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Chemical Cognition Lab
Chemical Cognition Lab

8. Funding & Operations

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I think it’s good to be explicit about funding. Your position is an opportunity: you’re supported by many other people, by government and by taxes, to carry out a mission. That’s worth taking seriously and respecting.

Graduate students
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At U of T, a graduate student’s total funding package is roughly $31k to $40k per year, including tuition. It’s split between departmental base support (UTF), TAships, and the PI’s research grant (an RA stipend). Altogether, a graduate student costs the lab around $40k per year. Funding meets the ChemE departmental minimum.

Postdocs
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Postdocs are salaried employees with mandatory institutional benefits. Salaries start at $60k and can be topped up with grants.

Scholarships
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Applying for external scholarships is encouraged. They look good on your CV and give the lab more flexibility with how we allocate funding. If you apply to the lab with your own funding, it makes it much easier for me to say yes, though it’s still not a guarantee.

Travel
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During a PhD, I aim for you to travel to at least two conferences; the same goes for postdocs. Traveling later in your career is usually better: you’ll have work to present, and you can make connections for your next step. Priority goes to presenting your own work, and it depends on the location.

Costs and purchasing
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  • Publication fees are covered by the lab.
  • Talk with me ahead of time when big expenses come up, such as flights or conference registration.
  • Purchasing and reimbursement go through Concur.