Gonzalo Dejo Mau speaks candidly about how he’s learned to challenge cultural assumptions.
“When people get emails from me and they see my name is Gonzalo, they are expecting someone who ‘looks’ Latino, Latin American or Hispanic,” he says. “My last name is not very indicative. But then when I present myself… they think, ‘wait, how does that work?’”
“I’m a Canadian citizen” he says. “But even though I have a citizenship from Canada and Peru, culturally I’m Peruvian and ethnically I’m Asian.”
Now in his third year of the Honours Health Sciences Program (HHSP) at McMaster University, Gonzalo has spent the last three years at Mac finding a community of like-minded Latinx students and creating space for the diversity that exists within the Latin American diaspora.
Gonzalo’s family history is deeply rooted in Peru’s multicultural past. His grandparents immigrated from Asia – his father’s side from China and Japan and his mother’s side from China – escaping war in the early 20th century and seeking work opportunities abroad. Although his grandparents arrived in Peru well after the Guano Era, the earlier wave of Asian migration during that period meant they already had contacts and a small community to turn to. These connections shaped their decision to immigrate to Peru.
“So when some people are like, ‘hey, how are you Latin American?’ then I have to go through the story of how my grandparents immigrated from Asia and my parents were both born in Peru, and so was I,” he says.
Making his way to Mac
Gonzalo didn’t see himself staying in Peru long-term. Given that his dad had Canadian citizenship from living here previously and many of his family has ties to British Columbia, he decided to come to Canada for his final two years of high school, staying with a friend of his family’s. He knew he wanted to pursue postgraduate education in healthcare and Mac was the perfect fit, for many reasons.
“I wanted to be close to family, especially my grandparents. It might sound silly but the proximity of McMaster to an international airport was so important to me,” he says.
“And being close to the Greater Toronto Area opens up so many opportunities, too,” he adds. “I have all the big hospital networks downtown.”
And so in 2023 Gonzalo began his studies in one of the most sought-after undergraduate programs in Canada. He describes his time in the HHSP as a deeply transformative experience, helping him grow both academically and personally, offering access to inspiring instructors, meaningful friendships, and eye-opening coursework.
“I think it’s been a 10 out of 10 experience,” he says. “It’s given me the opportunity to meet a lot of people and take classes that have opened my eyes to new experiences.”
Creating a community on campus
Gonzalo’s involvement in the Latinx student community at the university began during Welcome Week, when he met a Health Sciences rep.
“I was talking to them and telling them how I was from Peru. We talked about soccer and then they told me I should look into LANMU.”
LANMU – the Latin American Network at McMaster University – is composed of students, staff, and faculty who have various ties to Latin America and its diasporas. Curious and excited, Gonzalo began attending LANMU events and quickly realized there was a larger Latin American community on campus than he had expected.
Through these events, he met Joy, another student with shared interests, and together they co-founded LABS (Latinx Association of BHSc Students), a student group within the HHSP.
What started as a social club soon evolved into a support and advocacy network, especially after they realized how few Latin American students were in the program. LABS began working with faculty to explore targeted support, propose equitable admissions pathways, and promote Latin American academic excellence and research opportunities.
“It was a good opportunity for us to get together and also be able to support each other… not just to see how many students we have, but how we can collaborate and work together to attain our goals.”
Beyond advocacy and support, LABS has also fostered a sense of cultural celebration and connection. Gonzalo and his friends often explore Latin American cuisine together, visiting restaurants across Hamilton to enjoy Peruvian, Mexican, Venezuelan, and Colombian dishes. One of their favourites is Peruviano on Locke Street, which offers a nostalgic taste of home.
Learning about himself through research
One of the most meaningful connections Gonzalo made through LANMU was with Elena Verdu, a professor in the Department of Medicine and director of the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute who is originally from Argentina. Their shared Latin American experiences gave them common ground, and Gonzalo eventually joined her lab to study probiotic modulation in celiac disease.
“Celiac disease is a very complex condition. It affects about one per cent of the Canadian population,” Gonzalo says. “What’s interesting to me is the fact that celiac disease does not only have gastrointestinal symptoms, but it affects many organs and involves a complex immunological pathogenesis. And the fact that I’m doing wet lab research and can learn beyond theoretical knowledge is amazing.”
His dedication and strong project work earned him a Summer Farncombe Student Award, which recognizes scientific and academic merit alongside a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
“As a mentor, it’s incredibly rewarding to see Gonzalo develop the curiosity and skills needed to become a future clinician-scientist. We need more young people who can bridge patient care and research, and students like Gonzalo give me hope for the next generation,” says Verdu.
Looking ahead, Gonzalo is seriously considering a future that blends clinical practice with research. His interest in this dual path stems from his lab experience and conversations with mentors who have followed similar tracks. He’s currently paired with a medical student through the Latin American Mentorship Program and continues to be inspired by Verdu’s own MD-PhD background.
Through research, mentorship, and community-building, Gonzalo has carved out a space at McMaster that reflects both his academic ambitions and his cultural heritage. Whether in the lab or over a plate of pollo a la brasa, he’s found connection, purpose, and pride in the identity he brings to campus.
“It’s that sort of community here that I don’t think I would have been able to find somewhere else,” he says.