Alumni on Success

Mohamed Sultan Mohamed Ali

Explore all the available opportunities at UBC. You may not have the same opportunity again.

Andrea Goldson Barnaby

Make the most of the opportunities that present themselves. Try to have a balance in life.

Ali Dashti

Hang in there. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Rami Nader

Have a plan, but be open to alternative opportunities and be willing to follow unplanned opportunities as they come up.

Jill Hamilton

Present and publish your research early and get involved with the community of researchers you see yourself engaging with for the rest of your career. Becoming active in your research community.

Naomi Robert

Take every opportunity possible to learn about organizations/industries that might be of interest to you in your future careers. Talk to other professionals, ask about their positions, what they find challenging and rewarding in their jobs, and how they got into their field...

Lauren Hunter

What you think your life will look like will almost certainly turn out to be something different. You can't control the "what", but you carry who you are - your values, relationships, ability to learn and change your mind - with you as you go. So think of university more as...

Kevin Shopsowitz

Try to understand your reasons for doing graduate studies before just jumping into it. It can be a long and challenging endeavor, and I think it is important to know your long term goals and motivations to get through it. Also, try to find a research area/question that you...

Peter Frischmann

Be curious, adventurous, and fearless! Go out and pursue internships in industry, teaching, journalism - whatever interests you. The biggest failure of my graduate program was a lack of career planning beyond being a university professor, a path that only one in five grad...

Bruce MacKay

A mind should be both open AND agile! Look constantly outside your box, and live out your values in everything you do.

Clement Cheung

Networking, networking, networking!!

Michael Donaldson

When it comes to the job market, expect the unexpected. Few graduates, even those who truly excelled at their studies (have a tonne of papers, diverse research experience, large collaborative networks) land their dream job. My advice is to apply for everything, including...

Amy Kirkham

Don't limit yourself - there have been many times where I've been told that my chances of achieving something are not likely, or that other people don't usually do what I wanted to do. Be persistent in the pursuit of your goals and do not let others dictate your...

Arash Takshi

Being a graduate student is a unique opportunity for engaging in deep research and developing a passion for the community. Do not miss that opportunity!

Christine Marie Tipper

Learn how to enjoy the process - immerse yourself. And be honest with yourself about what you truly desire. Remember that there are many routes to success, and with dedication, you can create your own path.

Chang Liu

Don't be afraid to fail. More can be learned if you figured out why something didn't work the first time around.

Elaine Anderson

I feel like I should say that you should study something practical, but I can't. Follow your heart and study what excites your brain. On the practical side I would suggest you try to find a job in an area related to your studies while you are going to school. Even though...

Ryan Philippe

Follow your heart, and listen to your gut: always do what you feel is right, and never rationalize yourself down the wrong path - at the end of the day, you need to be able to look at yourself in the mirror, and like the person looking back at you. That means developing...

Vanessa Lapointe

Keep a wide open mind! You never know who you might cross paths with and how this will become significant down the road. Seek out relationships, build bridges, and make connections. Education from books is one thing but an education from marinating in the relationships and...

Obi Griffith

Develop skills and interests that provide for a variety of career options. Only pursue academic research if you are very passionate about this all-consuming activity.

Freddy Pina

Finish your bachelor studies ASAP, and get involved on projects in small or mid-size companies. After a year or two, try to get an idea of what your next step will be and what master's program you want to pursue. If your path is in academia, then you should go directly to a...

Barry Po

Take the time to be clear about why you're in grad school and what you want to get out of the experience – the skills you learn in grad school can have a tremendous influence on the impact you have in the world around you. Enjoy every moment of it!

Andrew Ming-Lum

Especially for graduate students at the bench, my advice would be to get outside of the lab and meet people. Attend lectures, conferences and networking events. Establishing contacts, whether it be for collaborations or future career opportunities, will always serve you...

Hooman Rezaei

Every little experience matters. Do not give up on any new opportunity just because it is not worth it. Try to land on a good job rather than just taking any job to make some money.