SSC Student Staff

One thing about me: I lived in India for 14 years before moving to Canada in 2017.

In my studies: I enjoy gaining the ability to build anything.

Outside the classroom: I enjoy anime, video games and classical music.

Favourite summer activity: Developing websites and games!

One thing about me: I love travelling to new places on trains, more so than travelling on planes.

In my studies: I like the different ways to approach problems and solving them in math and computer science.

Outside the classroom: I enjoy exploring the city via bike, especially with the new bike lanes installed recently.

Favourite summer activity: Going to summer specific events like Ribfest and the CNE.

One thing about me: I am a big Star Wars fan. Of course, I watched all the main nine movies (sequels were not my cup of tea) and the spinoff animations (Clone Wars, Rebels). I even played the Old Republic video game! If you are into Star Wars as well, I am so down to talk about it!

In my studies: I love that I get to apply the mathematical and computational theory in the actual code I write. There are so many times I question how a certain technology works and the answer can be given with some rigorous theories.

Outside the classroom: I like to practice instruments in my free time. I used to play drums quite often but recently I picked up a harmonica. I am still a novice but I’m working on it!

Favourite summer activity: In the summer, I try to allocate more time to read non-computer science books. As I am not too busy from school, I want to spend that extra time expanding my knowledge in different fields over the summer.

One thing about me: I’ve lived in seven different cities.

In my studies: Although my programs are quite different from one another, I am really enjoying the individuality they all bring to the table and how they engage my mind and challenge my knowledge in their own different ways.

Outside the classroom: Personally, I have been working to diversify my involvement and this has taken shape in some volunteering engagements. I also really love sports, music (all sorts), cooking, knitting and a movie with a good plot line!

Favourite summer activity: I enjoy going on evening walks with my family.

One thing about me: Strawberries seem to be a personality trait of mine. Picking them, eating them, wearing them as jewelry – such a versatile fruit.

In my studies: I love seeing the intersections of all my different fields. Even though they seem unrelated, I always manage to find connections between everything I’m learning.

Outside the classroom: I’m currently one of the communications coordinators for the U of T Drama Coalition – follow our socials for updates on everything happening in the theatre community! Off campus, you’ll find me putting off finishing a crochet project or baking at very late hours of the night.

Favourite summer activity: It’s so great to have summer classes on campus again! I love finding a nice tree in the shade and doing some readings in nature. Sometimes jazz musicians set up in Queen’s Park which makes it an even better time to be studying outside.

One thing about me: Hospital Playlist is my favourite K-drama and my favourite composers are Bach and Mahler.

In my studies: I love reading and writing papers.

Outside the classroom: I’ve been trying rock climbing.

Favourite summer activity: I love meeting with my friends to explore the city.

One thing about me: I own a pair of Star Wars crocs and I wear them rain or shine, snow or sand.

In my studies: I am really fascinated that the field of history is more than just important dates and events but the stories of peoples and communities both forgotten and remembered to time.

Outside the classroom: I love to spend time exploring the diverse food scene downtown. There are so many restaurants near campus that are not only affordable but delicious too. I also love watching movies and TV shows and curating Spotify playlists (I’m always open to music recommendations).

Favourite summer activity: I have never spent a summer in Toronto but I can’t wait to check out the Toronto Islands and bike around the city again.

One thing about me: I have a lot of different interests but if you ask me about a specific Korean group I might talk your ear off for an inordinate amount of time.

In my studies: I love learning about the shared experiences that different people can have, which manifest in the development of various theories and approaches to studying human behaviour. For example, imagine how many people had to have had an analogous experience to it before Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon was studied! When I first learned about this, I was amazed to learn that there was a specific term to describe that feeling when I can’t quite recall a word. I’ve had many similar experiences in my psychology and neuroscience classes, which always remind me how vast and yet connected our experiences of the world can be. As for French, I love to explore the nuances of communicating in different ways and making connections between different languages. It’s always fun to realize how many words I can guess in French just by way of being a native English speaker.

Outside the classroom: I love to sing and crochet. Those are some of my most important hobbies lately. You can also usually find me listening to different podcasts, watching YouTube videos and enjoying music of varying genres.

Favourite summer activity: Going to the beach is always really fun and it’s one of those activities that are so uniquely suited to the summertime. I also love going out in the evening and watching the sunset.

One thing about me: I am very interested in learning about classical history, so I like to visit museums and watch documentaries whenever I can.

In my studies: I love how psychology interacts with technology to create software solutions that can help us on a day-to-day basis.

Outside the classroom: I conduct research at a U of T lab and spend my free time learning about music history and reading.

Favourite summer activity: Spending a sunny day at Harbourfront is always a fun time. I also enjoy practicing instruments and exploring new cafes.

One thing about me: One interesting fact about myself would be my love for dance. When I was a kid, I was always caught dancing with or without music. I enjoy dancing to Bollywood songs and traditional Bangladeshi music. I even made myself ghungroos (musical anklet tied to the feet) using red fabric and bells from Michaels.

In my studies: What interests me the most about my area of study is the application of stem cell research to treat degenerative diseases such as retinal pigmentosa. It is also interesting to see how the cellular mechanisms that control the regenerative ability of species, such as planarian flatworms and axolotls, are different from human regenerative abilities. Health and Disease allows me to explore different diseases and their mechanisms. The overlap between Cell and Systems Biology and Health and Disease showed me current and future treatments for diseases.

Outside the classroom: Currently, I am involved in some projects and assignments with my focus group and other clubs. I am working on writing some articles for the Stem Cell and Developmental Biology focus group website. Over the summer, I plan to work with the University of Toronto Mental Health Association (UOFTMHA) on a project where we hand out supplies to women living in shelters. Another project involving the UOFTMHA is a video project where we interview various professionals working in the mental health field.

Favourite summer activity: My favorite thing to do during the summer is swimming. My favorite spot is Cobble beach at Little Cove. It is my favourite spot because of the clear, blue water surrounded by a forest of trees. I made many memories there on the last trip I made to Tobermory.

One thing about me: I do modelling for fun. I like to paint and sing too. I tried to paint Luffy from One Piece last fall but I was not able to finish it so hopefully I can get that done this summer.

In my studies: I really enjoy learning psychology as this gives me a whole new perspective on people’s different actions; I understand the reasoning behind their actions better. Also, learning health and disease fascinates me a lot because I can apply the things I learn in class to the real world. This program also gives me great background knowledge on the various diseases that we, as humans, encounter in our everyday lives.

Outside the classroom: I volunteer or hangout with friends. Whenever I have free time, I work out and play sports too.

Favourite summer activity: I love being outdoors so I go camping with friends and family every summer. I also try to be more active during this time so I join various team sports and golf. Going to the beach and/or water park is something I’m looking forward to this summer. Also, eating on a patio is a must!

One thing about me: I’m a huge superhero nerd, both Marvel & DC – but don’t ask me which is better!

In my studies: I’m super interested in understanding the mechanisms of different diseases, what causes disease and how our bodies deal with them.

Outside the classroom: During my free time I like to watch movies and TV shows, play video games or doodle.

Favourite summer activity: Hanging out with friends and exploring local parks

One thing about me: I’m always open to music recommendations, so if you are dropping by the chat feel free to let me know what you’re listening to.

In my studies: I love learning new aspects of psychology and neuroscience and how they connect to the brain and how that is reflected in our daily lives.

Outside the classroom: I love to play and listen to music. I can play three instruments (drums, bass guitar and piano).

Favourite summer activity: I love to go and try new food places around Toronto; there’s always something to try around the city!

One thing about me: I grew almost 30 centimetres in two years (between grades eight and 10).

In my studies: I love being able to combine my biological and statistical understanding to solve real world problems.

Outside the classroom: I am a big fan of Ultimate Frisbee and I consider myself to be decent at it.

Favourite summer activity: Ultimate Frisbee!

One thing about me: You’ll never see me without my emotional support water bottle.

In my studies: I’m really interested in social psychology, specifically interpersonal relationships.

Outside the classroom: I love getting involved with different student organizations on campus. I also love going to concerts (and having my own in my room).

Favourite summer activity: Going to the beach and having picnics.

One thing about me: I have four passports.

In my studies: One of my favourite things about studying math is how it applies to so many different real-world topics.

Outside the classroom: I love to read and go to concerts.

Favourite summer activity: Going for a bike ride in High Park.

One thing about me: I am always trying new cuisines, so please do ask me which is the most recent cuisine I have tried or explored.

In my studies: In management and consulting, I always get to experience a new problem applied in a new context and the constant change is something I enjoy a lot!

Outside the classroom: I love cooking and exploring new cuisines. I enjoy discovering new artists in various genres of music and sometimes I play games like Valorant and League of Legends.

Favourite summer activity: Going to farmers markets and checking out all the fresh produce and different varieties of fruit and veggies the summer brings.

One thing about me: I cooked myself the same four meals on repeat for my entire first year while living at residence and never got sick of them.

In my studies: Studying in Rotman Commerce is interesting because in first year, before you specialize, you get to study diverse streams of business that apply to world issues and current events. The case studies that are provided in each class are very interesting to analyze.

Outside the classroom: I love to dance (I’ve been dancing for 10 years!), read, go to the gym, draw, watch K-dramas and participate in case competitions.

Favourite summer activity: I love to travel in the summer, go on morning walks and read outdoors.

One thing about me: I can speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Shanghainese.

In my studies: I love the diverse environment at Rotman Commerce as I get to meet different people through group projects.

Outside the classroom: I enjoy painting and baking.

Favourite summer activity: I love to go to summer carnivals and try out different food.

One thing about me: I explored five or six different majors to see where my interests lie and I only indulge in academics that make me curious. Furthermore, I can speak close to four different languages.

In my studies: The flexibility in terms of the courses I can pick or the area I can specialize in, in my specific programs, is something that makes social sciences so interesting. I love exploring different avenues that might challenge me but help me indulge in thoughts and debates that I might find new and intriguing.

Outside the classroom: A few things I love to do outside academics is to use the resources U of T offers in personal care and networking. Going to the Goldring Centre, relaxing in my college residence and meeting people in the Trinity Quad while also spending countless hours just talking in my friends’ room or going on walks after class hours are some of my favorite things to do.

Favourite summer activity: Toronto summer is the peak time of the year here, hence exploring different cafes downtown, going to events at Scotiabank Arena, hitting different stores and social events are some things I enjoy doing.

One thing about me: I’m a huge Taylor Swift fan; she was my top artist on Spotify last year!

In my studies: I love how my programs are so interdisciplinary; it’s really cool to learn how to approach a problem from so many different angles!

Outside the classroom: : In my spare time, I enjoy reading, café-hopping and playing the piano.

Favourite summer activity: When the weather gets warm, I love going on walks with my friends and exploring different Toronto neighbourhoods.

One thing about me: I want to become a human rights lawyer and in high school I had committed the sections and meanings of the Canadian Charter of Human Rights to memory.

In my studies: I love the different and interesting intersecting topics that I get to grapple with inside and outside of the classroom; my programs can be so interdisciplinary and I love being able to learn about how different processes and theories work in tandem with each other.

Outside the classroom: I’m passionate about social justice initiatives and have had the incredible opportunity to manage and co-lead a social justice passion project where I get to work alongside different student leaders and explore different issues and paths forward.

Favourite summer activity: My favourite summer activity is going for walks around my neighbourhood to grab a cold drink.

One thing about me: I’ve been living in Toronto for the past seven years, but I was born in the Dominican Republic and I’ve also lived in China. That’s why I can speak English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin.

In my studies: I like how both my programs are interdisciplinary, which allows me to learn issues from various perspectives. I enjoy learning about how we experience the environment we live in, how we are affected by it and also how we are changing it. Most importantly, I can directly connect what I learned in classroom to the real world around me!

Outside the classroom: I enjoy taking pictures on film. It’s something I picked up in Grade 11 after taking a film photography class. Since the pandemic started, I haven’t had the chance to take a lot of pictures, so I hope to go on more film adventures this year.

Favourite summer activity: Going on adventures around the city with my film cameras, trying out different food places and picnics with my friends.

One thing about me: I love watching movies and I watched over 30 movies in the summer of 2020. My favourite directors are Ang Lee, Greta Gerwig and Wong Kar-Wai.

In my studies: I am fascinated by the concept of social construct in sociology, that is, the idea that the invisible structures we take for granted and consider normal are actually coercive, man-made and subject to change.

Outside the classroom: I am an avid baker and cook. I love sharing food with my friends and doing dessert exchanges with them. Baking started as a quarantine hobby and grew to be a way for me to connect with my loved ones and feel nostalgic. It is also surprisingly therapeutic.

Favourite summer activity: Roaming or biking around the neighbourhood during golden hour.

One thing about me: I love music! I play two instruments (piano and flute, though I haven’t picked up my flute in a while!), and literally hoard Spotify playlists (currently at #260!). My #1 artist is BTS and it is hard to rank the rest, so currently I have just been listening to a lot of: The Weeknd, Chase Atlantic, Frank Ocean, keshi, Roy Woods, and Odunsi (the Engine), but there is so much more! I’m also a big Marvel fan :)

In my studies: My favourite thing about both my programs is learning about current research and advances in the fields. I just started with the Environmental Science major but I am very excited to learn more about sustainability and the environment especially. As for Health and Disease, I really enjoy learning about treatments and therapies used for various diseases.

Outside the classroom: Over the past year I have become a bit more involved at St. Michael’s College (SMC). It’s one of my favourite places on campus to be; the people there are so nice. At SMC, we’re working on expanding a program called the Talking Circles, which is essentially group peer-support for students on campus.

Favourite summer activity: I really love spending time outside. My favourite pastime in the summer is definitely just walking around parks or the city, and I especially love taking pictures while I’m out.

One thing about me: Over the pandemic I really got into yoga. It’s been helpful to take some time to stretch and de-stress when working and studying from home.

In my studies: I really enjoy learning about research and the new advances we’re making in understanding human health and disease, especially mental health and wellness.

Outside the classroom: I am graduating in June so just taking this summer to relax (much needed) and hopefully travel a little bit!

Favourite summer activity: I am looking forward to the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) since it will finally be returning this summer. It’s always a great way to end the summer and I definitely recommend checking it out if you haven’t gone before.

One thing about me: I am deeply in debt with the Toronto Public Library. I regularly take out books that I know I will not have time to read, even during finals season.

In my studies: I study history and am fascinated with tracing historical trends and effects into the modern day, discovering how they manifest themselves now and how we view them.

Outside the classroom: In my free time I love biking and running. These are my main sources of exercise and also my preferred commute method. I have a genuine belief that I am the best city biker in Toronto. This is obviously misguided but nobody has proven me wrong yet.

Favourite summer activity: I love swimming, camping and canoeing during the summer. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to travel to the Bruce Peninsula at least once a year, and it’s always a wonderful experience.

One thing about me: I am a big fan of Marvel! :)

In my studies: I enjoy learning about various mechanisms that occur within the cells and their contribution to the overall function of the body. I also enjoy learning about math. My favourite part is applying different concepts to solve a novel problem that might be difficult to solve using conventional methods. In addition, the application of mathematics across different fields fascinates me!

Outside the classroom: I love to watch movies and TV shows in my spare time, especially the ones about superheroes!

Favourite summer activity: I love going for walks in the park. I also enjoy trying out new recipes.

One thing about me: I’m always happy to chat about crime documentaries.

In my studies: I love working with numbers.

Hobbies: Crocheting, learning how to play the piano, learning how to swim, gardening.

Favourite summer activity: Walking through a trail and getting coffee.