Brendan Laframboise

Program

Chemistry

Why did you choose to complete your graduate studies in your program at the University of Guelph?

I chose to complete my graduate studies in computational chemistry at the University of Guelph for a variety of reasons. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biological and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and realized my passion for research and furthering my education during my fourth year of study. When evaluating potential research groups to apply to, I quickly became fascinated by the work done in Prof. Leanne Chen's Computational Electrochemistry Laboratory. I found myself drawn to this research specifically because I found it captivating to be part of a group that could have a significant impact on the design of fuel cells, batteries, and other energy transformation systems.

A bit about your path... 

Growing up in Brooklin Ontario, my life story from an outside perspective likely seems quite ordinary. I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue a university education, so I had always put in the effort when it came to ensuring my comprehension of class material throughout elementary and high school. When first studying chemistry in high school, I realized I was able to grasp concepts quicker than some of my classmates. This led to me becoming more fascinated with chemistry, and the more I learned, the more my curiosity was sparked, which eventually led to me applying to the University of Guelph's Biological and Pharmaceutical Chemistry undergraduate program. Fast forward to my fourth year of study and the University of Guelph, I joined the O'Flaherty lab as an undergraduate researcher where I focused on organic synthesis for applications to nucleic acid chemistry. In this lab, I discovered my passion for research and learned how rewarding it can be. I wanted to challenge myself by transitioning into another branch of chemistry that fascinates me, which leads me to where I am now, about to start my master's degree in Computational Electrochemistry. It definitely took a great deal of hard work and dedication to get to where I am now, and I am proud of the journey and looking forward to what lies ahead in my future.

How will your work Improve Life?

I hope that my research will help further our insight of electrode-electrolyte double-layer, leading to further innovation and development of fuel cells, batteries, and other energy transformation systems. As of now, I am not sure what my research project will be so I cannot speak on specifics, but I am excited to get started and hopefully contribute to changing life for the better.

Tell us something about you, beyond being a grad student...

Beyond being a grad student, I am a passionate songwriter. I have been writing music since I was in high school, and I find it to be my ideal form of therapy and self-expression. I also love to workout, snowboard, cook, and connect with friends and family in my free time.

What do you plan to do after graduation? How has U of G helped you reach that goal?

After graduation, I would like to travel for a few months before finding steady work. I hope to backpack across Europe and explore as much of the world as I can to celebrate the conclusion of such an important period of my life. Afterward, I would like to find work in either computational drug design, data science, or computational electrochemical research. I feel like my perspective on life after university is quite small since I have been living in the academic bubble for quite some time, so I am curious to see what it has to offer. U of G is helping me reach that goal by allowing me to pursue research opportunities that I find interesting, as well as helping me network and form relationships with like-minded people.

About my advisor... 

I first reached out to Prof. Leanne Chen when I was looking for potential research groups to pursue my graduate studies. We have met a few times to discuss my graduate studies and I have nothing but nice things to say. I am looking forward to working for her and hope to maintain a positive academic relationship.