Grad Students' Photo Stories | Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

Grad Students' Photo Stories

Take a closer look at the work being done by our graduate students!

Experience the journey of our talented graduate students at Guelph. From the field to the lab, studio to the community, they're making a difference.  
Explore their inspiring photo stories below!

If you are a current U of G grad student and want to be considered for a photo story, please submit your proposal here.

 

Kayley Head, MSc Integrative Biology

 
Kayley Head, MSc Integrative Biology grad student at U of Guelph

 

Kayley embraces every opportunity as a grad student here at Guelph. Her research takes her into the field, collecting water samples to biomonitor small populations of at-risk fish species. 

Erica Isomura, MFA Creative Writing

 
Erica Isomura, MFA Creative Writing at U of Guelph

 

Erica's shared studio is in the rectory of an old church in downtown Toronto. She showed us archival items and artifacts that inspired her MFA thesis, Sifting.

Dr. Nellissa Stalenhoef, DVM | Phd Integrative Biology + One Health

 
Dr. Nellissa Stalenhoef, DVM | Phd Integrative Biology + One Health

 

Nelissa is an OVC alumna as well as a current grad student planning research on trumpeter swans. Once a week, she makes the journey up to the Aspen Valley Wild Animal Sanctuary in Rosseau, Ontario to treat a variety of Ontario wildlife who have been brought to the sanctuary for rehabilitation.

Safia Mahabub Sauty, PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology

 
Safia Mahabub Sauty | PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology, at U of Guelph

 

"Alongside my research in the lab, I run teaching labs for undergrads as a TA and mentor undergrad students in my lab. I organize and participate in different outreach events targeted toward grad students, international students, and underrepresented minorities. All of these have created a holistic grad school experience for me that meets my scientific and personal passion.

It takes a lot to move across continents all by yourself in the pursuit of knowledge, to absorb the culture shock while you hit the ground running in grad school, to make friends, and create a sense of community. It took time, but I eventually found my sense of belonging at UoG, and I want to put the message out there that it's gonna be alright."

Samuelle Grande, MFA Studio Art

 
Samuelle Grande | MFA Studio Art at U of Guelph

 

Samuelle finished her MFA thesis with an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Guelph.  Conveniently located on the other side of campus from her studio, she decided to walk the large paintings over to set up for the opening.

"My practice is informed by daily life and consists of drawing, painting, and installation. The pleasure I take in painting is like walking with no particular destination in mind. Unlike a runner on a treadmill who remains in the same place, I enjoy walking aimlessly and being surprised while connecting with the present moment. To me, painting is an embodied practice, a way of affirming my presence through my senses."

Mariah Crevier, MSc Population Medicine + Epidemiology

 
Mariah Crevier | MSc Population Medicine, Epidemiology at U of Guelph

 

Mariah's MSc research trial on pain management for castration of newborn bull calves at the Ontario Beef Research Centre, Elora.

Moira Ijzerman, PhD Environmental ScienceToxicology 

 
Moira Ijzerman | PhD Environmental Science + Toxicology at U of G

 

Meet Moira at one of her river sites... 

"I'm developing a new method for monitoring the presence and levels of pesticides in Ontario's rivers. I'm using biofilms (communities of organisms that grow on rocks in rivers) and a potential alteration sampling tool. I've designed and created samplers which grow biofilms (I call these samplers periphytometers) and I've deployed them in rivers across Ontario."

Aleksandra Dolezal, PhD Integrative Biology

 
Aleksandra Dolezal, Integrative Biology PhD candidate

 

"I study spiders and their diet in agricultural systems to see if they are effective biocontrol agents. Spiders are usually seen as scary and I would love to show how wonderful and useful they are as biocontrol agents."

Hannah May, 2022 MASc Water Resources Engineering

 
Hannah May, U of Guelph Engineering graduate student in a river

 

"In my research I'm studying nutrient transport throughout different components of the hydrologic cycle, such as the stream water, sediments, and groundwater in a watershed that eventually discharges to Lake Huron."