Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
I chose to pursue my PhD at the University of Waterloo because I view my research interests as heavily applied, something that UWaterloo also prizes. The philosophy department at UWaterloo interested me because they offer an applied program with the opportunity for an applied research placement.
My research at Waterloo has been quite varied, I completed a Research Area in epistemology and values in science, as well as an Applied Research Placement in bioethics, which centered on medical assistance in dying. Currently, I am working on my dissertation which aims to understand the relationship between overprescribing pharmaceuticals and environmental harm. I'm passionate about my research because it deals with real issues, and insight into the aforementioned ethical problems can potentially have practical impacts.
I began my academic journey at the University of Toronto where I graduated with High Distinction with an Honours Bachelor's of Science in psychology and philosophy. I then attended the University of Western Ontario where I completed a Master of Arts in Philosophy.
The best part of being a graduate student is the freedom to explore my academic interests beyond the classroom.
For new graduate students, the best advice I can offer is to be open to learning new material and to take each and every opportunity to share your work with others; there is no better place than a conference to receive constructive criticism for your work.
A challenging aspect of being a graduate student is dealing with large-scale projects, such as a dissertation. I think the scope of a dissertation can be daunting, but viewing it in smaller pieces, as chapters or sections of chapters, can help make the project as a whole more digestible.
Recently, I penned a book about the Covid-19 pandemic titled: Covid-19 in Canada and Abroad: Essays on the Pandemic, it deals with the science and policy measures that have become paradigmatic of the pandemic. The book aims to look at issues surrounding the pandemic from a novel perspective, one that engages with and attempts to understand different points of view and the scientific evidence for such positions. What began as an attempt to better understand the policies and literature of the pandemic, became a drive to write about and document the pandemic, which has serendipitously culminated in a book.
Country of origin: Canada
Domestic or International: Domestic
Academic stream: Research
Full-time or part-time: Full-time
Research supervisor: Christopher Lowry
Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.