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We’re continuing our saga of introducing you to the graduate panelists for this post, and today we’d like to tell you a little bit about Hamza Bin Taufique. Hamza is pursuing his PhD in Molecular Genetics, and has been with U of T 5 years. He has some good, quick info for you to access, so read on!

What does a regular day look like for you?

A lot of my time is spent in a lab doing experiments, reading papers or writing grants/papers. Evenings are split between doing volunteer work, working on student life projects, and socializing with friends.

Are you local to Toronto, or did you move here for school? If so, where from?

I’m not a local of Toronto proper. I am originally from the suburban GTA town of Brampton.

Do you have a favourite study spot at U of T?

The UC Quad is amazing for getting some reading done.

Are you involved in any groups on campus? 

I’m the co-chair of Grad Minds, a Grad Room Community Animator, and am part of a few committees dealing with graduate students.

What is the biggest stress you have about being a graduate student?

Uncertainty of experiments and continuously having to evolve your hypotheses – but somehow that is also the fun part of graduate school. It’s very rewarding when you finally crack a research question.

Do you have any advice for incoming graduate students?

Plan your time in graduate school – have a day-to-day schedule and a long term schedule for goals that you want to achieve. Stick to this plan as much as possible. Also, I cannot stress this enough – make sure you are involved in activities/hobbies apart from your research.

What is your least favourite part about being a graduate student at U of T?

Lack of interdisciplinary collaborations.

What’s your favourite “have-to-see/go-to” spot off-campus, in Toronto?

I love being around the water and Toronto has a lot of cool places fr viewing Lake Ontario. My favourite go-to spots are: (1) Polson Street next to Sound Acadmey, (2) Leslie Street Spit (Tommy Thompson Park), and (3) Humber Bay.

 

As always, stay tuned for some more great ideas of how to get by in grad school, and where to spend your “not-in-the-lab” time!