Zhila Semnani-Azad, Nutritional Sciences

Throughout my graduate career, I have been an active member of numerous student-run associations and a dedicated student ambassador and mentor. I have been a regular contributor to my department newsletter, Nutrizine, and have held many positions within the Nutritional Sciences Graduate Student Association (NSGSA). I have worked to establish new connections, share my experiences and interests around research in the sciences, and to improve student and faculty engagement. Through involvement in mentorship programs at several university levels and as the New College Senior Doctoral Fellow for Human Biology, I have provided students with guidance in navigating and excelling in academics, in obtaining research opportunities, in scholarship applications, and in balancing academic and non-academic commitments. My involvement at the University of Toronto over the past several years has assisted my peers, Department, and faculty to build strong relationships and a closer community, and has allowed me to meet and learn from fellow students, faculty, and researchers who excel in their own fields and have made commitments to share their knowledge with others. I truly believe that in order to grow as an individual, it is important to share with and learn from others. Taking on leadership roles throughout my time at the University of Toronto has provided me with a multitude of opportunities and has helped me foster and gain invaluable skills that I look forward to extending to all my future endeavours.