Training in the Wuest Group

Academic Environment. The multidisciplinary approach of the Wuest Group exposes members to many concepts and techniques. Training is enriched by collaborations that allow the group to learn from outside experts. The group also works closely with Ph. D.-level managers of departmental services in X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, and other areas. These partnerships help teach members of the Wuest Group how to use diverse analytical tools effectively. Most group publications include at least one of these technical experts as coauthor.

The group participates in networks at the exciting intersection of materials science, sustainability, computation, and AI, including the Centre québécois sur les matériaux fonctionnels (CQMF) and the Centre en chimie verte et catalyse (CCVC). In addition, the group is linked to the Institut Courtois, which was recently created at Université de Montréal to accelerate the discovery of new materials (see Resources page of the website). Molecular organization is at the center of all group projects, but our papers have appeared in seven different ACS journals in the last six years alone, as well as in the journals of other publishers. Students thereby learn how to present their work effectively to multiple audiences.

Group publications tend to be full papers with high average length and few authors. As a result, each student has a chance to lead and acquire hands-on experience in diverse areas. The low number of authors means that members of the Wuest Group are typically involved in many aspects of their projects and are directly responsible for guiding their work to successful conclusions. Nevertheless, students in the group are free to choose a project that fits: some want to learn how to do everything, whereas others prefer to focus on mastering a narrower set of skills.

Industrial Partnerships. The Wuest Group emphasizes fundamental research but works in fields where new knowledge can be applied in many ways. As a result, the group actively pursues industrial partnerships, which help students learn how to work as members of teams, pitch ideas, develop marketable products, define realistic objectives, and deliver results on time. Recent partnerships with companies in the pharmaceutical sector have focused on finding new ways to promote crystallization and screen for optimal solid forms of drugs.

Outcomes. Overall, nearly 100 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows have been trained in the group, as well as dozens of undergraduate researchers. Alumni have excelled in many fields related to molecular science, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, where they use skills in organic synthesis developed in the group. In the last decade alone, former students have started three companies, which make solar spectral sensors, solar panels, and optoelectronic materials. Apellis Pharmaceuticals, which was co-founded by Dr. Pascal Deschatelets, a former Ph. D. student in the group, is currently valued at $5B and has over 500 employees. These examples show that the Wuest Group is a productive source of skilled individuals and helps trains researchers needed to advance diverse areas of technology.

Joining the Group. We hope our website leads you to read our papers and perhaps think about collaborating with us or joining our group. Please let us know if you want more information about the group or would like to set up a meeting, either virtual or in person.