Nada Farsi, Assistant Professor
Nada Farsi graduated in 2015 with a PhD from the Faculty of Dentistry in the Division of Oral Health and Society. She is currently an Assistant Professor.
Q:聽 What made you interested in doing a PhD in your field?
I like teaching and I have always wanted to join academia. After I graduated from dental school, I got a job at the university where I graduated, and I was given a scholarship to continue my studies abroad (for which I am very thankful).
Q: What kind of support did you receive during your PhD program?
I received tremendous support from my family, especially my parents. My mother came to visit me often, and she helped me a lot. I was always happy to have her over.
From a financial point of view, I had a full scholarship from the Ministry of Education, paid through the Cultural Bureau in Canada, and I am very thankful for that.
My supervisors were very supportive and understanding. Besides the knowledge that I have gained, I learned so many skills from them.
Q: What was the biggest challenge for you in finishing your PhD?
I would say my biggest challenge was time. I know that PhDs can extend for many years, but I didn鈥檛 have time to spare. I had to go back to my country and get back to my job, and I had to also coordinate with my family鈥檚 timeline too.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge for you after graduation?
My biggest challenge post-graduation was settling into my job. I was used to having the guidance of my supervisors, and going to my supervisors when I faced problems. Suddenly, I was on my own. I missed them and I missed their guidance. I am glad we are still in touch, and we are even planning to collaborate on research projects together.
Q: Are there any experiences you had in graduate school that have been valuable to you post-graduation?
All of the guidance from my supervisors has been valuable to me post-graduation. I implement a lot of the things my supervisor taught me with my students. I even told my supervisor that sometimes I feel as if I have her as my inner voice, guiding me on how to deal with my students.
Q: What is your current position?
I am an assistant professor in the Faculty of Dentistry at the King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.聽
Q: What is your daily working life like now?聽
Now, I teach undergraduate and graduate students and I give workshops. I also conduct research. Some of the research projects I am working on now are related to the topic of my PhD project.
Q: If you could go back and tell yourself something about your PhD journey, what would it be?
I would tell myself to enjoy it, and I would reassure myself that I will complete the PhD and defend my thesis well. Looking back at that period, I was stressed on many occasions and felt hopeless at times. There were even times when I couldn鈥檛 see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just felt like it was a never-ending journey.
Q: Lastly,聽 Is there anything else you would like to share?
I would just like to add that I am very proud that I am a 苹果淫院 graduate and I always say that with pride.
Many thanks to Nada for sharing her PhD narrative!聽