SOAR Mentee Spotlight - Leyla Gurbanova

Meet Leyla Gurbanova: Leyla is an undergraduate at the University of Alberta pursuing a BSc Specialization in Computing Science. She joined the Soar with Mentor community as she wanted resources and guidance to achieve her career goals. She shares that Soar With Mentor has been an incredible journey that has given her a broader perspective on her future career and the impact she wants to make.

What excites Leyla most about tech is the potential to drive meaningful change and help those that need it. She believes that AI, in particular, has the power to enhance accessibility, whether through personalized learning, assistive technologies, or resource optimization. It can help streamline processes in industries like healthcare, finance, and education, making services more efficient and widely available. She is especially fascinated by how AI-driven automation and data-driven insights can optimize decision-making, boost economic growth, and create opportunities for people worldwide. She believes that the key, however, is ensuring that these advancements are ethical and benefit humanity as a whole.

Leyla shared that the most memorable part of Soar with Mentor is her mentor, Sanjeevani. In such a short time, Leyla learned more from Sanjeevani than any other experience. One of the most valuable lessons Sanjeevani shared with Leyla is to treat life's challenges as opportunities for growth and to see every setback as part of a larger journey that ultimately leads you to where you belong. She's also helped Leyla reframe life as a series of experiments, each one bringing Leyla closer to my highest potential. Beyond technical skills, Sanjeevani emphasized the importance of interpersonal growth.

When asked about her favourite publications and podcasts, Leyla shared that she always finds TED Talks and the TED Tech podcast fascinating, especially when they dive into AI's potential and its ethical implications. On a more personal level, she enjoys Mark Manson's podcasts for their grounded and honest approach to self-improvement. She also likes tuning into Lex Fridman's Podcast for deeper discussions on AI, philosophy, and technology.

A fun fact about Leyla is that she is deeply passionate about art in all forms. She has written countless songs, started (but not quite finished) a couple of novels, and even had her paintings displayed in galleries. Up until her last year of high school, she was convinced she would pursue a career in the arts. But her love for math and problem-solving led her down a different path, one that blends creativity with logic in ways that she never expected.

If she had to describe her journey with songs, she would pick Vienna by Billy Joel for its sentimental and reflective nature, or Coming Home Song by Sammy Rae & The Friends for its fun, lighthearted energy. She believes that life isn't meant to be approached with tunnel vision. Instead, the world is a vast canvas where we can learn, grow, and strive to be our most authentic selves.

Finally, here are some key takeaways Leyla has for the SwM community:

• To my fellow mentees: don't be afraid to take up space. Ask questions, share your thoughts, and show up as your full, authentic self. The best connections happen when we let go of the fear of "sounding dumb" or "not being good enough". Your mentors are here because they want to help you grow, and you deserve to be in this space just as much as anyone else.
• And to the mentors: Thank you for everything. Your guidance means the world to us, and the more open, honest, and vulnerable you are about your own journeys, the more we learn from you. Keep inspiring, and we'll keep striving. 💙

Leyla’s enthusiasm and engagement makes her a role model for the Soar With Mentor community! Thank you for sharing your experiences!

Who should we spotlight next? Reply in the comments to let us know, and to share your thoughts with our spotlight mentee!