1. How are you applying your degree in Psychology from Concordia?
It is not the degree itself that is applicable, as much as the experiences and mentorships that came with it. These experiences and mentorships I benefited from at Concordia allowed me to pursue bigger dreams and to work with internationally distinguished scientists, culminating in a visiting scientist position at Northeastern University. I was also able to secure a postdoctoral position at McGill University, where I helped pioneer the first awake preclinical neuroimaging program in Canada. For this and more, I am truly grateful to Dave Mumby and Wayne Brake for making my Concordia experience an unforgettable one.
2. What do you value most from your experience in the Psychology program?
The ability to interact with some of the coolest, brightest minds in Montreal. Particularly noteworthy is the emphasis that the Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology (CSBN) places on students viewing each other as family, focusing on working together rather than against each other. Unfortunately, this an aspect that is largely absent at other institutions and programs.
3. Is there a particular memory that stands out from your time at Concordia?
Rather than a singular memory, I fondly remember something that happened on a regular basis. Lunch time in the grad lounge were true events where undergrads, techs, grads, and postdocs would come together to eat, talk science and, above all, act silly. There were no boundaries in terms of status or rank in the grad lounge.
4. What advice would you give to someone considering graduate studies in a Psychology program?
Do it and remember to focus on experiences and true relationships. If you really want to learn, you can do it anywhere, but the experiences you collect along the way are unique. Mine were the most memorable at the CSBN. In my opinion, success is the combination of meaningful experiences you accumulate throughout a journey, not the number of letters you can collect after your name.