Meet Parasvi Patel

Parasvi Patel graduated with a Honours Bachelor of Science, Health & Disease and Cell & Systems Biology, and is currently a PhD candidate for the Department of Medical Biophysics from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and University of Toronto. In her spare time, Parasvi likes to paint, garden and read.

When did your love of STEM begin?

My father worked in a laboratory in India. Since I was in the third grade, I used to go to the lab with him on the weekends. If I was well-behaved (most of the time!), he would let me look at leaf or onion cells under the microscope. I realized some years later that most, if not all, of the mechanisms that keep us alive and make life on earth possible can't be seen with the naked eye. This began my fascination with science.

What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?

The best part about working in STEM is that it is fun and incredibly fulfilling. The child-like curiosity we all have can be channeled into figuring out the inner workings of our world to an atomic level if we want to. Doing research and going to the lab is like doing a puzzle and going to an adult playground!

What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?

Don't be afraid. Ask for what you want. Find a mentor.