Daniel Weihs Sarabia is a 2025 Canada Student Merit Award winner. He achieved this award for obtaining the highest standing of his class in the fourth and final year of his degree. Here is a brief biography of the winner.
Daniel is a graduate at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), earning an Honours Bachelor of Science in 2025 with a specialisation in Chemistry and a minor in Applied Statistics. His academic journey began in Computer Science, but a pivotal shift to Chemistry allowed him to ingeniously apply his computational skills to excel, particularly in analytical chemistry.
Demonstrating remarkable resilience, Daniel overcame initial academic challenges in his early years, building a strong foundational skillset that propelled him to consistently achieve high marks in his upper-year courses. His passion for research blossomed early, commencing in his second year with a half-year study on compound analysis through the radial distribution function in 2022. This early engagement culminated in a significant fourth-year thesis project (2023-2024), where he investigated the critical impact of trace metals on urban site restoration across the Greater Toronto Area.
Beyond his research, Daniel has been a dedicated educator and mentor. He began by volunteering as a tutor for first-year chemistry students, evolving into a consistent Teaching Assistant for both introductory chemistry courses and second-year analytical chemistry, where he led and assisted students through their weekly or bi-weekly labs. His commitment extends to professional settings, having served for two years as a part-time Chemistry Laboratory Technician Assistant at UTSC. In this role, he aided in lab preparation, assisting with experiments, ensuring safe chemical handling, and maintaining laboratory databases, further showcasing strong communication skills.
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