Azhir Mahmood  🚀 🤖 🧬 🧠 🪐

Sounds fun. I did Astrophysics (mostly Maths). But was barred from continuing into Part III b/c of medical complications during the exam period. (Common story for disable students there). Built an AI startup after I left, now just applying for MPhil & PhD.

I'm sorry to hear that the system prevented you from achieving your goals. There's a big piece of work going on at the moment about awarding gaps for disabled students, and I'm hopeful we may soon see real meaningful change.

It’s been weird watching Cambridge’s response to COVID and separately watching it’s response to its own disabled students in previous years. It felt like support was always possible. Just our lives didn’t matter enough.

Well, they’re talking about it. There needs to be contextualisation. While I was there I was bullied by academics, made temporarily homeless, my medical records were leaked, was a victim of domestic violence, etc So I had to overcome barrier and be more capable than my peers.

oh my goodness, so sorry you were made to experience all that, sounds horrendous. Hope things are better now?

Honestly, I just persevered, believing hardworking would mean I could just overcome these obstacles — when most the others left. The worst instance was when I in hospital and I recieved an email from the uni telling me I was a burden and they need to priotise their students.

In finals I was suffering w/ ptsd after my abuser strangled me, unfortunately I had to continue w/ them around me, it's not like the uni didn't know. After a friends suicide, it all overwhelmed me. My disorder got worse I sent emails begging for help, but it was exam term.