Grad Life Insights From ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ's 2013 Killam Doctoral Scholars

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is pleased to introduce you to some of the recipients of the 2013 Killam Doctoral Scholarships. The awards provide financial support for Doctoral students completing advanced research at the University of British Columbia.

The Killam Doctoral Scholarships recognize some of ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ's most outstanding doctoral students and provides them with the financial support to complete their research. This year's recipients hail from across Canada and around the world, and each has found ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà to be the ideal place to pursue their PhD. Students relish in the opportunity to work alongside ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ's world-renowned faculty members and researchers. We asked our most recent additions to the ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Killam family to share some of their thoughts on what makes their time at ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà time so special.

Aaron Weidman is conducting research at the and remarks, "ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ’s social-personality psychology area is full of faculty members conducting some of the best research in social-personality psychology."

For her part, recipient Tegan Haslam found it difficult to choose only one supervisor among the exceptional faculty at the , where she is researching a particular fatty acid found in plants.

Jason Fice was drawn to the "internationally renowned injury biomechanics researchers" who supervise his research into how neck muscles react in car accidents at the .

Currently in the midst of their research, this year's recipients find themselves impressed by the beauty of , which serves as both inspiration and relief.

Jacqueline Davis, who came to ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà from New Hampshire, remarks, "I find the physical beauty of this place utterly inspiring – I feel limitless personal potential looking out on the mountains or across the waters, or walking amid the huge, stately trees."

Dan Cohen, of Toronto, adds, "You always hear people say it, but Vancouver really is a beautiful city."

For Anja Nowak, from Germany, it has been "the friendliness, the tolerance and the diversity of the city" that has surprised her the most.

Others spoke about the opportunities that arise as a result of ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ's international connections.

Brett Kolesnik never thought he’d find himself visiting the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon, France as part of his research in probability theory with the .

Meanwhile Sabine Laguë has conducted research into the cardiorespiratory system of high-altitude geese with collaborators in Tibet, Peru, and Brazil, and remarks, "These global experiences have significantly shaped the way I think as a scientist."

As for advice for future ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà graduate students, recipient Michael VanInsberghe recommends students take advantage of all that ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà and Vancouver offer, and "don’t forget to ". And spoken like a true Vancouverite, recipient Selena Couture advises 'it’s really worth it to ".

The Killam Doctoral Scholarships are the most prestigious awards available to graduate students at ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà and provide $30,000 per annum for two years and a $2,000 allowance for research-related travel.

New Fellows (in alphabetical order by surname)

For more on the Killam awards and fellowships available at ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ.

Written by Darryl Hol

Ìý

Thursday, 10 October 2013