ATHENA CHIEN ATHENA CHIENMy leadership experiences have given me the skills to work with people of different personalities, work styles, backgrounds, and strengths to create a successful team. Volunteering, in high school, continuing at Rice/Houston, and now in Atlanta has continued to expand my perspective as I have listened to people from all walks of life. I believe that growing this understanding is critical to learning how to best support underrepresented groups in our society and improve education in the United States. These leadership experiences enable me to mentor and support other women and underrepresented minorities in STEM.
Co-president, 2023 - current
BBUGS is is the largest, most diverse, graduate student group on the Georgia Tech campus and serves as the core student group for the bioengineering and bioscience community. It is comprised of trainees from across eight Georgia Tech departments and multiple colleges. This coming year, I am excited to lead the BBUGS team in its continued success in building connections and community among talented trainees and researchers in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. Some of our events this year include the annual whitewater rafting and camping trip, the BBUGS carnival to inform students about our committees and events, weekly gardening maintenance at community gardens on campus, alumni career talks, and outreach events at local elementary and high schools.
Living next to Chicago’s South Side, I learned about historical racial and economic disparities with the migration to the suburbs, and know education is a major component in upward mobility. In college, I have become an advocate for the Houston Coalition for Equitable Development without Displacement (HCEDD) in Houston. I have supported the HCEDD and the Houston Community Benefits Agreement since its formation my junior year, to ensure that the residents of Third Ward, Houston’s historically low-income Black neighborhood, have a say in the development of Rice’s innovation district in their community. As a Rice student, I have supported this by increasing awareness on campus via tabling and attending HCEDD meetings to best understand the wishes of the current Third Ward members. I am committed to improving access and opportunity for all, and have done so by volunteering to assist at these community gatherings and also engaging in the conversations with professors and the Provost on Rice’s stance on supporting the community.
Education & Outreach Committee Chair 2023, Member 2022
I joined the Bioengineering and biosciences united graduate student association looking for a way to continue service, improve my communication skills, and get out into the surrounding Atlanta community. Already, we've run workshops on enzymes in the body at the John Robert Lewis Elementary IEEE Science Night, and acids and bases at Morningside Elementary School's Science night. It's fun teaching kids science, and it's incredible to see how some ask really thought provoking questions...scientists in the making!
Student Panelist, Practice Committee Member 2024
Second year biomedical engineering PhD students at Georgia Tech/Emory go through the stressful endeavor of a written qualifying proposal (a slightly abridged version of the typical NIH format), and an oral qualifying exam (90 minutes with a panel of 3 faculty members) to ensure they are prepared for their proposed research. I served as a student panelist to answer questions, and served as a "mock" committee member in practice qualifying exams.
Student Panelist 2024, Organizer 2022
Organized over 12 virtual and in person lab tours, served on the graduate student panel.
President 2019-20, Community Outreach Head 2018-19, Current Treasurer
I worked to increase the awareness of the art-stem synergy holistically as a bioengineer leading the club. I also created several new events that strengthened connections internally, within the club, and externally, with the Houston community. Internally, I organized semester-long group paintings in the fall and spring. Art club members enjoyed taking a break from schoolwork to spend time doing art and meeting other students with art interests. For one of the pieces, students researched and discussed the impact Rice’s new startup hub has on the surrounding community: Houston’s historically Black and low-income Third Ward. Externally, I developed a collaboration with a local art and community organization, Project Row Houses. First, students were given a tour of the space and learned about the experiences of families in Third Ward by visiting the art exhibits. Then, they supported the organization by volunteering at an exhibition opening.
Jan 2023 - Dec 2023
Sometimes community service is standing out of the way and waiting until you're needed. Giving, and not expecting anything in return. But I've found that volunteering at Fernbank, I am gaining a lot, maybe even more than I am giving. I spend a lot of my time communicating, be it interacting with toddlers on Toddler Day, teaching kids to do paper animal crafts on Critter day, or teaching guests about Anatomy in the rotunda - and it's a lot of learning how to communicate effectively. Seeing the confusion on their faces and thinking, ok let me try that again. It's also interesting as a common museum-goer to see some of the back end of the work that goes into setting up an exhibit, drawing people in, and how to design a great event for so many people (secret -money does matter because it means more time and manpower). It's fun to talk to people about science, and it has also been a great way to get outside the academic community and see the diversity of Atlanta - Atlanta United jerseys or recently, a banned book shirt, the disheveled parent, the hijab-wearing high schooler, 30-something parents in athleisure, high school friends etc. hearing a taste of Spanish, Chinese, and even Russian amongst the visitors.
Chair 2020, Member 2019
Our mission is to help the BIOE department gather student feedback and communicate it with our faculty advisor, Dr. Ghosn, in the hopes of developing a BIOE program that respects the desires of the students and faculty. We have helped provide feedback on the new virtual learning environment, updated advising documentation, and organized townhalls for students to have open dialogue about the bioengineering curriculum and how it prepares them for life after Rice.
Treasurer 2021-22
I organized financials for all GSAB events, managing food for all monthly townhalls, and helped organize the department wide holiday party and tshirt distribution.
Mentor 2019-20, 2020-21; Member 2018 - 2021
Support freshman & sophomore bioengineers by organizing monthly meetings, providing advice and connections to department staff on managing classwork, career prep, etc.
Helped organize and take photos at a halloween carnival in Rice's recreation center for kids from unsafe or low-income neighborhoods.
Helped setup and photograph a Prom hosted in Rice's Memorial Center for the Monarch School, a school for individuals with neurological differences.
Spent Spring 2018 training alongside 10 powerful cancer survivors to run a 5k. Had fun hearing amazing stories of determination and the lighthearted spirit of the community!
Spent a day cleaning up yards, sorting through belongings, rinsing salvageable objects in local homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
email: ajc13 "at" rice "dot" edu
linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/athena-chien
Copyright Athena Chien 2021, template