The Science Alliance Leadership Training (SALT), organized by the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS),  is an intensive, five-day bootcamp for building core skills needed to take on the "real world". As one of the thirty fellows selected for the 2017 SALT, I felt very fortunate to learn alongside of so many kind and brilliant minds! The organizers and instructors were so open-minded, supportive and really connected with us on a personally level! Through all these meaningful interactions, I became aware of many surprising aspects about myself. Some are strengths that makes me a relatable leader, and others are weaknesses that cause me to overthink and doubt myself. But if there is anything I learned from this training, it's that self-awareness is the first step toward self-improvement. Several years from now on, I might not remember everything I've learned from this training, but I will definitely remember how motivated and confident I felt at the end, and all the stories, laughters, and tears we've shared! <3

This beautifully choreographed video won honorable mention in the 2012 Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge hosted by the Science Magazine and the U.S. National Science Foundation!  

I could still remember the first time I peeked through the oculars of a light microscope. Although everything appeared blurry at first, I was able to catch a slight movement in the soil sample collect from the school garden. As I focused onto the suspicious activity, a tiny, transparent worm emerged from the crumble and then quickly wiggle into hiding...

I was mind-blown. Because before that moment, I had only IMAGINED a world hidden from our eyes. A world filled with strange creatures that can only be found by futuristic gadgets, or perhaps the great Sherlock Holmes. Seeing this world unfold was the moment that sparked my interest in biology and science in general. It's funny to think that a clumsy, old microscope began my journey as a scientist. Now imagine how many young minds we could inspire with a fully-functional, pocket-size microscope!! 

I stumbled upon this amazing Kickstarter project called MicrobeScope, a personal microscope that reveals the hidden world of microbes through your phone! No need to put on a lab coat or purchase expensive equipments! The MicrobeScope uses the camera function of any phone or tablet to record videos of microbe activity and play it right on your screen! Watch the video to see it for your self!!

I can't wait to try out this awesome gadget! You can also get your own MicrobeScope by backing this project on Kickstarter. Happy discovering :D

The season 3 of BBC's "Sherlock" aired its final episode on Jan. 12, with the promising return of Professor Moriarty in season 4. Here is my painting of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes ;)

You can catch the latest season of Sherlock for FREE on PBS or Project Free TV. 

Check out my New Year Resolution in the Challenge section.

I took 2 semesters of organic chemistry lab during undergrad. Aside from the course being offered only on Friday mornings at 8 am, the experiments often ran until 2 pm. So while the chemicals took their sweet time to react, I spent the waiting time doodling on my lab notebook. And to my surprise, the lab professor like them!

For most new graduate students, the NSF fellowship means more than a pat on the back. With its three-year annual stipend of $32,000 plus tuition allowance, the fellowship guarantees financial stability and allows for a healthier diet other than the raman-noodle. If the last part wasn't enough to motivate you through the application process, then imagine seeing a BIG smile on your advisor's face for a change, that should do the trick! 

I had just submitted my application to the Engineering track on November 4th. Like many busy graduate students, I spent less than 2 weeks preparing for the material, which include a personal statement (maximum 3 pages), research proposal (2 pages), transcripts (undergraduate and graduate) and 3 reference letters. Thankfully, there were some very helpful online resources, such as the Rachel C. Smith blog and GRFP Essay Insights to help me through the long writing process. 

The fellowship winners won't be announced until April, so the thought of GRFP will be stuck my mind for the next 6 month. Awesome...