From sustainability research to study hacks, this PhD student is rethinking how we learn

While she enjoyed biomed, she wasn’t a standout student. Mahmood felt like she was constantly just trying to stay afloat with endless classes, labs and tutorials, while never getting to dive deep into any of the subjects that were introduced. Classes often scratched the surface of many topics, and Mahmood was left with many unanswered questions. “I never felt like I could truly understand something,” she says. 

Ironically, while her appetite to learn was voracious, her grades made her feel like she wasn’t cut out for graduate school. But after graduating in 2017 and working at TMU’s Science Discovery Zone, Mahmood was drawn back into research. “I just loved learning and I knew that I was willing to try very hard to become better,” she says. 

She started studying solar cells, looking at ways to improve photovoltaic devices, and how to make it easier to use in glass or windows. She researched the possibility of a spray material that would act as one layer of the social cell, and then build upon that with more layers. “I really engrossed myself in the whole learning process, which is exactly what I wanted out of grad school,” says Mahmood.

While she was writing her thesis during the pandemic, Mahmood realized she wasn’t ready to stop exploring the potential of solar cells. But a PhD would be more challenging — and she hadn’t prepared for the tests and committee meetings that come with a doctoral program. While preparing to transfer into the PhD program, she started to think about how to approach learning more strategically. 

“I realized that I never really learned how to learn, and that was probably one of the reasons why I struggled so much in undergrad and high school,” says Mahmood. She researched learning methods, and shared her findings on an Instagram account (@ReedaDesigns) to post not only study tips, but also how to be more productive and stay motivated. More recently, she launched Study Squad Live, a community and live event series for students looking to connect and level-up their study habits.

“A PhD is very long and you can easily lose motivation and become burnt out,” says Mahmood. “I wanted to make sure that I gave it my all but that I wasn't setting myself up for failure.”

It turns out the research itself has been a sustaining source of motivation for Mahmood. She has expanded on her Masters’ research, exploring the possibilities of solar technology. And in an era where headlines can inspire climate doomism, Mahmood finds comfort in knowing she is doing her part. 

“Researchers really do help expand a field, bit by bit,” says Mahmood. “Working on a project like this helps give you a little bit more clarity and sense of purpose.”

That she is making this contribution as a materials chemist is something she couldn’t have predicted. It took years to understand that her grades weren’t a reflection of how ambitious she could be. Thinking back to her high school self, Mahmood wishes she could tell herself one thing: “You are as smart as you think you are.”