My second year at McGill has been fantastic so far. I’ve been quite busy since my last blog post, what with a great summer working in a McGill lab and a semester filled with interesting courses and engaging extra-curriculars.

I was fortunate enough to spend the summer in Montreal doing chemical engineering research at McGill in the field of polymerization. I learned so much about how research is conducted, and being able to apply what I’d learned in the classroom to actual problems being faced by the academic community was an amazing experience. I even created a poster with all my findings and presented it at the Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering Poster Fair.

The start of school came all too quickly, of course, but at the same time it was really nice to return to the classroom. This semester’s classes have taught me about the more diverse aspects of chemical engineering, from biotechnology to materials science. I really love how, as a chemical engineer, I get to study so many different disciplines, all of which are extremely engaging and applicable.

I’ve taken on some new extra-curricular activities this year, as well as continuing with others from last year. This year, I’m the VP Events for the Malaysian & Singaporean Students Association. In this role, I plan events to help bring the Malaysian and Singaporean student community at McGill together. Our recent events, like the Deepavali Celebration and Dessert Night, have been really successful, and planning has already started for our biggest event of the year: next semester’s South East Asian Night. Over 150 people attend the event each year, and I can’t wait! I am also participating in the McGill Not-for-Profit Consulting Program, where I’m working with other students to provide pro bono consulting services to a local NGO. The project will continue over the winter semester, and I’m really excited to see where it takes me. I’m still continuing my volunteering work from last year. I’m now volunteering at the Montreal Ches t Institute in the Therapeutic Recreation Department, where I work with long-term care patients with respiratory illnesses. Chatting with the patients while we do activities together always makes my day a little bit brighter.

The Schulich Leader Scholarship has supported me as I continue to expand my horizons and explore all that McGill has to offer, and for that I’m very grateful.