B.Sc. (Hons), PhD
Coord, Chemistry/Physics / Instr, Chem.
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
School of STEM
Chemistry
604.986.1911 ext. 2447
Fir Building, room FR487
udeojang@capilanou.ca
Education
PhD, Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, 2001.
B.Sc. (Honours) Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ottawa, 1995.
Bio
Urmila Deo Jangra (PhD, Cornell University, 2001) grew up in Ottawa, Ontario. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry at the University of Ottawa. After being awarded an Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) scholarship to pursue graduate studies, she then travelled south of the border to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Jangra's doctorate research, under the supervision of Professor Bruce Ganem in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, focused on the organic synthesis of small molecules of biological interest.
As part of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) graduate scholarship, Jangra completed an internship at Biogen, a leading biotechnology company located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Upon completion of her PhD, she returned to Canada. She relocated to the warmer side of the country to complete a NSERC Post-doctoral Fellowship at the University of British Columbia (UBC), working jointly in the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences on the isolation and synthesis of bioactive marine natural products.
It was at UBC that Jangra's teaching career began. Her desire to teach at a smaller institution with more direct interaction with students led her to Capilano University. She currently serves as the Coordinator of Chemistry and Physics.
In her spare time, Jangra enjoys spending time with her family, travelling abroad and volunteering her time with a variety of youth-focused community groups.
To study chemistry is to make connections between the fundamental aspects of matter and the natural world that surrounds us. I am so fortunate to be able to share my enthusiasm about this exciting field with my students.
I believe that clear communication and clear expectations are the cornerstones of effective teaching and student engagement. I encourage my students to approach complex problems by breaking them down into smaller manageable pieces.
The analytical skills that my students acquire though scientific inquiry in the classroom and in the lab will help them navigate all aspects of their lives and I hope to empower them with the skills and confidence to be change-makers in society.
Killam Teaching Award, University of British Columbia, 2002.
Killam Post-doctoral Research Fellowship, University of British Columbia, 2000.
Post-doctoral Research Fellowship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), 2000.
Graduate Research Award, National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1997.
Graduate Research Scholarship, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), 1995.
Department of Chemistry Award, University of Ottawa, 1995.
Dean's Honour List, University of Ottawa, 1991-1995.