Tell us a little bit about the Quad fellowship, and the impact (either current or anticipated!) of receiving this award.

The Quad fellowship is an initiative that brings together students from Australia, India, Japan, the United States, and Southeast Asian countries. The fellowship sponsors students to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States, and focuses on the social and cultural impact of scientific research. My research focuses on exploring extracellular vesicles as a delivery agent for cardiac regeneration and treating the growing chronic heart disease epidemic. I am very keen on designing technologies that are accessible to people regardless of the identity or expression as well as socioeconomic status. Through the Quad fellowship, I’m excited to meet like-minded people to bridge the gap between science and society, creating scientific discoveries that make a positive impact on the world.

What (or who) are the major influences in your life that have inspired you to pursue this award, and your path in STEM more generally? How did your time at Wellesley shape your interests, or encourage you along this path? Your professors? Career Education?

My parents often remind me how lucky I am to be born in Japan, raised in China, and to be educated at an American school. Growing up in three cultures showed me the stark differences in resources between countries and the disparity in healthcare that should not exist in the first place. Because of my experienes, I am determined to use the privilege of being multicultural to affect positive change around me. Being in the liberal arts environment at Wellesley allowed me to venture into classes in both the natural and social sciences. I took classes ranging from the processes and reactions that happen within the human body to the root of healthcare disparity that is engrained in the structure of our societies. Learning from a diverse repertoire of fields strengthened my vision of wanting to bridge my scientific research with society and showed me a plausible means to do so. The access to incredible research facilities at Wellesley and MIT also provided me with the proper skill set to continue my graduate studies and to realize my pursuit of being a social-minded scientist. Moving forward, I envision engineering technologies that span across diverse global communities with the hopes that quality healthcare would be accessible for everyone, everywhere.

What did you learn or gain from going through the application process?

The application process itself was quite reflective for me. Being a PhD student, it is often easy to get lost in the nitty-gritty of a project and lose track of the overall picture. The process of writing the application allowed me to gain a better picture of my larger goal and the impact I wanted to have on my research. As I was also in the process of brainstorming a new project, it allowed me to pursue my goals of closing the socioeconomic gaps and developing low-cost therapeutics in the space of cardiovascular research. In addition, I was able to gain valuable skills in writing and interviewing for fellowships such as the Quad. The Wellesley Fellowships team played a huge part in this, and I am so grateful to Caitlin and Katherine!

What inspired you to take the leap and apply? Or, what would you say to encourage your peers to apply?

I was aware that a Wellesley alumnus was selected for the first cohort of the Quad fellowship and that really motivated me to apply myself. I had always been interested in the intersection of science and society and thus felt quite aligned with the mission of the fellowship. In addition, I wanted to expand my scientific network and meet others who think about science the way I do. I would encourage anyone passionate about making an impact with their STEM research to apply. The application process itself is quite rewarding, and being selected is just the cherry on top of the cake. The fellowship provides a unique experience to think and talk about the impact of your research at large, and I feel that this is critical to pursuing meaningful research.

What most excites you about this opportunity?

I am excited to join a group of like-minded yet intellectually diverse peers who are passionate about using STEM research to drive social change. Through this opportunity, I hope to bring my research closer to the world by developing accessible next-generation therapeutics for the heart.