Leadership
My general statement:
Do something, not be someone.
To me, leadership is one of the most essential qualities in any profession.
Leadership is a service, the primary responsibility is to support and empower the team.
Someone once tole me this, quoting her mentor, Dr. George Church, saying, ‘At Harvard, anyone can publish in a top journal, but not everyone possesses the quality of leadership‘.
(1) My thoughts on Leadership
To be honest, at the start of my career, my primary motivation for taking on various leadership roles was to push myself to practice and improve my English speaking skills.
But through all these, I accidentially found that I can make a lot of great friends!! This is a plus!!
I have served many leadership roles, like these:
- during Ph.D.: President of St John’s College’s PGSA (Postgraduate Student Association)
- during postdoc: vice-president of Harvard Medical School’s HMPA (Harvard Medical Postdoc Association)
- in research: co-chairs of several symposiums (IBNS2023, ASN2024).
I always remind myself: do something, not be someone; the bigger the position, the greater the responsibility.
I love watching movies, and there are several role models who have greatly influenced me
- in The Lady, Michelle Yeoh portrays Aung San Suu Kyi. When this movie was relaased, I was pursuing my Ph.D. in Hong Kong and had the fortunate opportunity to meet Michelle Yeoh after the show—I even got a photo and shook hands with her.
- in The Iron Lady, Meryl Streep brings Margaret Thatcher to life on screen.
- These figures, both in real life and as portrayed in these films, carry immense responsibilities that have deeply inspired me.
(2) My Leadership experience
(non-science)
Previous activities we organized in these positions
My role as a President of PGSA, St. John's College, HKU
This is also an English-speaking organization. We are very intenational. We need to ensure everyone can understand each other.
In this role, we bring graduates residing at St. John’s College together and organize regular events such as:
- Island trips (Cheung Chau island)
- High-table dinner
- Seafood dinner
- bar tender
- bus tour around Hong Kong
- BBQ
- monthly board meeting
- regular gatherings
My role as a Vice President of HMPA (2018-2019)
The HMPA (Harvard Medical Postdoc Association) is very different from the PGSA, that all the members are postdocs at Harvard.
- From 2018-2019, I served as the Vice Chair of HMPA (Liaisons), with the Chair is Li Li (Lily) and another Vice-Chair (Communications), Dr. Ammu Thampi
- The elected HMPA’s board member (2018-2019) is:
Chair, Li Li (Lily);
Vice-chair (Liaisons), Dr. Wenqiang Chen;
Vice-chair (Web communication), Dr. Ammu Thampi;
Susheela & Dr. Rohan Bir Singh;
Treasure, Dr. Stephania Libreros:
Secretary: Dr. Yulu, Cherry Liu;
Chair of Professional Development Committee: Dr. Barnaly Rashid;
Chair of Social Committee: Dr. Meghan Pierce & Dr. Muhammad K Afzal;
Chair of Outreach Committee: Dr. Vivian Lee;
Chair of Advocacy Committee: Dr. Era Yalcin;
Chair of Entrepreneurship Committee: Dr. Anant Shinde.
- The elected HMPA’s board member (2018-2019) is:
- Primary focus:
- professional development,
- advocacy,
- outreach,
- entrepreneurship,
- social networking
- This is one of the most memoriable leadership experience I have had
(3) My Leadership experience
(Scientific)
Leveraging Non-Science Leadership Experience to Enhance My Scientific Career
Co-Chairs of symposiums in scientific conferences
My leadership experiences with HMPA and PGSA naturally transitioned into my research endeavors. Sometimes, regardless of one’s junior status, taking responsibility is essential to advance the field and engage the broader community.
These are my efforts in pushing my research area further
- co-Chair of symposium: IBNS 2023 meeting (International Behavioral Neuroscience Society)
- I co-chaired a symposium with Prof. André Kleinridders, whom I invited despite never meeting him before. Our proposal was selected, and this collaboration has since become a significant mentorship, leading to more speaking opportunities (he invited me to speak in a seminar series he organized)
- (I was nervous in the meeting, this is my first time, sorry, but I learned from it!)
- co-Chair of symposium: ASN 2024 (American Society for Neurochemistry)
- I co-chaired another successful symposium with Dr. Elizabeth Rhea, a very trusted colleague, friend, and mentor. Despite a speaker cancellation, we adapted quickly, and the event was a great success, further enhancing my leadership skills.
- Speaker: PNIRS 2024 (PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society)
- Through my interactions with Dr. Rhea, I was invited by her mentor, Dr. William Banks, to speak at PNIRS 2024. This symposium, focusing on insulin resistance, marked a pivotal moment in my career, sparking discussions on advancing research in this area.
- Hosting Senior PI: Prof. Yu-Hua Tseng is vising Steno Diaebtes Center Copenhagen (May 31, 2024)
- I hosted Dr. Yu-Hua Tseng, a Harvard professor and a Senior Investigator at Joslin, during her visit to Copenhagen. She delivered a talk and met with senior PIs, fostering collaboration and advancing our shared research goals. This visit helped strengthen ties between our institutions across the US and Denmark.
- Possible next move: A special review on insulin resistance
- I’m collaborating with Dr. Rhea on a special review on insulin resistance, aiming to inspire young investigators to drive forward new initiatives in the field.
Closing remarks
Leadership is not a skill that comes easily or naturally; it requires consistent effort, practice, and resilience. I have a lot of failures, but in the end, I learn from them ALL.
Through my experiences co-chairing symposiums and collaborating with esteemed colleagues, I’ve learned that true leadership is about stepping up, even in the face of challenges, and continually refining your approach. Whether it’s adapting to unexpected changes or building meaningful professional relationships, each experience has been a step toward becoming a more effective leader. Leadership demands dedication and a willingness to learn from EVERY opportunity, no matter minor or not, knowing that each challenge is an essential part of the journey.
© 2024 All Rights Reserved.
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