In our alumni spotlight series, learn about Harvard graduates' most meaningful experiences from college, and how Harvard impacted their professional and personal paths after graduation.
Hometown & Current City: Hong Kong, Toronto; New York
House Affiliation: Currier
Concentration and Secondary Field: Biochemical Sciences
Current Job Title/Company or organization: Surgical Director, Structural Heart Program, Mount Sinai Health System; Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
What was your professional path after college? Medical school, residency, academic cardiac surgeon and consultant to medical device companies.
What fills your time now? Professionally and otherwise? Work and family are currently occupying most of my time. I am at the forefront of medical advances by being an expert in minimally invasive catheter-based valve procedures, repairing and replacing damaged heart valves without open heart surgery. I love to travel and teach teams from around the world how to perform procedures safely and efficiently, and give lectures on the latest advances in valve disease. I also consult with multiple medical devices companies on R&D projects, marketing and education. Personally, I am busy spending time with my wife and two boys ages 3 and 6.
How did your academic experience at Harvard guide you in your post-grad pursuits? The liberal arts education allowed me to read and learn broadly, especially in subject areas that I had never been exposed to. This has made me a more worldly human being. I have become more intellectually curious in many subjects and gain a world view through interactions with my peers, many of whom were more brilliant than I was. This has guided my internal motivation to work hard and succeed in life.
What was a favorite class you took and why? Chem 27 organic chemistry was my favorite because of my professor Stuart Schreiber making it intuitive to understand difficult concepts and the material clicked me, so much so that I became the course's teaching fellow for 2 years as a junior and senior in college.
Did you have any research/internship opportunities and/or professor/mentor relationships that were influential? The two most influential professors were Stuart Schreiber my Chem 27 professor and my research supervisor, and Dr. James Yannatos my conducting and orchestration professor. My other mentor was my Chem 20/30 teaching fellow and my Chem 27 head teaching fellow Mary Didiuk.
What were you involved in extracurricularly? Harvard yearbook, tutoring for the Bureau of Study Counsel, music co-director of Toscanini Chamber Orchestra.
How did your extracurricular activities impact your Harvard experience? And have they had an impact on your post-grad life? My extracurriculars have allowed me to explore my passion in music and build friendships that I otherwise would have never experienced. It gave me a worldly perspective that I have carried forward to the rest of my post-grad life.
What is a favorite memory of Harvard House life? Late night chess with housemates, eating at various dining halls, Chickwich!
What is your favorite Harvard tradition and why? Primal scream before exam term begins!
What advice do you have for someone applying to college? Be passionate in what you do and pursue your dreams no matter how big they may be. Be open to explore and try out anything that you are exposed to in college.