Ryan Yeung
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I began considering pursuing a graduate degree in the latter half of my co-op placement in undergrad. Although I was working in industry, the nature of my work gave me an opportunity to explore and investigate open-ended problems with an experimental approach. This was something I found quite interesting, so in my final year of undergrad I took on an independent research project. Throughout all of this I gained an appreciation for how research answers questions in a somewhat systematic way. And at the end of the day, research is what drives innovation, which can lead to societal benefits. All of this aligned with my values and interests, so I decided to explore the world of academia further.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
Having grown up in Vancouver, UBC was one of my top choices as I could stay close to family and friends. On top of this, UBC Biomedical Engineering offered a valuable and unique opportunity with its Engineers in Scrubs program that other schools did not have. I also felt the UBC Robotics and Control Lab would be a good fit for me after talking with a few students from the lab.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
The biomedical engineering program at UBC does not restrict me to working in a single engineering discipline but rather allows me to combine several disciplines while focusing on a single field of application. In addition, I enjoy and value working with clinicians. This program and my research give me the perfect opportunity to do this.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
What surprised me the most after entering graduate school at UBC was just how much world-class research is being done here. Before engaging in research at UBC, most of my exposure to research probably came from a professor briefly speaking about their research in my classes or doing literature review for an assignment. But after engaging in it and talking with people from different labs, it became clear that the research conducted here was truly world-class.
What aspect of your graduate program do you enjoy the most or are looking forward to with the greatest curiosity?
I have most enjoyed the opportunities to work with clinicians in my research and exploring how we can use their feedback to improve our solution. I recently even had the opportunity to bring my research to Haida Gwaii and see it used in the field for the first time. The potential impact of my research is certainly the most exciting part of it. I am very lucky to be working on a research project with the potential to make a direct impact on healthcare. I look forward to seeing the benefits this research can eventually bring to people.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
Doing internships through the co-op program and working on the research project in the final year of undergrad helped me the most in preparing for graduate school. Improving the general hard skills in research such as academic writing and experiment design require experience and practice, so having that opportunity in undergrad was very important. I think it is also important to know beforehand what sort of lab environment you are going into. I would recommend reaching out to the students of prospective supervisors to get a sense of whether the lab will be a good fit for you.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
While it can be easy to be sucked into your own research, try to take the time to meet others in and outside of your graduate program. UBC brings together brilliant individuals from diverse backgrounds, so there is a lot to learn from talking with others.
