Meet our Students

Iman, 3rd year Biological Sciences

Tell us what you're doing in the video
I am feeding mosquitos with my own blood! One of the most meaningful experiences of my studies has been working as a researcher in a lab where I studied the physiological and molecular properties of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito associated with the transmission of yellow fever.

Why did you choose SFU?
From the moment I received my acceptance letter until now, SFU staff and faculty have provided me support, including involvement opportunities and financial aid, that allowed me to pursue my passions. Additionally, the opportunity to explore other disciplines through Breadth courses meant that I did not have to limit myself to only taking courses related to my major.

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
I hope to pursue a career in the field of neglected tropical disease research. Coming to this decision was not an overnight occurrence but rather the product of inspiration through SFU professors, such as Dr. Carl Lowenberger.

Erina, 5th year Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology major

Tell us what you're doing in the video
I am using ultrasound to see how the muscle architecture changes with activity, which can help us understand how it relates to performance. I received an Undergrad Student Research Award (USRA) to study this, which I turned into my honours degree.

Why did you choose SFU?
I chose SFU because of it’s high reputation for the Kinesiology program. The fact that it was close to where I live was a bonus.

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
I am considering some kind of career in rehabilitation. My current choice is occupational therapy, while continuing clinical research.

Zara, 1st year undeclared major

Tell us what you're doing in the video
The scene in this video was a recreation of a very special day for me. As I walked the stairs up to the Academic Quadrangle on my first day at SFU, my anxiousness gave way to excitement.  I have always had a wide range of interests which has made it difficult for me to declare my program right away. At SFU I found myself in the midst ofendless opportunities; from Behavioural Neuroscience to Environmental Geoscience - the Faculty of Science offers many programs. I can’t wait to explore these programs and find out where my passion truly lies. 

Why did you choose SFU?
As Canada’s top comprehensive university, SFU offers numerous programs and research opportunities. I chose SFU because not only do I want to learn but also because I want to take part in research projects where alongside other students and professors, I get the opportunity to apply all the knowledge I have been accumulating since high school to real life situations. 

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
My ultimate goal after graduating from SFU is to study medicine. My inspiration comes from witnessing Doctors Without Borders in action. One of the reasons why I am passionate about studying science is because I would like to explore fundamentals of medicine in subjects such as biology, chemistry, kinesiology, physics, and even mathematics!

Gaby, 2nd year Earth Sciences major

Tell us what you're doing in the video
In the video we were returning from a weekend of camping in Merritt BC where we learned basic field methods and characterized rocks and sediments in the area . We were literally getting off the bus when the video was shot!

Why did you choose SFU?
I chose SFU because it is close to home, it is a well-respected school, and the Earth Science program offers more field school and hands on opportunities than most other universities.

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
I am considering a career in mineral exploration or environmental geoscience, there are a lot of possibilities and it is difficult to choose!

Alli, 4th year major in Chemistry and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry

Tell us what you're doing in the video
I am simulating the intramuscular injection technique on an orange. This is a common training tool for pre-meds to understand the basics of properly loading and manipulating a syringe for an injection, such as flu shots!

Why did you choose SFU?
I chose SFU for its friendly community environment, scientific research opportunities and diverse array of campus clubs and organizations. Receiving the Gordon M. Shrum scholarship helped me appreciate that I would be academically and financially supported throughout my undergraduate career, too! 

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
After graduation, I hope to pursue my dreams of attending medical school to become an anesthesiologist!

Sean, 3rd year Mathematics major

Tell us what you're doing in the video
In the video, I am performing a well-known algorithm to solve a Rubik’s cube. Professor Jamie Mulholland can be seen writing out the algorithm on the blackboard.

Why did you choose SFU?
One reason why I chose SFU was because of its proximity to my home. Being only half an hour away from SFU by transit allows me to save money on housing and time. Another reason is because of the generous financial support SFU offers to its students - I was a recipient of an automatic entrance scholarship and I continue to receive an open scholarship each semester. This is a big help for me financially!

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
I would love to do research in applied mathematics! SFU has some of the best researchers in the world and it's been inspiring to work with a number of them.

Daniel, recent MBB & Computing Science graduate

Tell us what you're doing in the video
I'm doing the famous “hat toss” to commemorate my graduation after 5 great years at SFU. 

Why did you choose SFU?
I chose SFU because of its strong co-op program which helped me land my current job.

What type of career are you considering now that you have graduated?
I was considering a career in bioinformatics during my studies. Now, I am working as a Computational Biologist at a world-leading bioinformatics centre: Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre.

Anish, 4th year Chemical Physics major

Tell us what you're doing in the video
In the video, I am looking through the telescope in the Trottier Observatory, gazing at the stars.

Why did you choose SFU?
I chose SFU because they have a reputable nuclear science group and leading researchers in other fields that I was interested in connecting with.

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
After graduation I aim to pursue graduate studies and continue my path to becoming a research scientist.

Fernando, 5th year Statistics & Actuarial Science major

Tell us what you’re doing in the video
In the first shot we are throwing the girls high in the air, this is what we call a "cheer basket". Later on, in the close up of me when the flyer is thrown up in the air, I am performing a "toss (to) hands". A toss hands requires the flyer to jump explosively and for me to give a powerful but controlled throw. These skills may look difficult, but I did not have any previous cheerleading experience before trying out for the cheer team at SFU.

Why did you choose SFU?
I chose SFU because it gave me the flexibility to plan my education. I doubt that I would be majoring in Actuarial Science with minors in Philosophy and Psychology had I not had the opportunity to be as flexible with selecting courses as I have been at SFU. I appreciate the multidisciplinary approach that SFU offers.

What type of career are you considering after graduation?
I am hoping to go to medical school and apply my statistical training to the health and medical field.