Program: Biochemistry, Biotechnology Specialization; Cell and Molecular Biology Option
Year: 3
Stream of study: Co-op
Pronouns: She/Her
Career goal: Pediatric Healthcare Research (Clinical or Medical Biochemistry)
How I get involved: I am a regular volunteer at the Open Houses and I contribute in as many welcome events as possible. There are also a bunch of club activities run by the Biochemistry Student Association and Science Society that I attend to connect with other people in science programs!
Why I love my program
Biochemistry helps me understand how life works on a molecular level and explore all of the chemical reactions happening in living systems. Learning about how cells communicate and how molecules interact is both challenging and exciting. What really motivates me is seeing how these discoveries connect to real-world applications in research, health, and technology. The Biochemistry program also has some really interesting Chemistry and Biology labs so I got to do things such as synthesize acetaminophen, observe the types of bacteria in dairy products, extract pDNA, and create some cool-looking solutions!
Why University of Waterloo?
Waterloo offers an amazing combination of strong academics and hands-on experience. The co-op program was a big draw for me since I get to apply what I learn in-class directly to real-world research and industry settings (and also earn money for tuition!). What's more, the Faculty of Science is an amazing community of people with lots of opportunities to get involved beyond the classroom. We also have Cobalt the Dinosaur as our faculty mascot...who can say "no" to that!