Tasfia Hazari was the President of the Biomedicine Society during 2023-2024. She reflects upon the past year, recounting the events that were organised by the committee. Several achievements are also highlighted, some of which include the Biomedically Speaking Podcast as well as Biobites and the Passionflash and BioArt Competition Finals.
The sixth year of the Biomedicine Society has been a challenging year. I am Tasfia Hazari, the President of the Biomedicine Society for 2023-2024, and this is a reflection on the incredible journey we have had over the past year.
We kicked off the year with Freshers Week, where we met each other for the first time and introduced ourselves and the society to the new cohort of Level 4 HBID and Biomedical Science students. The following day, at the Freshers Fair, we attracted prospective members and welcomed back existing ones for another year. To create a more diverse cohort, we reached out to students from courses outside of Biomedicine and HBID. Our first social began that evening with a screening of Dr Arijit's documentary about glaucoma and his associated work.
Our initial events included weekly sports sessions and CV workshops delivered by our secretary, Mariam Yaqoob. Alongside these, we organised a variety of activities such as charity stalls to raise money for aid in suffering countries, book club catchups, and a bowling event. This year, we introduced three new initiatives: the Debate of Science, the Biomedically Speaking Podcast, and BioBites sector of the society. The scavenger hunt was a lot of fun, where the committee got to act, and members got to enjoy the creativity and solve clues like detectives. A memorable experience was the 12-hour live stream which helped our members, who joined in, to become closer; this was the most unique and engaging event we planned.
We raised money for KidsCan through a boxing event where one of our BioSports Leads, Kayla Keza Millane, participated and gracefully won. Another highlight was the BiomedSoc Winter Dinner, where our academics joined us to relax and enjoy the end of the first trimester. Additionally, we participated in the Morson Group’s Go Beyond Women in STEM Celebration, speaking about our society to many phenomenal women in STEM and recruiting new members. We also introduced our society in a GEMSPA event by inviting attendees to various events and promoting our society.
Our primary objective of this year was to help students in such a demanding course relax and enjoy university life while providing opportunities to build their portfolios, gain volunteering experience, and network with fellow students. We achieved this by supporting and involving volunteers in every event possible, providing networking opportunities by collaborating with other societies and their members, and starting BioBites to create more opportunities. This year has truly been remarkable, filled with growth, challenges, and unforgettable memories.
Truly significant was the Biomedicine Society’s event, “The Finals.” Despite several hiccups, we managed to execute a beautiful event centred around sustainability. The event concluded with four grand winners displaying their talents in arts, literature, and presentations of their unique passions, in our yearly Passionflash and Bioart events.
The year culminated on a high note with a grand masquerade gala, “The Final Show,” at the stunning Gorton Monastery. The event was an exquisite blend of classic elegance and modern flair. The soft, melodic tunes of a harpist welcomed us, setting a serene and elegant tone. The service from the Monastery team was impeccable, ensuring everything ran smoothly and adding to the evening's enjoyment. The food was delicious, offering a variety of dishes that pleased every palate. As the night progressed, the atmosphere became livelier and more vibrant. We had the pleasure of meeting students from other universities who joined us, making the event even more special. The night culminated in dancing, with everyone hitting the dance floor and celebrating the end of an unforgettable year together.
This year, we introduced a delightful new mascot for the Biomedicine Society, created at the last minute but quickly becoming a beloved symbol of our community. The idea for the mascot emerged spontaneously during a fun and memorable moment in one of our group chats. At one point, everyone was trying to get my attention, and they started calling me a "host cell." Overwhelmed by the bombardment of messages, I humorously responded by addressing everyone as my viruses. This playful exchange turned into a tiny inside joke within our group, which we felt perfectly captured the spirit of our society.
After a final voting for this new one of a kind member, the members of the Society decided to name it “Host Cell”. This mascot is a leaving memory from my committee and shall hopefully be embraced by the committees to come.
Reflecting on this journey as the President of the society, I am immensely proud of our strides and the positive impact we have had on our members. Leading such a vibrant and dedicated community has been an honour and a joy. While it is bittersweet to step down, I am filled with excitement and confidence as I hand over the reins to a deserving new committee.