Innis College’s Ethan Kim hit all the right notes on his way to convocation

When Innis College’s Ethan Kim graduates today, it won’t be the only honour bestowed on him this spring.

In March, Kim received a Student Engagement in the Arts Award from U of T. And in April, he received a Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award which recognizes U of T students for both their academic performance and co-curricular leadership. In Kim’s case that meant pursuing his studies in neuroscience and cell and molecular biology, including research into drug addiction; as well as his personal love for music.

Innis College was the perfect place for the latter. He was a regular at Innis Jamz, a bi-monthly jam session for college musicians; for the past two years, he was co-director of the Innis College Choir; and he worked on the Woodsworth, Innis, New College Drama Society production, Moby Dick! The Musical.

Kim spoke with A&S News before his convocation.

Congratulations on winning the Cressy Student Leadership Award. How does it feel?

To be honest, considering how many amazing student leaders come out of Innis, I was surprised to be chosen. There are many students who could've been recognized. But of course, I was happy and honoured to receive it. I really couldn't have done it without the support of my college's principal, Charlie Keil, and a lot of friends along the way.

What has your research interest been during the past four years?

I’m interested in drug motivation – in other words, drug addiction. My current research is to determine whether a protein called phospho-CREB can switch an animal from needing a drug to just liking it. We call these the drug-dependent-and-withdrawn and drug-naive motivational states. We’re hoping to find a switch that turns off drug addiction. A discovery like that would have huge implications for the current opioid epidemic.

You were involved in quite a few musical activities at Innis. Was this an important aspect of being at the college?

Music has always been a huge part of my life whether it was playing piano or being in bands in high school. So when I was able to stay involved with music at U of T, I was really happy. It was a big part of my college and residence experience. I met most of my friends through the Innis College Choir – shout-out to the Innis College Choir! And while singing isn't my bread and butter, music still gave me a creative output. It kept me involved and took my mind off studying when I needed it.

You also started your own podcast – Lecture Me Not – while at U of T. Can you tell us about it?

The podcast was meant to help break down some of the barriers between students and professors and to make the professors more approachable by showing students that they're people too. Listeners learn about the professor's life journey and how they got to where they are. It also showed how different professors take different approaches in teaching their various courses. It was also fun to hear professors being laid back and casual.

What would you say to someone considering attending U of T and Innis College?

If you want a challenge and are up to the work, then U of T's the place for you. There are top-notch research opportunities with great professors. It’s definitely a challenge, but it's do-able. At the same time, don’t forget: it may seem like grades are the top priority, but your personal health is so much more important than your GPA. As for Innis? Well, we're the best college regardless of what the other colleges say! We have an amazing registrar's office that supports you. I liked being in a small, close-knit community. And, it's really easy to get involved, there's tons of opportunities including student leadership, clubs and more.

What are your post-convocation plans?

I’m still working in the same lab, but I applied for the molecular genetics and Institute of Medical Science programs at U of T. Employment and grad school are on the horizon so there’s lots of work to come, but I’m excited for that next step because it’s an opportunity to continue to explore drug motivation – or maybe a whole other area!

What advice would you give your first-year self?

Don't be scared of the future. If you keep working, you'll eventually get there. Don't worry about other people's expectations. As long as you meet your own expectations, you'll be okay. And sleep more. Definitely sleep more.