The Mentorship Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Dr. Sarika Cullis-Suzuki is a marine biologist by trade, science communicator, and co-host of The Nature of Things. Sarika holds a bachelor’s degree in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s in Zoology from the University of British Columbia, and a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of York in the UK. In 2022, Sarika took on the role of co-host for The Nature of Things on CBC, following in the footsteps of her father, the legendary David Suzuki. In this conversation, we explore the fascinating field of marine biology and what it means to build a career in science communication. 

If you liked this episode, we recommend our previous episodes:

S4E02: Dr. Shawna Pandya, Physician & Scientist-Astronaut Candidate - The Field of Space Medicine (Spotify, Apple, Our Website)

S3E01: Dr. Imogen Coe, Professor of Biology - Becoming a Leader in STEM & Academia (Spotify, Apple, Our Website)

Fill out our anonymous feedback form to let us know what you want us to include in future episodes.

Follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. New episodes every other Tuesday. Also available to watch on YouTube. 

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about our mission and services.

Maria Papadakis is a sport media alum from Toronto Metropolitan University. Maria is currently a digital audio producer and talent at KiSS 92.5 with the iconic Roz and Mocha Show, as well as a host for Toronto FC. In this conversation, Maria shares her inspiring journey of pursuing her dream career in media, including internships, a remarkable seven-year career with Toronto FC, and her success in the fast-paced world of radio. 

If you liked this episode, we recommend our previous episodes:

S4E01: Sarah Jenkins, CBC Sports Producer – A Career in Sport Media (Spotify, Apple, Our Website)

Fill out our anonymous feedback form to let us know what you want us to include in future episodes.

Follow and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. New episodes every other Tuesday. Also available to watch on YouTube. 

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about our mission and services.

Michal Malyska is a machine learning scientist and engineer. Michal received a Bachelor of Science in math and statistics from the University of Toronto. He then completed a Master of Science in statistics at UofT. During this time, he joined a startup called Semantic Health as its first employee, where he worked as a machine learning scientist. In this conversation, Michal talks about his experience as an international student, career trajectory changes, the startup space, and more.


If you liked this episode:
S3E03: Maggie Ma, Geospatial Data Scientist - How to Break into the Field of Data Science. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. 

Fill out our anonymous feedback form to let us know what you want us to include in future episodes. 

New episode every other Tuesday! Follow & subscribe on your preferred podcast platform.

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about the mission and services of Ment. 

Shiwangi Singh is a search and social specialist at Havas Media Group. Shiwangi completed her bachelor’s degree in banking and insurance in India. After working in finance, she made a career transition and explored marketing. Shiwangi moved to Canada and studied marketing management at Humber College, followed by social media marketing at Seneca College. In this conversation, Shiwangi tells us about how she built a career in marketing, advertising, and social media.

Connect with Shiwangi: @themirroredlife on Instagram & TikTok
 

If you liked this episode, we recommend our previous episodes on similar fields:
S4E01: Sarah Jenkins, CBC Sports Producer – A Career in Sport Media

S1E06: Stephanie Loureiro, CSO of Speer Technologies – From Media Production to Tech

Fill out our anonymous feedback form to let us know what you want us to include in future episodes. 

New episode every other Tuesday! Follow and subscribe on your preferred platform. 

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about our mission and services. 

Dr. Shawna Pandya is a physician and scientist-astronaut candidate. Dr. Pandya received a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from the University of Alberta. Then, she received a Master of Science in space studies from the International Space University before returning to the University of Alberta to complete her medical degree. In this conversation, Dr. Pandya tells us all about how she merged her passions through the field of space medicine. 

Connect with Dr. Shawna Pandya:
Instagram/Twitter: @shawnapandya, LinkedIn, Facebook

If you liked this episode, we recommend our previous episode, S3E04: Dr. Humza Nusrat, Medical Physicist - Shepherding Physics and Tech into Healthcare. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. 

Fill out our anonymous feedback form to let us know what you want us to include in future episodes. 

New episode every other Tuesday! Follow and subscribe on your preferred platform. 

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about the mission and services of Ment. 

In our season four premiere, we are joined by Sarah Jenkins a sport media producer, content creator, and host and producer of Talking Fast. Sarah received a Bachelor of Arts in sport media from Toronto Metropolitan University. She is currently working as a producer of strategy and special projects at CBC Sports for the Olympic Games. In this conversation, we breakdown the field of sport media and Sarah’s career.

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/kybhz3bIK5w

Connect with Sarah:

Talking Fast Podcast

Social media: sarahjenkinsxo

If you liked this episode, we recommend our previous episode featuring an RTA School of Media alum, S1E06: Stephanie Loureiro, CSO of Speer – From Media Production to Tech. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. 

Fill out our anonymous feedback form to let us know what you want us to include in future episodes. 

New episode every other Tuesday!

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about the mission and services of Ment. 

In our first bonus episode, we dive into the pre-law journey, featuring Yosser Kareem, the head chair of the Pre-Law Association at York University (PLAY). In this conversation, we talk about the steps leading to law school, including choosing an undergrad, mock trial competitions, LSATs, law school applications, networking, and more!

Connect with PLAY on Instagram

If you liked this episode, we recommend our previous episode, S3E05: Narin Sdieq – The Path to Becoming a Lawyer. Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or our website. 

Fill out our anonymous feedback form to let us know what you want us to include in future episodes. 

New season coming February 6th. Follow & subscribe to stay tuned.

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about the mission and services of Ment. 

In our season three finale episode, we are joined by Sahar Kausar, a technical director at Disney Television Animation. Sahar attended the University of Florida and received a dual Bachelor of Science in computer science engineering and digital arts, as well as two art minors in studio arts and fine arts. She then completed a master’s in entertainment technology at Carnegie Mellon University. After graduating, Sahar worked at Walt Disney Imagineering as a technical animator and animatronics programmer, then at Walt Disney Animation Studios as a character technical director. Some of her notable projects include Encanto, WISH, Baymax!, and Tokyo Disneyland: Enchanted Tale of Beauty & the Beast. Now, Sahar is a technical director at Disney Television Animation and is currently part of the team for Monsters at Work on Disney+.

In this conversation, Sahar tells us how she merges her passion for art and engineering through her career. She also tells us about the different roles she has worked in at Disney and the steps that she took to achieve these positions.

Connect with Sahar: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn

Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about the mission and services of Ment. 

Episode Transcript

This week, we are joined by our first lawyer, Narin Sdieq. Narin attended York University and received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in political science and a minor in women’s studies. She attended law school at Queen’s University and completed her articling position at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Now, she is working as a lawyer in the Department of Justice in Ottawa. 

In this conversation, we break down every step to becoming a lawyer, including high school initiatives, the LSAT, law school, internships, articling, the bar, industry positions, and more! Narin also tells us how she incorporates her passion for social justice and her interest for the different types of law into her career today. 

New podcast episodes every Tuesday. Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about the mission and services of Ment. 

0:00: Intro | 2:22: Early life | 7:15: High school initiatives | 9:38: University options & undergraduate degree | 22:19: Law school applications | 31:46: Law school at Queen’s | 43:13: Articling | 46:39: Studying for the bar | 51:00: Current role at the Department of Justice & future goals | 56:58: Outro 

Episode Transcript

Dr. Humza Nusrat is a medical physicist, researcher, and professor. Dr. Nusrat attended Ontario Tech University, formerly known as UOIT, and received a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences. He then attained his PhD in biomedical physics at Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly known as Ryerson. Following his PhD, Dr. Nusrat completed his medical physics residency. Now, he is working as a medical physicist in one of Canada’s largest cancer clinics at Sunnybrook Hospital. He also works as an assistant professor in physics and leads his own research lab building virtual reality tools for healthcare. 

In this conversation, Dr. Nusrat breaks down a career path in medical physics and its importance in healthcare. He also discusses scholarships, research placements, career opportunities, and more! 

Connect with Dr. Humza Nusrat: Twitter & LinkedIn
 

New podcast episodes every Tuesday. Produced by Ment Projects. Follow @mentprojects on all social media platforms for updates and more mentorship resources. Visit our website to learn more about the mission and services of Ment.