Experience

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  Stanford university

  Jun 2012 - Nov 2013

  Assisted clinical research coordinator with patient data collection, follow up appointments, and medical procedure results for clinical drug trial. Entered patient data from clinical drug trial on to a collaborated database with Johns Hopkins University. Conducted an independent research project on potential gender differences in the enteric nervous system, titled, “Is There a Difference Between Genders in the Neuronal Markers of the Myenteric Plexus, and Could this Explain Why Some Common GI Ailments Preferentially Affect Females?” Scientific abstract available. Assisted with research study on the enteric nervous system by conducting lab experiments, collecting test samples, collecting data, and contributing to scientific analysis of data. Alongside working on mentor's research, simultaneously pursued an independent research project on neurogastrointestinal sex differences

  • Assistant Clinical Research Coordinator, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

    Jun 2013 - Nov 2013

  • Independent Research Project

    Aug 2012 - Jun 2013

  • Stem Cell Research Internship

    Jun 2012 - Jun 2013
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  University of california, san diego

  Jan 2015 - Jun 2017

  Conducted research and wrote about current events and their relation to gender and social justice for the UCSD Women's Center’s online platforms. Conducted a research project on campus fraternity and sorority attitudes towards sexism and sexual assault. Created UCSD’s first anti-sexism workshop for fraternities in collaboration with Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, and the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Status of Women. Research project was presented at 4th Annual UC San Diego Conference for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, and received Division of Arts and Humanities research honors. Show less

  • Staff Writer for Undergraduate Biological Research Journal, Saltman Quarterly

    Jun 2015 - Jun 2017

  • Writer, Public Relations, and Online Social Media Intern for the Women’s Center at UCSD

    Apr 2015 - Jun 2016

  • Researcher and Media Producer for UC San Diego Democracy Lab

    Jan 2015 - Aug 2015
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  Stanford university school of medicine

  Jun 2015 - Jun 2016

  Gastroenterology research intern

  Researched the potential of novel drug delivery platforms for use with various clinical drug treatments by conducting lab experiments, collecting test samples and data, and contributing to data analysis. Simultaneously conducted an independent meta analysis research project on clinical and scientific journal publication submission guidelines.

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  Intersectional health project san diego (ihpsd)

  Dec 2016 - Jun 2018

  Founder and director

  Intersectional Health Project San Diego (IHPSD) is a multidisciplinary, undergraduate-driven initiative that aims to work with immigrant, refugee, and low income communities in San Diego to:1) Investigate, report, and co-produce knowledge regarding overshadowed public health issues (IHPSD Investigative Team)2) Mobilize collaborative student-community problem solving (IHPSD in Action Team)Our website is available for the general public to explore and discover the multifaceted health related issues pertinent to San Diego’s communities and create a conduit for collaborative student-community problem solving for such issues.Website: ihpsd.github.ioThis project is funded by the Russell Grant, Social Innovation Fund, and Chancellor's Seed Fund for Innovation.IHPSD is in collaboration with the UCSD Center on Global Justice, Global TIES Program, UCSD Cross Border Initiative, and UCSD Center for Social Impact and Innovation. Show less

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  University of california san diego

  Jan 2017 - Mar 2018

  Completing my senior honors research thesis in Human Biology and Computing in Visual Artsunder the mentorship of Dr. Rob Knight, Dr. Linda Brubaker, and Dr. Pieter Dorrestein. For my thesis, I will be conducting an observational clinical study in partnership with the UCSD Student Health Center to investigate the impacts of antibiotic treatment and natural remedies on the female urinary microbiome in the context of urinary tract infection. Metagenomics and metabolomics will be used to characterize the microbiome. Thesis work includes study design, wet lab experimentation, bioinformatics analysis, clinical protocol creation, and funding project. This work is currently supported by the Ledell Science and Engineering Fellowship, Marshall Research Scholarship, and Associated Students Research Grant.Thesis work recognized by UC President Janet Napolitano. Show less

  • Student Innovation Council Representative -- Departments of Biology and Visual Arts

    Nov 2017 - Mar 2018

  • Senior Honors Thesis Research Student at Knight Lab and Dorrestein Lab, UCSD School of Medicine

    Jan 2017 - Mar 2018
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  Ucsd cross-border initiative: ucsd center on global justice

  Jun 2017 - Sept 2017

  Blum cross-border health and frontiers of innovation research fellow

  Investigating border-related health equity issues in the U.S-Mexico border region with a focus on pollution induced asthma, environmental justice, and community health in San Ysidro, CA. Directing and filming a documentary with local nonprofits, community clinics, and government leaders to raise awareness, organize community members, and create mitigation strategies for the impending effects of changes to the U.S-Mexico port of entry on health of communities at the border. Project is in collaboration with the UCSD Center on Global Justice and nonprofit Casa Familiar. Press: https://www.sdcitytimes.com/life/2017/10/31/better-not-breathe-too-deeply/ Show less

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  Knight lab

  Apr 2018 - Jun 2018

  American gut project global engagement researcher

  The American Gut Project (AGP) is the world's largest open-source citizen science project that aims to understand the connections between the human microbiome and health. Through my role, I am working on developing novel AGP partnerships with different countries around the world, increasing global engagement with a focus on underrepresented communities, and developing multimedia based science communication strategies for the general public.

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  Fulbright association

  Sept 2018 - Nov 2019

  Fulbright-national geographic research scholar, taiwan and china

  Fulbright Research Scholar in Taiwan from September 2018 to June 2019.Working with the Taiwanese Vice President Chen Chien-Jen's research team and the Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare to lead a multidisciplinary study on betel nut in Taiwan. Using documentary film, community interviews, surveys, policy research, and quantification of carcinogenic compounds with analytical chemistry techniques in search of novel, culturally miscible strategies for oral cancer mitigation.

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  National geographic

  Nov 2018 - now

  National geographic explorer

  Awarded a National Geographic Society Grant for researching and producing speculative media on the cultural, economic, and ethical feasibility of using a genetically engineered betel nut in indigenous and rural communities for oral cancer mitigation. Spending six months living with and learning from three different indigenous communities in Taiwan that use betel nut—the Amis, Paiwan, and Dao tribes. This project is a case study for advancing a new paradigm of open science—a culturally-responsive framework for answering contemporary questions about using genetic engineering and collaborative scientific design to improve the environment and health of marginalized communities globally. Show less

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  Mit media lab

  Sept 2019 - Sept 2021

  Graduate student at mit media lab: sculpting evolution group

  In Kevin Esvelt's Sculpting Evolution research group at the MIT Media Lab researching ecologically engineering environments to diminish infectious diseases, make community-engaged documentary films and new media art to explore a new model for collaborative research, and reimagine the future of health policy, synthetic biology, shared environments, and activism.

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  Massachusetts institute of technology

  Jun 2020 - Sept 2021

  MIT Future Heritage Lab is an artistic research and action lab which explores the potency of art and design to advance the cultural resilience of displaced populations during conflict and crisis. Working with Azraq and Zaatari refugee camps in Jordan to design participatory virtual reality/augmented reality artwork for “Cultural Resilience: Experiments in TransPreservation” exhibition for the 2020 Venice Biennale of Architecture, co-develop ethical and culturally sensitive tools that would help refugees overcome adversity, and researching best ethical practices of art and design in the humanitarian context through Code of Ethics multimedia project. Awarded funding by Aga Khan Endowment for Islamic Art and Architecture, Transmedia Storytelling Initiative, Dean’s Office. Show less

  • MIT Human Rights and Technology Fellow

    Nov 2019 - Sept 2021

  • Aga Khan Art/Architecture + Transmedia Storytelling Research Fellow at MIT Future Heritage Lab

    Jun 2020 - Sept 2020
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  David geffen school of medicine at ucla

  Jun 2021 - now

  Medical student

  Medical student in the UCLA-Drew Medical Education Program, which aims to foster the next generation of physician-leaders in addressing local and global health equity.

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  Los angeles human rights initiative (lahri)

  Sept 2022 - Jan 2025

  Director of advocacy, los angeles human rights initiative

  The LA Human Rights Initiative (LAHRI) is a medical-legal advocacy initiative that runs an Asylum Clinic focused on providing pro bono forensic medical and psychiatric evaluations to refugees, migrants, and other displaced populations who have experienced multidimensional trauma in their journeys to support their process of seeking political asylum in the United States. As the Director of Advocacy, I am developing and leading an initiative focused on expanding California asylum law to include environmental refugees, such as those displaced in the emerging climate crisis, through storytelling and medical-legal advocacy. Show less

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  Ucla center for east west medicine

  Oct 2023 - now

  Tang integrative psychiatry fellow, ucla center for east west medicine

  Awarded a $10,000 fellowship from the UCLA Center for East West Medicine and Cyrus Tang Foundation to support international research in integrative psychiatry and spearhead a non-drug based mental health intervention for Asian and Asian-American communities in Los Angeles in partnership with the Chinatown Service Center for Behavioral Health.For my international research, I will be conducting field work in post-nuclear disaster Fukushima, Japan, and climate change-vulnerable zones of the Bengal Delta to explore cross-cultural collective healing practices after ecological disaster and mass displacement. To advance my knowledge in cross-cultural integrative psychiatry, I will also have the opportunity to learn from Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors in Shanghai, China, and Traditional Ayurveda doctors in Kolkata, India.In Los Angeles, I am designing a series of public participatory arts and nature based interventions for Asian-American mental health in collaboration with community based health and cultural advocacy organizations in downtown Los Angeles's communities of Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and Little Bangladesh. Show less

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  David geffen school of medicine at ucla + charles drew university school of medicine

  Nov 2023 - now

  Ucla/drew psychedelic studies and ecological medicine researcher + organizer

  The Psychedelic Studies and Ecological Medicine Initiatives and UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and Charles Drew University School of Medicine explore the profound healing potential of nature connectedness, augmented by psychedelic plant medicines and place-based healing practices. This exploration aims to heal not just individuals but also mend the fractured relationships between people and their environments, while centering Indigenous wisdom, culturally-rooted strategies for healing, and health equity. Involved in research, curricular development, and conference organizing aspects of the initiatives for both UCLA and CDU's Departments of Psychiatry. Show less

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  California state parks

  Dec 2024 - now

  Los angeles state historic park community engagement fellow

  As a community engagement fellow with the California State Parks, I am developing contemporary arts + nature therapy based interactive installations and public programming at Los Angeles State Historic Park to cultivate public mental health resilience through nature connectedness, community connection, and culturally-rooted modalities for mind-body wellness.