OUR GRADUATE STUDENTS
The Faculty of Health is home to a community of more than 850 graduate students working towards a healthier future. Understand more about grad student life - from the grad perspective.
SHOSHANNAH SPEERS MSc PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH SYSTEMS
The pandemic pivot
When we were getting news about the COVID-19 outbreak becoming a global pandemic, MSc Public Health and Health Systems student Shoshannah Speers knew she’d have to rethink her research plans. Her intentions to travel to the Philippines to conduct her research had to be altered. Pivoting her research plans meant she has been looking to understand more about the experience of community volunteers who have given up their time to address the emergency food insecurity amongst some of the country’s income-poor during the pandemic.
VICTORIA ATABAKHSH PhD AGING, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Outstanding faculty
Victoria Atabakhsh knew that she wasn’t done learning as she was completing her master’s degree. She was drawn to the collaborative PhD Aging, Health and Well-being program in the department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. She now refers to her fellow students, colleagues and professors as family. But it was the outstanding and approachable faculty members that drove her to her prepare her application for the program.
“I knew Waterloo had a collaborative Aging, Health and Well-being program and once I met my potential supervisors, I knew it was the right fit. I am grateful to be here.”
Victoria’s research focuses on the care partnership between adult daughters and their older adult parents. She is interested in exploring intergenerational cohabitation and the way that it influences daily life, relationships and leisure.
NICK FRANK MSc KINESIOLOGY
Passion for your field
It can take anywhere from three years and up to make the perfect pair of running shoes. Nick Frank, a graduate of the MSc Kinesiology program, is part of a dedicated research team whose goal is to create exceptional footwear for basketball players around the globe. While under the supervision of Professors Jack Callaghan and Stephen Prentice at the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, he performed research on how cushioning can change the running mechanics in runners and non-runners. With the connections he made while at Waterloo and his persistence and passion for working in this field – his career took off straight after graduating with a position at Nike.
WILFRID NTIAMOAH MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Flexibility
When he discovered that the University of Waterloo offered remote courses for its Master of Public Health program in the School of Public Health Sciences, Wilfrid Ntiamoah was keen to apply. Living in a community in Canada’s northern Qikiqtaaluk region (also known as the Baffin region) and working as an environmental health officer, it was a good fit. Today, Wilfrid credits graduating from the program as having a direct impact on his current role as Director of Population Health.
What does it look like to be a graduate student in the Faculty of Health?
We asked some of our grad students to show us. Over a period of time during their studies, we asked them to take footage of their lives.
