Course Offerings: Waterloo

This course is concerned with the relations between crystal structure and electronic structure. The major goal is to understand and be able to predict materials properties solely based on the structure. Basic knowledge of simple solid state structures (e.g. NaCl, TiO2, CdI2, NiAs, MoS2 etc.) is highly recommended. Structure/materials families will comprise metals, semiconductors, superconductors, and (Mott and topological) insulators. Topics ...

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Experimentation is one of the foundational pillars of science. Any theoretical hypothesis that is formulated must ultimately be proved or disproved by experiments. While the scientific method is generally intuitively understood by researchers, not all of them fully realize how various controllable and uncontrollable factors might affect their results. Also, the approach to experimentation is often far from optimal. The course will try to fill these voids by exploring the areas mentioned ...

Discussion of specialized topics related to the research interests of the members of the Centre. For example, recent offerings have included: Metalloproteins and Metalloenzymes; Heme Proteins; Chemistry of Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms; Peptides –  Synthesis, Structure and Function; Food Enzymology; Advanced Microbial Physicology; NMR in Biological Systems. Proteins, with their amazing complexity and diversity, have become very well characterized and increasingly designable, ...

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This course will introduce X-ray diffraction (Rietveld refinements) and X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy as tools to study solid state materials and demonstrate their practical application in analyzing defects in solid state materials. The principles and considerations underlying the Rietveld refinement process will be introduced and the overall process demonstrated. The underlying theory for XAS will then be introduced and the basic operating principles, experimental ...

This course offers an introduction to molecular modeling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods, with a focus on applications in drug discovery. Students will receive hands-on tutorials and training in using modeling and simulation software to explore a variety of research problems.Key topics include conformational analysis, molecular mechanics, and molecular dynamics; computational studies of drug-receptor interactions, docking of small organic molecules to biological receptors, and ...

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The course will introduce the recent progress in aqueous supramolecular chemistry. The teaching will start with non-covalent interactions, self-assembly, and related characterization techniques. Recent progress in living self-assembly will be subsequently discussed. After building up the knowledge of supramolecular chemistry, we will discuss whether water, in addition to acting as a solvent, is actively involved in supramolecular chemistry and how to address this question via ...

The goal of CHEM 784(0) is the construction of a written scientific literature review / proposal focussing on the thesis research topic of the individual student. Through this process, students will teach themselves the background behind their research project, learn how to acquire and organize this understanding, and develop their interpersonal and written scientific communication skills. The skills practiced in this course are core competencies for further graduate study and future career ...