The Department would like to congratulate Alaa Alsaafin for her outstanding contributions to leadership and service to the UofT community!
Alaa was recently awarded a prestigious and competitive award from the Graduate Community Development Fund (GCDF). The GCDF was created in partnership with the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies (SGS) in March 2017 to provide merit-based equity awards recognizing exceptional students on campus for their contributions to the graduate student experience. Alaa has shown unwavering commitment to her peers and we are pleased to see her recognized with this award.
The Committee was extremely impressed with Alaa's application and contribution to the betterment of our graduate community.
As the President of the Pharmacology Graduate Students Association (PGSA), Alaa supported the team in coordinating monthly initiatives to support students in the Department and create a stronger sense of community. Among her many accomplishments, Alaa created the annual Leadership & Exemplary Service Award in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology. Alaa views herself as part of the thriving community of exceptional graduate students in the Department “I have witnessed first-hand the strong devotion and hard work of the students in the PGSA, so I wanted to acknowledge their tireless efforts in contributing to the university experience and building a stronger community in the Department”. Alaa is also a recipient of this year’s University-wide award, the UTFA Al Miller Memorial Award for demonstrating leadership and contribution to graduate student life.
Alaa was also elected President of the Life Sciences Career Development Society (LSCDS), which is 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, I lead a team of over 30 students in developing and organizing accessible events for students to network with professional guests and hone skills that will make them more marketable following their degrees.”
