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Hometown: Coquitlam, B.C.
Program: Master of Science in Audiology

What attracted you to your field?

I have always found joy in problem solving and helping others feel empowered. This, along with my academic background in biopsychology, led me down a path to find a field that ties these things together. When I learned about the field of audiology, I felt that it would be the perfect match for what I was looking for. Having the opportunity to educate others about their hearing and balance, connecting it with cognition, and working with them to find solutions to improve quality of life sounded like a rewarding pursuit.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Stay curious. Don’t hesitate to spend time in the lab tinkering with the different programs and technologies available to you. Force your friends to come in for hearing screenings to get more practice in the booth. The more comfortable you are handling the equipment and understanding what does what, the better time you will have expanding that knowledge.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

During our first Halloween as a graduate class, my cohort came to school dressed as the auditory system! Half of us dressed in red (right ear) and the other half in blue (left ear), and each of us made a costume to represent a different piece of anatomy. Honourable mentions include pool noodles for the auditory nerves, drums for the eardrums and funnels for the outer ears.

What’s next for you?

I am currently working in a Hearing Life clinic in beautiful Sidney, B.C. I have been eager to return to Vancouver Island after falling in love with it during my undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria. I am happy to be able to support the great people of the peninsula in their journey to better hearing, and I look forward to what the future holds for me.

Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Program: PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology (CELL)

What attracted you to your field?

From an early age, I was fascinated by how the same environment affects people differently. Observing my mother with low blood pressure and my father with high blood pressure — despite similar diets and lifestyles — sparked my curiosity about sex differences in metabolism. This personal observation inspired my pursuit of the biological basis of these differences. The CELL program offered the ideal environment to explore this question through its collaborative and interdisciplinary focus on physiology, molecular biology and genetics. Its supportive and inclusive research community has provided the mentorship and freedom that continue to shape my growth as a researcher.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

It’s hard to choose a single favourite moment during my PhD study because every new dataset that advanced my project gave me goosebumps. One of the most memorable moments was uncovering a factor that regulates fat storage only in females, which opened an entirely new direction in my research. That breakthrough deepened my curiosity and highlighted the impact of my work. Sharing these discoveries with the scientific community and receiving national and international recognition was incredibly fulfilling. It also reminded me why I love research — the excitement of uncovering something new and meaningful that contributes to scientific understanding.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Enjoy the process of learning rather than just focusing on the outcome; that mindset will keep your passion for discovery alive and let you accept any failure. Research and academics can be unpredictable, but persistence and an open mind often lead to the most rewarding discoveries. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, seek feedback, learn new techniques and collaborate. Science thrives on teamwork and shared ideas.

Tell us about your research.

My research explored why females naturally store more body fat than males. I identified that higher activity in the insulin signaling pathway and specific gut hormones enable females to accumulate more fat. Understanding these biological differences is important because it helps explain how metabolism works differently in males and females. This knowledge moves us closer to precision medicine — developing treatments for metabolic diseases that are tailored to each sex, leading to more effective and equitable healthcare.

What’s next for you?

Building on the experience gained during my PhD, I am now pursuing postdoctoral research at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, investigating how vascular damage develops in children with type 1 diabetes. My long-term goal is to establish an independent research program focused on metabolism and cardiovascular health, with an emphasis on sex-based biological differences. I aim to integrate research, teaching, and mentorship to promote equity, inspire curiosity, and foster innovation in biomedical science — training the next generation of researchers to consider both sexes in their study design.

Hometown: North Vancouver, B.C.
Program: Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

What attracted you to your field?

During my time as an undergraduate student, I became fascinated by the relationship between language and the brain, which led me to specialize in psychology and speech sciences. As I gained in-depth knowledge, I discovered the field of speech-language pathology, which offers a wide range of services for individuals across the lifespan. Once I began working with a multidisciplinary team that included speech-language pathologists, I observed the positive impact of the profession, and I developed a greater interest to pursue graduate school. 

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

There are many memorable moments from my time as a graduate student, however, one moment that I would like to highlight is when my classmates and I celebrated our program completion on Vancouver Island. During the trip, we reflected on our shared experiences, the challenges we overcame and our growth throughout the program. We also spent time exploring many beautiful attractions in the city, which added to the enjoyment of the trip.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Enter the program with an open mind as there are many areas in the field of speech-language pathology. Use the time to explore the different areas and remain open to learning from your successes and challenges. Building strong connections with your classmates, professors, clinical educators and other students within the Faculty of Medicine is also essential as many will become your future colleagues. I learned from a variety of individuals throughout my time in the program, which enriched my overall experience.

What’s next for you?

After completing the program, I began working as a speech-language pathologist at a hospital, providing acute care services. I am eager to continue applying my knowledge and skills acquired during the program into an acute setting to support individuals on their journey to recovery. Beyond my current role, I am committed to further expanding my knowledge and skills in the field of speech-language pathology as continuous learning is crucial to delivering high-quality services.

Hometown: Calgary, Alta.
Program: Master of Science in Medical Genetics

What attracted you to your field?

At the end of my undergraduate degree, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next but I knew that I wanted more research experience. Genetics interested me because it is very interdisciplinary, combining biology, health and statistics. During my master’s research, I enjoyed applying diverse methods, including epidemiology, computer science and laboratory work. I am still amazed at how diverse and dynamic the field of genetics is, and how it continues to advance personalized medical diagnoses and treatments.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

Near the end of my degree, I presented my research at an international genetics conference in Italy. It was both exciting and nerve-wracking to attend my first conference — especially such a large one abroad. I was amazed by the number of researchers and how welcoming everyone was. I felt proud to share my work and see it recognized within the field. And of course, I also loved the free gelato stand at the conference — one of the perks of being in Italy!

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

I encourage new students to really get to know their peers. I made incredible friends both within my program and across other graduate programs, which made classes more enjoyable and led to research collaborations. Beyond academics, those friendships helped create balance. We had so much fun during beach days, hikes and dinners that helped us unwind and laugh. Building that community made my graduate experience so much richer, both personally and professionally.

Tell us about your research.

My master’s research was on placental genetics. The placenta has many important jobs during pregnancy such as removing waste and delivering oxygen and nutrients from the pregnant person to the baby. Placental dysfunction means that the placenta is not doing its job as well as it should and this can impact both the pregnant person’s and the baby’s health. I explored DNA methylation (a molecular mark associated with turning genes on/off) associations with pathology, sex and advanced maternal age. Improving our understanding of the molecular changes associated with placental dysfunction will hopefully lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy complications like preeclampsia.

What’s next for you?

I’m back in school! In September 2025, I started medical school at UBC. During my master’s degree I realized that while I loved research, I wanted to be more directly involved in patient care. I’m excited to combine both interests through clinical and research work. I’m particularly interested in obstetric and pediatric care.

Hometown: Bonney Lake, Washington, USA
Program: PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

What attracted you to your field?

My background is in chemistry, and I’ve always been drawn to its intersection with human health. Biochemistry and molecular biology allow me to explore human biology at a molecular and mechanistic level — understanding not just what happens in the body, but how and why it happens.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

I don’t have one single moment that stands out, but I look back on my time at UBC with a lot of gratitude. From seminars and trainee lunches to pumpkin carving and coffee breaks with my cohort, it’s been a collection of small, meaningful moments that have shaped an incredibly positive experience.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Take time to enjoy the experience and make the most of the opportunities around you. Graduate school is a truly unique time — an environment unlike any other, where learning, curiosity and collaboration are all encouraged. A PhD will always have its challenges, but attending seminars, department events and connecting with peers can make the journey both rewarding and inspiring.

Tell us about your research.

My research focuses on DNA methylation — a chemical tag on DNA that doesn’t change the genetic code but can influence how genes are turned on or off. These marks can shift with development and experience. I study DNA methylation in children to understand how early-life environments can shape biology and influence health across the lifespan. Understanding how these experiences shape health can help us develop better prevention and treatment options, as well as improve care.  

What’s next for you?

I’m continuing as a postdoctoral fellow in the Kobor Lab, wrapping up projects and collaborations from my PhD while expanding my skill set in the wet lab. I’m involved in processing samples, running tests and exploring complementary approaches, including proteomics (study of proteins) and transcriptomics (study of gene activity), to better understand how different layers of biology interact with DNA methylation.

Program: Master of Occupational Therapy – Fraser

What attracted you to your field?

The most interesting thing about occupational therapy (OT) for me is the contexts in which we meet and perceive the people we work with. Instead of meeting only in a clinical space, OTs can meet clients in the spaces they most often occupy: their homes, their workplaces, their communities. Because of this, we often see the functional implications of our clients’ health within the greater contexts of their lives and, consequently, gain a profound insight into their humanity. I consider this an incredible privilege, and it’s part of what makes the work we do in this field so rewarding to me.

What is your favourite moment from your time at UBC?

When I first joined the Fraser cohort our building was still under construction, so my peers and I commuted to the Vancouver campus for classes for the first term of the program. At the time I found this commute challenging, but in retrospect, these carpooling trips made for great memories. Being at the Vancouver campus also let us get closer to other students in the Vancouver cohort, before we eventually settled into our home base in Surrey. As a result, I got to experience the best of what both larger and smaller student cohorts have to offer.

What is one piece of advice you have for students entering your program?

Throughout the program, we’re exposed to a wide breadth of information, so I would highly recommend trying to identify the areas you’re interested in and diving into those as deeply as possible. Do the work now that you feel will set you up for success as a future clinician and you’ll be golden.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working as a community occupational therapist. In the next few years, I hope to learn as much as possible and really hone my skills as a clinician. I find that the better I get as a clinician, the more I enjoy the work that I do. Eventually, I would like to specialize in supporting the recovery of clients facing significant mental health challenges.