The Student Spotlight Podcast

Welcome to the first episode of season 4! I hope you enjoy the podcast's fresh new look as I kick off my 4th year. There's no better way to start this season than with a thought-provoking conversation with one of my closest friends, Carol Magalhaes! She is a Junior at Northwestern University who studies molecular biology, while researching ovarian aging at the Duncan lab. Prior to her current lab, Carol spent six months doing aging research at the legendary Church Lab in Harvard Medical School. She is interested in developing methods to increase female healthspan and reproductive longevity. Outside of research, Carol also co-founded the Nucleate Dojo House, a summer fellowship for young ambitious biotech undergraduates. We hope you enjoy this episode and feel free to contact Carol on Twitter for any followup conversations or catch one of her synthetic biology talks :D If you would like to provide feedback for the podcast and which directions it can go, please let me know @thestudentspotlight on Instagram or Twitter. See you in the next episode, Spotlights!

Wow, it's been a year! A lot has changed as my 3rd year comes to an end and fourth year starts soon. In this episode, I fill you in on my updated mental models after I reflect along the last year and why I didn't podcast during that period. It was a challenging year and led to a breaking point but it's only up from here as I come to conclude this long episode with. If these topics resonate with you, I also outline beneficial action items and correct previous mindsets to help moving forward. This episode marks the end of season 3, we'll see you refreshed in the next season :D! 

Twitter! Medicine! Newborn Love! What do all 3 of these themes have in common? Lan! On this episode, the spotlight is on Lan Dao, a third-year medical student at the University of Montreal and a previous intern at the Mila - Quebec AI Institute. With her plethora of experiences, we talk all things health, philosophy, and happiness! There are tidbits for everyone to learn on this episode as we went about tackling questions like: "what is the best thing about medical school?" to "how do you differentiate work-life balance?" So catch this episode while you can, as season 2 comes to a close ;)! If you are on the bird website, you should totally follow @Lan_Dao_ for thought-provoking tweets! Lan also made some twitter shoutouts to a couple of lucky people, follow them if you'd like: @ashleydzhang, @nickcammarata, @altversachi. You can also follow me @yasmeenbrain for podcast updates. It's time to cue the spotlight to future Dr. Lan Dao, enjoy! Fun fact: Lan's secret talents include eating ice cream with her teeth and flying planes.

Beep boop beep in this EP, I am joined by three computer science friends, Alex, Andriy, and Peter, where we discuss all things esports gaming (and its connection with math!), as well as a classic Anime exposé! Here's a little sneak peek about this fun-filled episode's guests:  Alex Teeter is a first-year Computer Science student at the University of Toronto, Scarborough. His hobbies/interests include: Anime, Programming, Smash and Philosophy. He hopes to study and pursue a career in Software Engineering because he enjoys programming and likes the “logical flow” it has. Fun fact: his favorite language is Java, since it’s the one he started off with. Despite a hard year transitioning into university as a freshman,. he hopes to continue to work hard and achieve his goals! Next, Andriy is as 2nd year computer science student at the University of Toronto, Mississauga. His hobbies/interests include but are not limited to: programming, reading, and trying out food from different cultures. Andriy hopes to one day pursue research in how machine learning can be directly applied to our lives and what improvements it can provide. You can check out his weebness via his curated anime list: https://myanimelist.net/animelist/Tr_psin    Lastly, we are joined by a Pikmin Master! Speaking of, have you played Pikmin 3 Deluxe yet?! Peter is a second year CS student who is also an events coordinator for UTM's esports club. In terms of interests, he enjoys playing and competing in video game tournaments, as well as watching anime. His favourite thing about computer science is the art of programming and the application of theory in code. If you fancy gaming (especially with others),  join Peter's 1000+ member Esports server here: discord.gg/utmesports This episode was very informative in terms of the virtual entertainment industry, I'm glad we were able to explore this new virtual landscape with some friends (shoutout out to DSC [Google's Developer Student Club] for connecting us in vc). Poggers!

Long time, no see Spotlights! I have not fallen off the face of Earth in my absence over the last two months, just had a lot of big projects surface at the same time. In this episode, I update you on the various facets of this podcast as well as my invested endeavours in joining Twitter (and getting flagged lol), building artificial intelligence projects, doing lab research, writing a book, and making GAN art! A lot of things, I know. My gray hairs are amassing as we speak. If I make it out alive, I'll try getting this one super cool guest on the podcast for an episode you're sure to enjoy ;D Have a phenomenal start to your week with a listen to this episode! ✨

Happy New Year! This episode features Alexander "Sasha" Skvortsov, a 2nd year computer science and math major at Pennsylvania State University! He first started programming through the International Youth Neuroscience Association (IYNA), a nonprofit that helps high school students explore their interests in neuroscience (where we met!). Sasha is currently working on Flarum, a free, open source forum software. Outside of programming, he enjoys pottery, cooking, and listening to music. You can connect with Alex via the LinkedIn(list) at https://www.linkedin.com/in/~alexander/. If you're interested in neuroscience, you can apply for membership at the International Youth Neuroscience Association via youthneuro.org.  To help contribute to the next-generation of forum software that makes online discussion fun, check out flarum.org. Enjoy this episode with the spotlight on Sasha!

To celebrate the podcast's one year anniversary episode, Sana and I discuss very important topics that come up with our transition to young adulthood! Sana Al-Bahrani is a sophomore student studying Justice, Political Philosophy and Law at McMaster University and TAs several Innovation courses. She is also the Vice President of Operations at the Rescue Our Kids Charity and McMaster Women in Pre-Law Society. She hopes to become a lawyer, human rights advocate and a professor one day. You can get involved with the Rescue Our Kids Charity @rescueourkids on Instagram to help children and their families live happy,  healthy, and full lives. If you're interested in law and empowering one another in the legal field, you can also follow @macwomenprelawsociety on Instagram. We hope you enjoy this thought-provoking episode for the last day of 2020 and have a happy new year!

Cue the Spotlight to an episode full of laughs as I am joined by 2 classic late-night conversationalists, Alex and Ibby! Our 1st guest is Alexandra, a fourth year Computer Science Specialist and Teaching Assistant at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) who also researches online classroom strategies and education in computer science as she hopes to go to graduate school, with the dream of becoming a teacher. Outside of her studies, she is the General Manager of the Computer Science Student Society, a community determined to bring awareness to mental health, technology resources and academic support to students at UTM. You can get in contact with Alex either through https://cssc.utm.utoronto.ca/ or her fabulous Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenalexthompson/. Our next guest is Ibraheem, a third year Physics major, with minors in Mathematics and Computer Science at UTM. He is also an enthusiastic researcher at the Continuum Robotics Lab and leads as an executive member of the Robotics Club. He currently aspires to enter a career involving research and education. More specifically, Ibby one day hopes to be able to visit CERN as a distinguished Physics professor! If the stars are aligned, you can contact him via https://utmrobotics.com/ or on Instagram @ibbylinkin. === As promised in the episode, here is a running list of recommended video games by the two super cool, pog, folded brain, late night gamers: Wandersong: A wholesome game about a bird who wants to save his friends through singing. Lots of twists and really smart game design on whose story is being told. Undertale: Games are about fighting monsters, but what if you want to be their friend? One Shot: Guide a child home. Save the world. You only have one shot after all. Hades: A rogue that is incredibly rewarding for all skills. You actually want to die and lose to interact with characters and progress the story. A Beginners Guide: A feels trip for the gamers. A story about the artistic approach to video games as you delve into the psyche of a developer through his games. To The Moon: Feels about travelling through a dying man's memories to artificially grant him his last wish. Night in the Woods: A game about mental illness, reconnecting with loved ones, and finding your place in the world. Celeste: Climb a mountain, overcome your anxiety. === This late night EP is definitely one for the books!

Can you guess which OG guest is featured in this episode? Hint, in season 1, we primarily talked about problem solving with technology and the software engineering space in startups and big corporations. Ok ok enough teasing, it's Arsala Bangash! Staying true to his technological problem solving roots starting from interning at Google and Vida Health, he is now the founder of Grey Software. An organization that pairs up mentors with students to create open-source software! If you are interested in the Grey Philosophy, get involved at https://grey.software/. In this enlightening episode, we talk all about the grey areas that exist within and outside ourselves. Better than that, it's just a good 'ol chat with a friend from the KP province in Pakistan. Cue the Spotlight on Sir Arsalot!

In the 1st solo episode of season 2, I give an online school update and how I navigated the academic realization that “oh wow this is actually getting kinda hard now”. Proposed solutions and anecdotes include online lectures (skipping some of them :''D), life saving TAs, professor effort, and accountability partners. I also discuss being a fan of Discord to combat social isolation! Since it combines the voice/video services with an IRC chat network really well. Enjoy this quick EP!

Cue the 1st episode of season 2 of The Student Spotlight, to kickstart this new season with a bang, today’s guest is Nameera Azim! She's a talented student studying statistics, computer science and business at the University of Toronto. Besides school, she is an artiste and paints scenic watercolour pieces that go for online auction. You can check out her art shop via instagram @warmregarts and order some art pieces at https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/WarmRegarts. You can also reach out to her personally @nameera18 on Instagram as well. In this thought-provoking episode, we discuss societal applications of data science, explore the world of student-driven entrepreneurship, and end off with a glimpse into an artist's world. There's truly something for everyone in this EP and I'm glad it could be with the one and only, Nameera! warm regarts xoxo

Joined by one of the funniest people I know, Jack Bennett! He's an environmental science specialist at the University of Toronto and is interested in streaming video games, exploring astronomy, and photography. You can check out his Twitch Video Game streaming channel at www. twitch.tv/Hosannah and you can follow him on Instagram @jack.asmr. With a bunch of hilarious personal stories, Jack and I discuss everything from transitioning to university (especially coming from small-town living) to his legendary title of anti-procrastinator. Y'all, Jack finishes assignments before they're even introduced ;D haha just kidding but also I'm kinda not ;") This episode is a must-listen for a combo of a good laugh and real-talk. The Student Spotlight is on Jack!

In collaboration with the WiSC Talks Podcast, In today's special episode, we are joined by the new Vice-President of the University of Toronto and Principal of UTM, Dr. Alexandra Gillespie! Alex (don't worry, we got permission ;D) is also an internationally renowned researcher, published author, and director of the UofT Old Books New Science Lab. She’s won many awards in recognition of her outstanding teaching and is a Rhodes Scholar! Today we’ll get to know her a little bit better as we discuss being a female in academia, succeeding in leadership roles, and diversity/inclusion. With her classic light-hearted twist, this informative episode is one to definitely not miss! You can follow her directly @alexgillespie on Twitter ✨ This episode was a collab between The Student Spotlight and WiSC Talks Podcast, where we explore the highs and lows of student life as well as highlight stories of successful women in different industries with the Women in Science and Computing Club at UofT.

Whether you’re woohoo or boohoo about online school, this episode plays on that duality with both pros and cons. As a summer online student, I share my two cents on remote learning strategies, realizations, and tips. I also discuss the pandemic's interesting consequences on the student space! From study app startups to selling art, the student community has honestly really shone through. Even if we're not on campus this year, we still have access to the most important aspect of university. The people! So if you're on the fence on what you think about the upcoming school year, have a listen and join the conversation with The Student Spotlight!

At the Spotlight, we have Seeam! He’s a 2B Systems Design Engineering student at the University of Waterloo. Besides a ton of cool internships at companies like BlackBerry and RBC, he most recently finished a term where he spearheaded mobile product management at an early-stage health-tech startup in Rhode Island. Plus, he hosts his own podcast where he chats with other Product Managers from across the industry! With all this experience, Seeam and I discuss the various facets of SDE student life and work opportunities! You can reach out to him on LinkedIn, https://ca.linkedin.com/in/seeamislam, or his personal website, https://seeamislam.com/ So please help me welcome Seeam Islam to The Student Spotlight!

You know what, students face many personal obstacles besides obvious academic ones. Here, I attempt to tackle three of those in this episode. The first and main narrative is how to adopt effective sleep hygiene. I outline my strategies and things I've learnt from research! While explaining this, my brain naturally alludes to other fun topics along the way like, identity moratorium-ness and classic egocentrism. If any of these topics interest you, feel free to pop a listen! Also, if you think of anything remarkable, feel free to leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts :D Happy Amyloid Beta Plaque Cleaning! 

The committed period of student life comes with a lot of not-so-warranted experiences like you guessed it, burnout! In this episode, I start off by talking about my early morning essay crisis experience and how I handle the day onwards. That discussion extends beyond just surface-level "burnout" and delves into fundamental identity counterparts. The two main themes including SELF-rejection and subsequent career complexes that can arise when you suppress your true self (as cliché as that may sound). Join me in this rollercoaster of an episode of The Student Spotlight! Also, I'll get more guests soon, I promise (when exams are over ;P).

"I'll just do it tomorrow", "Augh, why do I always leave this to the last minute??", "Will I ever change this habit?!". Joined by a special guest, today we tackle these classic questions to discuss the common perils of procrastination on academia. The Ender Dragon we must all face at one point or another. This episode will hopefully give you some food for thought on how to deal with procrastination through interesting methods. From learning how to learn to "academic therapy" through CBT-inspired methods, this conversation is definitely one fit for the Spotlight. Don't listen to this "later" but instead, pick up some homework and pop your headphones to tune in!

The spotlight is on Teni! A 2nd year Brown university student, who studies liberal medical education with environmental health and inequality. The main theme of this episode is regarding black lives matter advocacy, especially from the under-represented student experience. Please listen to the end of this episode where we outline specific call to actions on what you can do as students during this time to help increase educated decisions. Alongside Teni's academia, she is a phenomenal musician! You can see more of her @teniola2.0 on Instagram & at “Authentic Soul Talk” on YouTube. This episode is definitely a must-listen to learn from, because I certainly did!

Cue the Spotlight to Vaneezeh Siddiqui, a 3rd year UofT student majoring in statistics, and double minoring in computer science and business. She is the Founder and President of the up and coming WiSC (Women in Science and Computing) club. In this heartfelt conversation, Vaneezeh brings light to her passions about leadership, people management, and empowering female-identifying students in STEM. I loved having this very well-spoken gal on this highly requested EP. You can check out her personable and educational blog @thisgalcodes on Instagram. For now, it's time to cast the spotlight on this phenomenal girl boss!