John Polanyi

Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus

Leah Cowen

Wesley Hall

Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society

Artificial Intelligence

CIFAR

Department of Computer Science

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science Staff

Subheadline

The 2024 co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics - known to many as the "godfather of AI" - was honoured at an event attended by a who's who of the Toronto research community

There were standing ovations, peals of laughter and even a few tears as the University of Toronto welcomed Geoffrey Hinton back to campus after he won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics.

A University Professor Emeritus of computer science, Hinton traded the “cheap hotel room in California,” where he received the life-changing news, for an emotional reception in the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus’s airy event hall.

The Oct. 10 event drew �Թϱ�� leaders, supporters, dignitaries and other luminaries. They included Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986, and Massey College Principal James Orbinski, who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Doctors Without Borders in 1999.

Several of Hinton’s many collaborators and proteges also attended the event – not to mention students who were simply eager to catch a glimpse of the “godfather of AI.”

Hinton chats with �Թϱ�� Scarborough Professor David Fleet and Google Research Scientists Sara Sabour and Daniel Watson (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Though sleep deprived, Hinton regaled the audience with fond recollections of his early years as an AI researcher, snapshots of his trademark dry humour and warm expressions of gratitude for mentors, collaborators and, of course, his many students.

“I’ve been blessed to have brilliant graduate students and post-docs,” Hinton said.

“I had a principle when selecting graduate students: ‘If they’re not smarter than me, what’s the point?’ And I’ve had quite a number of graduate students who were smarter than me.

“They did things I wouldn’t have been able to do, so I’d like to thank them.”

He said two figures in particular played a huge role in the work that led to his Nobel Prize, which he shared with Princeton University’s John J. Hopfield. The first was Terry Sejnowsky, a computational neuroscientist and former student of Hopfield’s, who worked with Hinton on Boltzmann machines – a period Hinton described as “the most happy research time of my life.”

He also praised the contributions of the late David Rumelhart, a psychologist at Stanford University, who worked with him to develop backpropagation algorithms, a key breakthrough.

“[He] should have won the Nobel Prize,” Hinton said. “But unfortunately, Dave got a horrible brain disease and he died quite young.” (The Nobel organization doesn’t award the honour posthumously).

Hinton poses for a picture with Assistant Professor Chris Maddison, who was one of the last graduate students Hinton supervised (photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)

Chris Maddison joined Hinton’s research group as an undergraduate and was one of the last students he supervised. Now an assistant professor in �Թϱ��’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Maddison lauded Hinton as “a steadfast mentor and supporter who saw strength in me that I didn’t see” and said one of his greatest attributes was his sheer enthusiasm.

“No matter what’s going on, you can find him in the lab on Sundays at 8 p.m. playing with his MATLAB scripts like a child playing with Legos,” Maddison said. “He never lost that child-like sense of wonder that buoyed him and the group.”

�Թϱ�� President Meric Gertler said, via video message from Indonesia, where he was on university business, that Hinton is “one of the great minds of the 21st century” (photo by Johnny Guatto)

�Թϱ�� President Meric Gertler, who was in Indonesia on university business when the prize was announced, hailed Hinton in a video message as “one of the great minds of the 21st century” and someone who “literally created new ways of thinking about thinking and learning.”

He noted that Hinton’s AI leadership extends to the pressing question of responsible and safe development of the technology.

“With his Nobel win, he’s now perfectly positioned to amplify this concern on a world stage.” President Gertler said.

Hinton shares a laugh with University Professor Molly Shoichet of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (photo by Johnny Guatto)

The event’s guest list served as a reminder of Hinton’s outsized influence on the research community in Toronto and beyond, drawing key figures from: the Vector Institute, where Hinton is co-founder and chief scientific adviser; the Schwartz Reisman Institute of Technology and Society, where he sits on the advisory board; and CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research), where Hinton is an adviser and longtime fellow.

Hinton poses for a photo with Leah Cowen, �Թϱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Leah Cowen, �Թϱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, reminded the accomplished audience that Hinton’s historic achievement – both the Nobel Prize and the AI revolution he helped spark – was the result of years toiling in an “unpromising backwater” of AI research.

“It is tempting to think that it happened almost overnight, but it didn’t,” Cowen said.

University Professors Emeriti – and fellow Nobel Prize-winners – Geoffrey Hinton and John Polanyi have their photo taken together (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Hinton took time to reflect on periods of personal struggle and tragedy – and thank those who helped him in his hour of need.

When his wife had an incurable form of cancer, he recalled how �Թϱ�� President Emeritus David Naylor, a physician, medical researcher and former dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, carried out research on a possible alternative treatment that was being explored – incorporating input from top medical experts – and presented him with a report of his findings.

“He’s a tremendous human being,” Hinton said of Naylor, who was in the audience.

Hinton shares a moment with �Թϱ�� President Emeritus David Naylor (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Hinton also recalled how, when his first wife became ill in 1993 – also with cancer – his post-doctoral trainee Peter Dayan, now a director at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, stepped in to advise Hinton’s graduate students, giving him time to care for his ailing spouse.

“At times like this, you remember the people who helped you most when things were very difficult,” Hinton said.

He later pointed out that Dayan went on to supervise one of this year’s winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Demis Hassabis, joking that this made Dayan “the meat in a Nobel sandwich.”

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada was lucky to have Hinton, who was born in the U.K., and thanked his daughter for sharing her father with the country, with science and the world (photo by Johnny Guatto)

For Minister Freeland, Hinton’s award showcased the value of ideas and of fundamental research. She said Hinton’s Nobel Prize sent waves of pride across Canada, which she said was “lucky as a country” that Hinton arrived on its shores back in 1987.

“Geoff shows that you can be a really brilliant intellectual and also a really great human being who cares about his community and his country,” Freeland said. “I am constantly struck by how Geoff thinks about the bigger implications of his ideas and how Geoff thinks about really wanting to make Canada and the world a better place.”

Hinton chats with Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, who thanked him for his friendship and mentorship – and his dedication to science and scholarship (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Following the program – which also featured remarks by �Թϱ�� Chancellor Wes Hall, Faculty of Arts & Science Dean Melanie Woodin and Christine Szustaczek, �Թϱ��’s vice-president, communications – Hinton mingled with members of the audience, shook hands with students and caught up with former colleagues and trainees.

Clockwise from top left: Christine Szustaczek, Wes Hall, Chris Maddison, Leah Cowen, Geoffrey Hinton and Melanie Woodin (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Brendan Frey, professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and CEO of AI-powered therapeutics startup Deep Genomics, said he was one of many who earned his PhD under Hinton’s supervision.

“I think of Geoff as the father of a community that includes myself, other graduate students and all the people who didn’t believe but then came to believe – and he inspired all of us,” said Frey, who shared a hug with his former supervisor following the event.

“I’m really happy for him.”

Work of Nobel Prize-winner John Polanyi celebrated in �Թϱ�� exhibit

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 28 May 2024 18:48:11 +0000

Work of Nobel Prize-winner John Polanyi celebrated in �Թϱ�� exhibit

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 05/28/2024 - 14:48

Cutline

University Professor Emeritus and Nobel laureate John Polanyi said he is "deeply humbled and grateful” for the new permanent exhibit, which honours his seminal research and his advocacy for responsible science (photo by Diana Tyszko)

Topic

Department of Chemistry

Nobel Prize

Subheadline

The department of chemistry also recently renamed the research wing of the Lash Miller building in Polanyi's honour

The groundbreaking work of University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi, celebrated chemist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986, is the focus of a new permanent exhibit at the Lash Miller building, home of the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Through still images, video and equipment, the dynamic exhibit tells the story of Polanyi's career including his seminal work in the field of reaction dynamics – a branch of chemistry that investigates what happens during chemical reactions.

The centrepiece of the exhibit is a replica of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry medal awarded to Polanyi (photo by Diana Tyszko)

The display includes original equipment used in Polanyi’s early research, a reproduction of the lab notebook used by his graduate student to document their experiments and a video chronicling the process of discovery – along with a replica of his Nobel Prize medal.

"It’s been my good fortune to be surrounded by brilliant colleagues and other supporters throughout my life and career," Polanyi said. "I'm deeply humbled and grateful for this marvelous display and ongoing recognition of my life’s work.”

“John Polanyi holds a revered place in the history of the University of Toronto and his legacy is an inspiration for all of us,” said �Թϱ�� President Meric Gertler. “This installation is a compelling expression of his achievements. All those responsible deserve our thanks and congratulations.”

The exhibit includes a reproduction of the notebook in which Polanyi’s graduate student Ken Cashion documented the results of the experiment that delivered the groundbreaking discovery (photo by Diana Tyszko)

Polanyi came to �Թϱ�� from Princeton University in 1956, and not long after, made his seminal discovery: his detection of infrared radiation released upon the collision of hydrogen and chloride molecules was the first observation of energy produced from the vibration of new molecules immediately after their formation.

His work went on to influence the development of advanced instrumentation in domains like pharmaceutical research, medicine and chemical manufacturing – including the development of the first chemical lasers.

“The university made a significant investment in me, a young scholar,” said Polanyi. “The environment and the resources I received enabled me to pursue a new and unknown direction in chemical physics.”

In 1974, he was named a University Professor – the highest academic honour bestowed by the university on its faculty members – and in 1994, the John C. Polanyi Chair in Chemistry was established.

The exhibit tells the story of the Nobel Prize-winning discovery in the field of reaction dynamics, and University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi’s advocacy for nuclear disarmament and the responsible use of science (photo by Diana Tyszko)

In tandem with the new exhibit, the department of chemistry also recently renamed the research wing of the Lash Miller building in his honour.

“The John Polanyi research wing and this new display will serve to permanently highlight John's legacy for current and future young scholars,” said Professor Mark Lautens, chair of the department of chemistry. “John has brought great visibility and prestige to the University of Toronto through his groundbreaking studies and his contributions that go well beyond scientific discovery. We are equally grateful [for] and proud of his advocacy for science, for peace and for a better world.”

Inspiration for the exhibit came after Polanyi donated some of his equipment to the department of chemistry upon his retirement in 2020. A special celebration was held in his honour at Massey College in the fall of 2022, after which Professor Robert Batey, then department chair, with support from the Faculty of Arts & Science dean Melanie Woodin and the Offices of the President and the Vice-President, Research & Innovation, led the development of the exhibit to celebrate Polanyi’s impact and legacy.

“John has made tremendous contributions to the world of science as well as society at large through his advocacy for nuclear disarmament," said Batey. "We are proud to be able to celebrate his work this way in the place that has been his professional home for so many years.”

“This display is a fantastic tribute to Professor Polanyi's remarkable career as a scientist, a teacher and a global citizen,” said Woodin. “It is a fitting acknowledgement for someone who has engendered a network of excellence that stretches across countries and continents.”

University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi (pictured second from the right) was joined in viewing the exhibit by (l to r) department of chemistry chair Mark Lautens, portrait painter Brenda Bury and former department chair Robert Batey (photo by Diana Tyszko)

The department of chemistry and Toronto-based communications and design firm Snack worked closely with Polanyi on the development of the display, drawing from his extensive archive of memorabilia and donated equipment.

The exhibit also captures Polanyi’s advocacy for the responsible use of science and a keen social conscience that compelled him to campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons throughout his career. “A great university that invests in science must also strain to warn of the accompanying risks to humanity," he said.

Nuclear powers and Canada should engage with cause of nuclear prohibition: John Polanyi in the Globe and Mail

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 15:21:44 +0000

Nuclear powers and Canada should engage with cause of nuclear prohibition: John Polanyi in the Globe and Mail

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 06/22/2022 - 11:21

Cutline

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Global Lens

The UN Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) holds the key to averting nuclear war – but only if the world’s nuclear powers and NATO members like Canada come together for the cause of peace and restraint, according to the University of Toronto’s John Polanyi, a Nobel laureate.

In a Globe and Mail op-ed, the University Professor Emeritus in the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science, notes that the world’s nuclear-armed countries will be absent from a meeting of TPNW signatories in Vienna from June 21 to June 23 – and that Canada will be missing, too. “Our first priority should be to support the United Nations when it calls for the prohibition of the most destructive weapons the world has ever known,” writes Polanyi, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986 and has long advocated for abolishing nuclear weapons.

Polanyi says the world’s nuclear age has passed through three distinct phases: American monopoly, marked by the dropping of nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; U.S.-Soviet deterrence with flashpoints like the Cuban missile crisis of 1962; and the current phase, “an era of multiple superpowers,” with China fast approaching nuclear parity with the U.S. and Russia.

Read the op-ed in the Globe and Mail

What Andrei Sakharov taught us about science and freedom: �Թϱ��'s John Polanyi in the Globe and Mail

mattimar — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:59:05 +0000

What Andrei Sakharov taught us about science and freedom: �Թϱ��'s John Polanyi in the Globe and Mail

mattimar Tue, 03/22/2022 - 13:59

Cutline

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

As Russian government’s war in Ukraine continues, John Polanyi, a Nobel laureate and University Professor Emeritus in the department of chemistry at the University of Toronto, has written an op-ed in the Globe and Mail that explores what Andrei Sakharov – a Soviet nuclear physicist – taught the world about freedom and science.

Sakharov led the Soviet Union’s hydrogen-bomb program in his youth, but he later worked to preserve peace, becoming an activist for nuclear disarmament and human rights. His efforts in protecting civil liberties in the Soviet Union earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.

“His message to us, as clear today as it was 33 years ago when he died, is found in his dictum that ‘the struggle for human rights is today the real struggle for peace and the future of humankind,’” writes Polanyi in the Globe. “What he was urging was that a regulating principle, similar to that which guides science, must be brought to bear on society as a whole.

“If we fail in this, we risk falling victim to deadly science, which, in his words, is ‘the greatest peril confronting the modern world.’”

Polanyi goes on to detail how Sakharov became “his nation’s leading voice of dissent, standing his ground in defence of liberty.”

The American Physical Society’s Sakharov Prize was created in recognition of Sakharov’s courageous work on behalf of human rights. Polanyi received the honour last year for his own efforts in anti-nuclear weapons activism.

Read Polanyi’s op-ed in the Globe and Mail

Prohibition of nuclear weapons the only rational way forward: John Polanyi in the Globe and Mail

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:13:53 +0000

Prohibition of nuclear weapons the only rational way forward: John Polanyi in the Globe and Mail

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 12/01/2021 - 13:13

Cutline

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Nuclear weapons continue to pose a threat to humanity and should be banned if reason is to prevail over might, says the University of Toronto’s John Polanyi.

In a Globe and Mail op-ed based on a recent speech to the Conference on the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Ottawa, the University Professor Emeritus and Nobel laureate says that the lingering threat of nuclear war is “bereft of reason.”

“Reason gave us science; laws of nature and some laws of man. From this came courts where laws are argued. There is a profound difference between that and drawing a gun,” writes Polanyi, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986 and has long argued for abolishing nuclear weapons.

“To set aside the gun will, however, require an act of will, opposing the continual call for armaments. The rationale for arming is that others do it. This defies logic, since it is a race to no destination except war.”

Polanyi notes that while 122 countries have provided their backing for the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the world’s nuclear-armed states – as well as Canada – continue to hold out.

He writes that the goal of prohibition will require these countries to set aside the pursuit of armed power and make a “break with history” for the greater good.

Read the op-ed in the Globe and Mail

�Թϱ��'s John Polanyi recognized for anti-nuclear weapons activism, upholding human rights

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 14:53:12 +0000

�Թϱ��'s John Polanyi recognized for anti-nuclear weapons activism, upholding human rights

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 10/19/2021 - 10:53

Cutline

(Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Dan Haves

Topic

University Professor Emeritus and Nobel laureate John Polanyi has been awarded the 2022 Andrei Sakharov Prize by the American Physical Society – a notable honour for Polanyi given his nuclear early anti-proliferation efforts were connected with those of Sakharov himself.

The award is named after Andrei Sakharov – a nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate and activist for disarmament, peace and human rights – and recognizes outstanding leadership and achievements of scientists in upholding human rights.

In Polanyi’s case, he is being recognized for seven decades of tireless activism for a nuclear-weapons-free world, for upholding human rights and freedom of speech globally, for public education on the essential role of science in society, and for a visionary approach to bringing about a hopeful, peaceful future.

He remains humble about his work.

“My qualifications for this marvelous prize are slim,” said Polanyi. “I have done a scientist's normal work as a citizen.”

Polanyi, who won the 1986 Nobel Prize in chemistry, has spent the greater part of a century voicing his strong belief that scientists have a responsibility to involve themselves in the defence of human rights.

In 1960, Polanyi became the founding chairman of the Canadian Pugwash group, whose mission is to offer scientific insight and reason to the catastrophic threat posed to humanity by nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. It’s a position he held until 1978, the year he chaired an international symposium on the dangers of nuclear war. And Polanyi currently serves on the National Advisory Board of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

In 1998 he said, “If the arts – and here I include science – depend so crucially on a proper respect for human rights, those who dare to call themselves artists have an over-riding obligation to defend those rights. Have they done so? They have, but never sufficiently.”

Polanyi reflected on Sakharov and how their efforts intertwined.

“Half a century ago Sakharov, having been the leader of H-bomb research in the U.S.S.R., risked his life in opposing the further development of the most horrible weapons in history. They were the first instruments designed exclusively for genocide, for the mass killing of civilians,” Polanyi said. “I wrote to colleagues across Canada. We then petitioned the Soviet leaders to listen to Sakharov's warnings, rather than persecute him.”

“When later Sakharov and I later met, he told me that such protests ultimately saved him. He was clear-thinking and very brave. He lives on as an inspiration to all who speak out for humanity, and for the role of freedom of thought if we are to have a future.”

Polanyi is the first researcher from a Canadian institution to be recognized with the honour.

“I would like to congratulate our esteemed colleague and Nobel laureate, John Polanyi, on receiving this award,” said Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “Not only has he dedicated his career to scientific research in chemistry, he has also been a tireless defender of human rights and a strong advocate for a nuclear-weapons free world. He is an incredibly worthy recipient of this prize.”

“This award is a wonderful recognition of the contributions of Professor Polanyi in protecting human rights and fighting nuclear weapons proliferation,” said Rob Batey, professor and chair of the department of chemistry.

“Suffering repression, Sakharov was probably the most well-known Soviet dissident, and his case was a cause célèbre until his release in the mid-1980s. The APS prize given in his name serves as a reminder of the role that scientists can play in advancing and advocating on issues of broader societal importance.”

Research led by �Թϱ��'s John Polanyi sheds new light on behaviour of molecules

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 16:37:59 +0000

Research led by �Թϱ��'s John Polanyi sheds new light on behaviour of molecules

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 03/02/2021 - 11:37

Cutline

University Professor John Polanyi, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist, likened his team's discovery of a "knock-on" motion in molecules to the interaction of steel balls in a Newton’s Cradle (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Sean Bettam

Topic

Breaking Research

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Research & Innovation

Research by a team of chemists at the University of Toronto, led by Nobel Prize-winning researcher John Polanyi, is shedding new light on the behaviour of molecules as they collide and exchange atoms during chemical reaction.

The discovery, outlined in a paper published recently in Communications Chemistry, casts doubt on a 90-year-old theoretical model of the behavior of the “transition state,” which is intermediate between reagents and products in chemical reactions, opening a new area of research.

The researchers studied collisions obtained by launching a fluorine atom at the centre of a fluoromethyl molecule – made up of one carbon atom and three fluorine atoms – and observed the resulting reaction using scanning tunneling microscopy. What they saw following each collision was the ejection of a new fluorine atom moving, in a straight line, along the continuation of the direction-of-approach of the incoming fluorine atom.

“Chemists toss molecules at other molecules all the time to see what happens or in hopes of making something new,” says Polanyi, a University Professor in the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the paper’s senior author.

“We found that aiming a reagent molecule at the centre of a target molecule restricts the motion of the emerging product to a single line, as if the product had been directly ‘knocked-on.’ The surprising observation that the reaction product emerges in a straight line, moving in the same direction as the incoming reagent atom, suggests that the motions that lead to reaction resemble simple onward transfer of momentum.

“The conservation of linear momentum we observe here suggests a short-lived transition state, rather than the previous view that there is sufficient time for randomization of motion. Newton would, I think, have been pleased that nature permits a simple knock-on event to describe something as complex as a chemical reaction.”

In a photo taken prior to the pandemic, University Professor John Polanyi sits on a bench on the St. George campus. Standing behind him are (from left to right): research associate Lydie Leung, PhD graduate Kelvin Anggara; graduate student Matthew Timm (photo by Diana Tyszko)

The team, which included senior research associate Lydie Leung, graduate student Matthew Timm and PhD graduate Kelvin Anggara, had previously established the means to control whether a molecule launched towards another collides head-on with its target or misses by a chosen amount – a quantity known as the impact parameter. The higher the impact parameter, the greater the distance by which the incoming molecule misses the target molecule. For the new work, the researchers employed an impact parameter of zero to give head-on collision.

“We call this new type of one-dimensional chemical reaction 'knock-on,' since we find that the product is knocked-on along the continuation of the direction of reagent approach,” says Polanyi. “The motions resemble the knock-on of the steel balls of a Newton’s Cradle. The steel balls of the cradle don't pass through one another, but efficiently transfer momentum along a single line.

“Similarly, our knock-on reactions transfer energy along rows of molecules, thereby favouring a chain-reaction. This conservation of reaction energy in knock-on chemistry could be useful as the world moves toward energy conservation. For now, it serves as an example of chemical reaction at its simplest.”

It has been known for well over a century that there is an energy barrier that chemical reagents must cross on their way to forming reaction products. An energized transition state exists briefly at the top of the barrier in a critical configuration: no transition state, no reaction.

Polanyi says the observation of a collinear “knock-on” provides insight into the reactive collision complex, which lasts for approximately one million-millionth of a second.

“Our results clearly tell us that the transition state at the top of the energy barrier lasts for so little time that it cannot fully scramble its momenta. Instead, it remembers the direction from which the attacking fluorine atom came.”

An artist’s interpretation of the energy barrier that a reagent fluorine atom must cross upon colliding with a fluoromethyl molecule on its way to forming a product as a result of a chemical reaction. Researchers at the University of Toronto observed the “knock-on’” collinear ejection of the reaction product, which is encircled in blue, in the continuation of the direction of the incoming reagent molecule, which is encircled in red (illustration by Lydie Leung)

In the 1930s, chemists began calculating the likelihood of forming a transition state on the assumption that it scrambles its energy, such as a hot molecule. Although it was an assumption, it appeared well-established and gave rise to the statistical “transition state theory” of reaction rates. This is still the favored method for calculating reaction rates.

“Now, with the ability to observe the reagents and the products at the molecular level, one can see precisely how the reagents approach and subsequently how the products separate,” Polanyi says. “But this runs contrary to the classic 90-year old statistical model. If the energy and momentum were randomized in the hot transition state, the products would not exhibit a clear memory of the direction of approach of the reagents. Energy-randomization would work to erase that memory.”

The researchers say the observed directional motion of the reaction products favours a deterministic model of the transition state to replace the long-standing statistical model. Additionally, the observed reaction dynamics allow the reagent energy to be passed on in successive collinear collisions.

The research was funded in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the University of Toronto NSERC General Research Fund. Theoretical calculations were performed on the Niagara cluster at SciNet HPC Consortium.

At home, online and with humour, �Թϱ��’s Class of 2020 celebrate a virtual convocation

geoff.vendeville — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 19:20:40 +0000

At home, online and with humour, �Թϱ��’s Class of 2020 celebrate a virtual convocation geoff.vendeville Wed, 06/03/2020 - 15:20

Geoffrey Vendeville

Convocation 2020

Rose Patten

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

With social media, Zoom calls and signs planted on front lawns and draped from apartment balconies, there was no shortage of well-wishing for the University of Toronto’s class of 2020 – the first in the university’s 193 years to celebrate convocation remotely.

Some crafty graduates set the stage for their at-home convocation with cardboard props and makeshift gowns. Others left a running commentary of congratulatory messages on a chat window that accompanied the virtual event.

And some families and friends, like those of Twitter user and �Թϱ�� graduate @JonaeDeF, created brand new traditions by letting loose when their loved one’s name flashed across the screen – a departure from the usual, in-person instruction to hold applause until all graduates have been called upon.

My parents reacting to my name on the screen #UofTGrad20 pic.twitter.com/PcCiUi2maM
— No Justice No Peace Jonas (@JonaeDeF) June 2, 2020

Speaking to graduating students tuning into the video ceremony on screens all over the globe, �Թϱ�� President Meric Gertler commented on the uniqueness of the occasion and welcomed them to the “extraordinary family of University of Toronto alumni,” numbering over 600,000 and spanning 190 countries.

“�Թϱ�� alumni serve in leadership roles in every corner of the globe and every walk of life,” he said. “They are prime ministers, justices, scholars, authors, community and business leaders, and professionals of every description.

“Their endeavours have shaped the world we live in and the way we understand that world.”

Wearing his formal, blue-and-white regalia, President Gertler presented the class of more than 15,000 graduating students to Chancellor Rose Patten, who conferred the degrees in absentia. The virtual ceremony, necessary because of public health rules preventing large gatherings during the pandemic, has so far received 31,000 views on Facebook and more than 58,000 views on YouTube.

Once it’s safe to do so, academic divisions will host their own in-person celebrations for the Class of 2020. But for now, the festivities were mostly confined to graduates’ homes and, of course, the internet, where people in all spheres of life posted congratulatory remarks – including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

After addressing �Թϱ��’s graduates in medicine, he retweeted class valedictorian Chika Oriuwa, adding: “Your voice, your talents, and your passion are needed now more than ever. Enjoy this moment.”

Congratulations! Your voice, your talents, and your passion are needed now more than ever. Enjoy this moment - and all the best to you and your fellow @UofTMedicine graduates in the years to come. This is only the beginning of an incredible journey, I’m sure. #UofTGrad20 https://t.co/QCTKi5Ci2v
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 2, 2020

Students found many creative ways to mark one of life’s important milestones.

Wearing a navy �Թϱ�� hoodie, Emilie Dudman – who graduates with a master’s degree in social work, posed for a photo behind a lawn sign decorated with multi-coloured balloons. It read: “Honk for Emilie” and “�Թϱ�� graduate 2020.”

Dudman wrote on Instagram, “Grad is already off to an amazing start.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Emilie (@emiliedudman) on Jun 1, 2020 at 6:32pm PDT

Haim Abraham and his partner Eden Sarid, both receiving their PhDs from the Faculty of Law, dressed up for the occasion, substituting blue and teal bath robes for graduation gowns and wearing aluminum foil mortarboards – with a USB stick dangling from a cord and a charging cable acting as the tassels. They posed in front of a garden shed, decorated with a sign saying “Convocovid Hall,” and a cardboard CN Tower.

The day carried extra significance for the couple: Abraham received his �Թϱ�� acceptance the same day he and Sarid were married. “Today, it’s like things are coming full circle,” he said.

Another graduate, who goes by @Martha3981 on Twitter, remarked about another coincidence: graduating from �Թϱ�� Mississauga on the same day she was accepted to a master’s program at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

Convocation speaker, Nobel laureate and University Professor John Polanyi addressed the class of 2020 in the video, saluting their achievements while also speaking about their responsibilities toward the planet.

Today, my partner and I officially graduate from @UTLaw SJD Program, and #COVID19 or not we’ll have our couple’s picture in front of convocation hall & @TourCNTower #UofTGrad20 #convidulations to all. https://t.co/KHdWTzI6Ng pic.twitter.com/MZjMESWMdy
— Haim Abraham (@HaimAbraham) June 2, 2020

Polanyi – a passionate champion of nuclear disarmament – underscored the importance of learning from the global pandemic to avoid other “looming threats,” including climate change and nuclear war.

“Education demands that you commit yourselves to the cause of reason, speaking out on its behalf,” he said. “Yesterday you were students; today you are also teachers.”

Striking a hopeful tone, he added that “science is in the ascendant” and that �Թϱ�� graduates will play a part in securing the future.

“Though our meeting today is only virtual, your voices will be heard in coming years and will be vital as we negotiate the shoals that lie ahead,” he said. “We look forward to hearing from you.”

The ceremony concluded with a scroll of the names and degrees of the Class of 2020. The list reflected graduates who were eligible as of May 25. A final version of the scrolling list can be seen here.

The virtual ceremony will be archived at �Թϱ��’s Convocation Hub for several weeks.

President Meric Gertler invites graduating students, family and friends to �Թϱ��'s virtual convocation

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 27 May 2020 13:50:53 +0000

President Meric Gertler invites graduating students, family and friends to �Թϱ��'s virtual convocation Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 05/27/2020 - 09:50

Topic

Convocation 2020

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

The University of Toronto is “immensely proud” of its more than 15,500 graduating students, and is looking forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements, �Թϱ�� President Meric Gertler says.

In a video address, President Gertler invites graduating students, their families and friends to tune in at noon on June 2, 2020 for the university’s virtual spring convocation.

“We’re immensely proud of our graduating students and despite these challenging times we look forward to this opportunity to celebrate your remarkable achievements and this major milestone in your lives,” the president says.

The ceremony will be available for public viewing at �Թϱ��’s Convocation Hub, where it will be archived for several weeks for those who are unable to view it that day. The event will include an address by John Polanyi, Nobel laureate and University Professor in �Թϱ��’s department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Celebrating Indigenous students and International Women's Day: Check out these March events

tom.yun — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 21:33:11 +0000

Celebrating Indigenous students and International Women's Day: Check out these March events

tom.yun Fri, 02/28/2020 - 16:33

Cutline

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic