Grad Students' Photo Stories

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'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.

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.

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

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."

"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."

"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."