Alaa Alsaafin, Pharmacology and Toxicology

Alaa is in her last stretch of her PhD degree, where she investigates associations between genetic variation and substance use acquisition and escalation in youth. As a graduate student, Alaa realizes the importance of celebrating and empowering each other to foster a deeper connection and more inclusive community. She has a strong passion for promoting positive change in different facets of graduate student life, whether at the individual, departmental, or faculty level. 

One of the most rewarding projects that Alaa spearheaded in 2021 was the creation and implementation of the annual Leadership & Exemplary Service Award in her graduate department. She has witnessed first-hand the strong devotion and hard work of the students in the Pharmacology Graduate Students Association (PGSA), so she wanted to create an opportunity for these students’ tireless efforts to be recognized and for continuing to build a stronger community in the department. 

While this award recognizes leadership in the Department, Alaa strives to provide the support and guidance to instil this trait among her peers. In 2021, she was delighted to be elected to be the President of the PGSA. Here, she met regularly with the team of 20 students to develop and organize monthly initiatives to support students in the Department. These included social, mental health, academic, and professional development initiatives. She was also a member of the organizing committee of a departmental retreat day and a multicultural event to continue promoting a sense of community in the department, especially after two years of no in-person events!

While fostering teamwork and leadership skills in the various PGSA initiatives, Alaa found that students devote little time establishing their career paths, where these skills would be most valuable. As such, she was selected to be the President of the Life Sciences Career Development Syndicate (LSCDS; formerly known as the Life Sciences Career Development Society), a student-led association in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine that promotes professional development opportunities for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research associates. In this capacity, Alaa led a team of over 20 students in developing and organizing accessible events for students to network with professional guests and hone skills that will make them marketable following their degrees. 

From these experiences, Alaa’s primary goal is to inspire positive change and help improve the graduate experience for her peers and professors. In 2022, she was honoured to receive a number of leadership awards this year, including the UTFA Al Miller Memorial Award, Graduate Community Development Fund, Exemplary Leadership & Service Award, and Departmental Teaching Assistant Excellence Award. Through all these engagements, Alaa strives to serve the community and be a positive role model.