Eureka! International Student Spotlight: Elbaraa Abdelsadek

Drawn to the program’s interdisciplinary focus and Canada’s strong research ecosystem, Elbaraa has made the most of his time at Carleton through student involvement and hands-on industry experience. We caught up with Elbaraa to talk about his academic journey and plans for the future. 

Hi Elbaraa! What drew you to Carleton’s nanotechnology program? 

I’ve loved science since I was a kid. It was challenging for me to choose a major because I was interested in math, physics, and engineering as well. I learned about nanotechnology through a casual conversation with my dad’s friend and was intrigued. When I began reading about it, I learned that it meant I should study chemistry, but that I’d also get to study other disciplines. 

I came to Carleton to study nanotechnology because I wanted to specialize in it from the beginning. Carleton was one of the only places in the world to offer me that experience at the undergraduate level. I knew that coming to Canada was a great idea because there’s a lot of research happening in the field. I like the program because I study physical chemistry, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, math, physics, and more. I find the multidisciplinary nature of my major useful because I know I’ll be able to apply it to every area of my work once I graduate. 

How have you gotten involved during your time at Carleton?

Carleton has an active student life. I’ve been involved with multiple associations including the Egyptian Student Association, the Carleton Science Student Society, and others. All my involvement has helped me meet new people which is especially important as an international student. My friends have become more like my family which is the part of the university experience I’ve enjoyed the most. 

You recently completed a co-op placement in Toronto at Sanofi – the global research and development company that produces pharmaceuticals and vaccines. What was that like? 

Working at the Toronto site was especially unique because it’s Canada’s only vaccine manufacturing facility. I worked in manufacturing science and analytics, supporting good manufacturing practices by monitoring critical parameters, validating consistency, and helping ensure regulatory compliance for Health Canada, the FDA, and other international agencies. Unlike a lot of co-op students who focus on a single stream, I was exposed to multiple vaccines across both upstream and downstream processes. Overall, it gave me a deep understanding on large-scale vaccine production. 

You’ve gained a lot of multidisciplinary experience so far. What do you think you would like to do upon graduation? 

I will likely do a master’s and maybe a PhD later, but I think industry experience is extremely valuable so I may work for a year or two once I graduate and see what happens. I think working gives me a greater understanding on my field and makes my research much better. 

What advice would you give to a high school student interested in pursuing chemistry, nanotechnology, or another scientific field?

Work experience is incredibly useful. I pursued co-op because I knew it was an investment into my future. Look for opportunities yourself, reach out to your professors, and don’t be afraid to connect with people in your industry on LinkedIn. Lean into the multidisciplinary nature of your program – whether it’s chemistry or another field – to learn what you like and where you want to go in the future. 

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