My mentor, Shaun, was interested in science and technology long before his work today at the intersection of neurobiology and biomedical engineering. He majored in engineering and specialized in biomedical engineering at the University of Cambridge, possessing a propensity for both creation and innovation and helping others live healthier lives. He took one year after his undergraduate education to immerse himself in mechanobiology research in Singapore as a research technician and furthered his knowledge of this niche area in biology.
Subsequently, he decided to pursue an MD-PhD. However, his journey is unlike most of the students in the combined program. He completed the first two years of his M.D. from Duke-NUS, but instead of obtaining his Ph.D. there as well, decided to come to Duke to conduct research in the Tadross Lab. He did this as it aligned more with his goal of combining neurobiology with the engineering process and building tools to study the brain, arguably the most complex component of our biology. He plans to complete his M.D. at Duke-NUS and hopes to see himself conducting research that not only advances science, but also translates into helping people live a better quality of life.
Talking to Shaun was an extremely insightful experience for me, as I also hope to continue the path of research and medicine. I gained long-term advice – like the importance of having a clear and focused research question – and short-term advice – such as how to deal with the frustrations of failure in research and acquire a more positive mindset in dealing with unexpected outcomes. With this interview, I learned more about what it meant to be and think like a researcher.
