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Sumayyah Chotoye

Chemistry

Fourth year chemistry student Sumayyah Ayesha Bibi Chotoye has won the Chemical Institute of Canada’s CIC Analytical Chemistry Division Undergraduate Travel Award in Honor of Dr. Nick Toltl. This award will give Sumayyah the opportunity to talk about her thesis, titled “Two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC): A Novel Technique For the Analysis of Bisphenol Contaminants in Canned Food Item,” at the  in Vancouver. Sumayyah was also a 2022 Dean of Science summer research scholarship holder. 

Saint Mary’s students have been very successful in this field. (2020) and Kaleigh McLeod (2021) won the same award in recent years.

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Student Profile: Sumayyah Ayesha Bibi Chotoye

Program: Bachelor of Science degree, in Honours chemistry and French minor

Year: Fourth and final year

Thesis: Two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC): A Novel Technique For the Analysis of Bisphenol Contaminants in Canned Food Item.

Description: Bisphenols are a class of chemicals used industrially, in the manufacture of plastic materials, including food packaging materials. In the past, Bisphenol A, the most common bisphenol analogue, has raised concerns. Bisphenol A leaches into food and accumulates in the body and has been proven to be toxic to humans because bisphenol A mimics the female sex hormone, estrogen. While bisphenol A is being phased out, industries now substitute bisphenol A with other forms of bisphenols that are equally toxic. Under the supervision and guidance of Dr Christa Brosseau and with the help of my lab mates, my thesis work aimed at identifying and quantifying bisphenols in canned food items using a state-of-art chromatographic instrument, the two-dimensional liquid chromatograph (2D-LC). This instrument can separate and accurately detect very low quantities of specific chemicals in complex samples such as canned food. This work represents the first time that the 2D-LC is being used to survey bisphenols. 

I chose this project because I am interested in food chemistry and I was inspired by my mentor and now SMU Alumni, Maddison Eisnor, to get into 2D-LC after I saw her masters research work. There are few research groups in the world that explores the potential of 2D-LC and I wanted to be part of that.

What is/was your favourite class? I have enjoyed most of my chemistry classes but I think one that I particularly loved was environmental chemistry with professor Mary Sheppard. We learnt so much but in an interactive way, which was great.

Is there an instructor who had a big impact on you? Honestly, I have learnt a lot from all my instructors, but Dr Christa Brosseau has had the biggest impact on my academic and my personal life. She is such an inspiration as a woman in STEM, well beyond chemistry and laboratory skills.

Why did you choose Saint Mary’s University? As an international student, I was looking for a university where I would not be lost in a crowd of students or get overwhelmed by the size of classes, where I would be able to have the opportunity to get involved in research and in extracurricular activities on campus as an undergraduate student. I was also looking for an inclusive and diverse city to live in. So I chose SMU.

SMU activities: I love getting involved on campus. I co-founded and was the co-president of the SMU French Society until April 2022. Since September 2022 until now, I have been the Co-President of the SMU Chemistry Society. I have also been a Pack Leader (2020-2022).

I work at the Patrick Power library as a student assistant and I have been doing research in Dr Brosseau’s group since May 2021, where I have learnt so much in terms of chemistry and lab skills.

One of my favourites things to do on campus has been going to yoga classes at the Homburg centre. I usually go right in the middle of the day once a week. It helps me forget, for at least an hour, all the reports, presentations and other commitments I have due that week.

Awards, University Recognition:

• Saint Mary’s University Presidential Scholarship, 2019-2023
• Jack Ginsburg Memorial Scholarhips 2022-23
• Dean of Science Undergraduate Summer Research Award, 2022
• Dean’s List standing 2019-2023
• Student Leadership Recognition Award, 2022

Hometown: Port Louis, Mauritius

Advice to younger self: learn how to say no and to not be afraid to speak up

Future Plans: I look forward to starting a Master’s degree in Applied Science under the supervision of Dr. Brosseau and my goal for the future is to work as an analytical chemist in industry, perhaps in the food industry. I am also looking forward to settling down in Canada with my partner and my kitty, Pumpkin.

Congratulations Sumayyah!