Experience
| University of California - San Francisco | DeRisi Lab Bioengineering PhD Candidate | San Francisco, CA | 2017 - Present Developing technologies for high throughput screening of host factors vital for LCMV infection. Designed and constructed syringe pump module for producing lysate for understanding Plasmodium falciparum protein translation processes. Awards & Funding: Berkeley Fellowship for Graduate Study |
| Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard | Hung Lab Academic Research Technician | Cambridge, MA | 2015 - 2017 Characterized and validated transcriptional signatures of ESKAPE pathogens following exposure to multiple classes of antibiotics using RNASeq and Nanostring. Investigated failure modes during the development of a novel RNA-based rapid diagnostics assay. |
| The Mechanobiology Lab @ MIT | Kamm Lab Undergraduate Research Assistant | Cambridge, MA | 2014 - 2015 Investigated the role of platelets on cancer cell extravasation using a microfluidic vascular network model and confocal microscopy. Characterized epithelial permeability due to immune cell presence and the subsequent effects on cell-cell junctions. Awards & Funding: Znaty-Merck Research Prize 2015 |
| Chung Yuan Christian University | Center for NanoBioengineering Undergraduate Summer Intern | Zhongli, TAIWAN | 2012 Advisor: Dr. Walter H Chang, Professor of Biomedical Engineering Supervisor: Dr. Cheng-An Lin, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Synthesized gold nanorods (AuNR) of a nanoscale range of lengths and characterized the variation in product quality of each method. Investigated the effect of AuNR size on surface modifications and bioavailability. |
| Endospan Summer Intern | Herzliya, ISRAEL | 2015 Prepared literature reviews on current standards of aortic arch repair using stent graft systems and summarized comparison results with proprietary stent designs. Summarized and safety requirements and results of fatigue and durability testing of proprietary stents for submission towards the FDA Medical Device Regulation application. |
| Canada/USA Mathcamp Junior Counselor (JC) | Tacoma, WA | 2012 Coordinated the arrival and departure logistics of over 30 staff members and 120 high school students from 11 countries. Organized large-scale field trips (100+ participants) and evening events (under 50 participants) to engage students in both academic and social activities. |
| The CLIAHUB | Chan Zuckerberg Biohub (CZ Biohub) Volunteer Technical Lead | San Francisco, CA | 2020 The CLIAHUB has processed over 150,000 tests for communities throughout California, including to many communities that might otherwise not have had access to testing. Helped establish the CLIAHUB testing lab. Programmed BRAVO liquid handlers for scaled-up qPCR assays for COVID-19 testing. Trained new volunteer to handle COVID-19 samples and run standardized qPCR tests. Led one of four rotating shifts from March 2020-August 2020 for guaranteed 48-hour result turnover. Member of the CLIAHUB consortium (See Publications). Press: 60 Minutes, Bloomberg, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Newsletter (March) and (October), Synapse, UCSF Magazine, and This Week in Virology (TWiV) episode 677 |
| Alternate Spring Break (ASB) | PKG Spring Break Volunteer Organizer | Cambridge, MA | 2012 - 2015 Coordinated with both the MIT Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center and over 10 different non-profit organizations to send 50 students/year on service learning trips across the US. Aided in the transition from a student run organization to an administration organized spring break activity. This student organization has since become an official MIT program and renamed to PKG Spring Break. Awards & Funding: Tau Beta Pi Spring Philanthropy Fellowship · Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center Grant |
| Spokes America | Treasurer & Presenter San Francisco, CA - Washington, DC | 05/2014-08/2014 Fundraised and managed a $40 000 budget for a 7 member cross-country cycling trip lasting 60 days. Organized and visited 10 established teaching stops with collaborating community organizations in 13 States and Washington DC. Reached over 200 students, teachers, and community members in full-day sessions of exploring engineering and science through hands-on, tinkering activities. Funding Sources: Priscilla King Gray Public Service Leadership Council Grant · MITFCU People Helping People Service Award · Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center Expedition Grant Finalist Learn more about the most recent Spokes trip |
| Four Weeks for America | Teaching Assistant Mission, SD | 01/2014 Collaborated with a Teach For America Alum to create calculus curriculum suitable for students in her school. Tutored students in Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-calulus, and Calculus in before- and after-school sessions. Substituted and led lessons and exercises as an instructor. Learn more about Teach for America |
| Academic Teaching Initiative | SAT I Math Teacher Cambridge, MA | 02/2012-10/2013 Taught over 250 students across five independent semester-long SAT I Mathematics sections and raised the performance of 83% of students. Designed a SAT I Mathematics review curriculum specifically geared towards establishing basic algebra skills in students with a practice score of between of 200-400 out of 800 (~15th percentile) |
| Women’s Initiative | Student Presenter Murphy, SC | 01/2013 Introduced STEM as a future career option and dispelled common misconceptions on engineers in presentations reaching over 400 primary and secondary school-aged girls. Instructed and encouraged students to explore scientific theories hands-on, design-based projects. Collaborated with local educators on brainstorming and executing new methods to expose students to engineering subjects. |