Mandy Chen

Outside of my research life, I enjoy traveling, hiking, meeting new people, discovering new food and drinks, and just being around friends and nature in general. I finally learned how to swim in the summer of 2022 and have been an avid swimmer ever since. In April 2023 I also started rock climbing (thanks to the encouragement of a group of friends who are more fit and brave than I’ll ever be), although every time I’m more than 5 feet above the floor I still doubt every life choice I’ve ever made that led to that moment. During the height of the COVID pandemic, I adopted my little cat Jenny, who alternates between being feisty and cuddly, and I love her deeply.

I grew up in Guizhou province in southwest China, a place relatively underdeveloped in terms of economics and education, but with gorgeous mountainous landscapes and rich cultural heritage from multiple ethnic minorities. I studied at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and graduated with a B.Sc. in physics and an M.Phil. in astronomy. Growing up with little access to quality education, I feel extremely grateful for the chains of lucky events and good mentors that allowed me to reach beyond my limitations. My experiences of living in mainland China, Hong Kong, and the US made me appreciate the value of diversity and inclusion, which can only be built upon a foundation of empathy and everyone's willingness to always approach the unknowns with an open mind. And an open mind, as I’ve learned the hard way over and over again in the years of struggling with my own belongingness and identity, is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and another person.

I once wanted to be a clinical psychologist and was working towards a master's degree in psychology, but decided to drop out halfway to go back to pursuing graduate studies in astrophysics. Although becoming a frontier mental health professional is not my career priority right now, mental health awareness remains one of the issues close and dear to my heart.