Meet this morning’s Science valedictorian

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You are unique -- just like everyone else, says Aadil Ali, valedictorian at the June 16 morning convocation for the Faculty of Science. He should know. He has an identical twin brother studying engineering at Mac.


If you had a superpower, what would it be? What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you? Aadil Ali, valedictorian at the June 16 morning convocation for the Faculty of Science, answers these and other pressing questions in our Daily News questionnaire:

1. Your home town:
Brampton, Ontario

2. Your degree & subject area:
Honours Bachelors of Science – Molecular Biology & Genetics

3. Where are you headed after convocation?

Most likely going to Williams with my family to get some lunch (hahaha). On a more serious note, I’ll be headed to the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto. I’ll be doing research in the department of thoracic surgery, investigating methods to increase the donor pool of transplantable lungs.

4. Your best memory of Mac?
This is a tough one because I’ve had so many memorable moments at McMaster. I will remember Mac for all the laughs and smiles that it has been able to bring to my life. There is one funny situation that always comes to mind that happens to me quite frequently. I actually have an identical twin brother who is studying engineering at McMaster. A lot of his friends and classmates don’t know of me, so I always get stopped on campus by people I have never met. As a joke, sometimes I would spend minutes speaking to the person, pretending to be my brother – until they eventually figured out it wasn’t him.

5. The best advice anyone ever gave you?
Someone once told me, “Always remember – you are unique, just like everyone else.” Although this seems a little demoralizing, I interpreted it in an entirely different angle. What I got from this is that we are all different, and we all have our own destinies. There is no point comparing yourself to others, and setting standards for yourself based on another individual’s achievements. Work hard, be the best person you can be, and life will take care of the rest.

6. Your biggest accomplishment so far?
With the help of many friends and students at McMaster, I was able to provide a bunch of gifts for the patients at McMaster Children’s Hospital last Christmas. This was done through raising funds and having toy drives at different locations across Hamilton. I felt like this was my biggest personal accomplishment because it proved to me that little steps could amount to big things.

7. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
I’ve been asked this question many times. My unanimous answer is the ability to fly.

8. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned (so far)?
Never be afraid of failure. In my younger undergraduate years, I was very intimidated to apply for things because I had a big fear of rejection. I went out of my comfort zone in the last few years, and have impressed myself with the amount I have been able to achieve.

9. What do you think the future holds for higher education?
I believe higher education will shift towards more interdisciplinary learning. Social media and technology have made it possible for us to connect in ways that we were never able to before. Through sharing ideas and applying different building blocks from a variety of fields, I believe that we will have the ability to build towers. I think once we master this ability, we will see a paradigm shift in the way we look at higher education.

10. While at Mac, did you receive donor-funded financial assistance (e.g., a scholarship, award, bursary)? Any thoughts on the importance of giving back to your alma mater to support future generations?
Many people do not realize this, but McMaster offers many awards outside those that are related to academics. Some are application-based, however, some are also contest-based. For example, I wrote a poem for McMaster’s Common Reading Program Writing Contest in first year and won $400, which went towards buying textbooks.

Giving back to the university in my opinion is an investment. More specifically, it is an investment to continue to improve the quality of resources and tools available for future generations. It is also a way to show appreciation that we had the opportunity to attend university. Education should not be taken for granted.

Learn more about Spring 2016 convocations here: http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/grad/convo-dates/

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