada & the Northeastern United States

Concordia University - Nov. 20, 2026

💜

Partner With Us

Industrial and academic partnerships are welcomed to help make EWOC EastCan events a reality. As a non-profit organization, all donations will go directly to funding travel grants for graduate students, and organizing events across eastern Canada.

EastCanEWOC@ewochem.org

Opportunities

Have an opportunity to share? Let us know!