Preparations are well underway as instructors plan to continue teaching remotely in the Fall 2020 semester, learning from the lessons of the quick pivot to online delivery in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Graduate students are an integral part of labs across the Faculty, and they have been hard at work adapting to online community-building. research, and course delivery in the Faculty of Science—while reflecting on successes last semester and preparing for the fall.
Adrian Velazquez Osorio and Duong Bui are both graduate students in the Department of Chemistry. Like all members of our community, their research has been affected by COVID-19—but they’ve also experienced unique opportunities in the new normal of online course delivery. Hear from them as they share their thoughts on the winter semester, and what they’re most excited for in Fall 2020:
Adrian Velazquez Osorio
Graduate student Adrian Velazquez Osorio.
Tell us about your program.
I am in the masters of chemistry program and am working on the development of energy materials for organic solar cells, studying under Professor Jillian Buriak.
What drew you to pick the University of Alberta for your studies?
As an international student wanting to study in Canada, I found the University of Alberta to be a leading institution in research. I found courses that aligned with my intereses and their respective professors were recognized experts in their fields. Additionally, the University of Alberta has access to resources likeNanoFAB and interinstitutional collaboration which were also opportunities I wanted to explore.
I chose to work with Professor Jillian Buriak because I was impressed by her academic achievements and because I wanted to participate in her work in photovoltaics. I wanted to learn from her team and be mentored by such a friendly and engaged person.
Tell us a bit about your experience in the Faculty of Science.
It's had its ups and downs, especially during these strange times. However, I have found there is always someone willing to help and the faculty has succeeded in supporting its students.
What was your experience with the transition to online courses last semester?
I had a good time taking CHEM 536 (Synthesis and Applications of Inorganic and Nano-materials) and CHEM 534 (X-ray Crystallography) online. I found it very helpful that the professors recorded the lectures so that we could go back and revisit topics later—both in terms of additional review and for exam preparation.
It was also very convenient to have direct one-click access to resources—including articles, videos, and more—which complemented the lectures. In a regular lecture, we might have had to write down the URL during class and manually search it later but through Google chat or eClass, these materials were easier to find and more accessible. It was also nice to attend these lectures from the comfort of home.
What are you most looking forward to for the fall?
I want to jump into my research project and to join the fencing club once they reopen.
Any other messages of encouragement for new and returning students?
Starting a new program may seem daunting but before you know it, you'll be halfway through it and eventually finished! The University of Alberta will give you a chance to make awesome friends and learn a lot; take advantage of all that the University of Alberta has to offer and make the best of it, even in these difficult times!
Duong Bui
Graduate student Duong Bui.
Tell us about your program.
I am taking a PhD in the Klassen lab under the supervision of Professor John Klassen in the Department of Chemistry. Most of our work is related to glycans analysis and glycan-protein interactions studies using mass spectrometry.
What drew you to pick UAlberta for your studies?
I wanted to experience the Canadian education system and wanted to visit Canada, therefore I checked the top universities in Canada. I chose the University of Alberta because I was impressed by some of the ongoing research projects here.
Tell us a bit about your experience in the Faculty of Science.
My experience in the Faculty of Science has been very positive. I have been receiving a lot of support. The academic environment is professional and the research facilities are well equipped.
What was your experience with the transition to online courses last semester?
The online courses that I took went well. We had some small troubles at first with the online format because of technology issues, but as the semester progressed they turned out well. We had more discussion and reading opportunities with the online format, which is beneficial for students—especially for graduate students. Instead of normal lectures during the online classes, the instructors gave us recorded lectures before meetings to watch and think about potential problems and prepare our questions. We needed to watch the videos and read the materials to support our discussion, and I found that I learned more by doing so.
Like some other students, I usually wait until the exams to study. Reviewing many topics in a short time for the exams prevents me from thinking about the problems in depth. However, last semester, when I needed to change my study style, I had time to go wider and deeper and understand the topics more. In addition, the discussions with lecturers and other students engaged me to think and read more. In general, I had positive experiences with the online courses.
What are you most looking forward to for the fall?
I am looking forward to diving into my research projects.
Any other messages of encouragement for new and returning students?
I believe that I was not the only student who had a good impression of the online courses. The online format has many positive aspects that you can enjoy. I hope that some courses can move online permanently in the future, after the COVID-19 pandemic.