Karen Zhang
UW Honors Graduates
Karen Zhang
Biochemistry, Microbiology
Designation: College Honors
Honors Grads 2020/2021
Proudest Moment: Publishing my first scientific paper!
Four years feels at once too long to have passed by so quickly, and too short to have left such a blazing impact on my life. In this time, I discovered a passion for synthetic biology by conducting exciting and thought-provoking research at the Molecular Information Systems Lab. One summer, I took a leap of faith and spent five weeks studying the humanities in the UK, an experience that to this day feels like a dream. I've traveled far in my intellectual pursuits as well. Apart from delving into biochemistry and microbiology, I've taken classes on machine learning, travel writing, prisons, and even J.R.R. Tolkien. I'm grateful to have garnered such an inspiring collection of interdisciplinary experiences as I step into the next part of my journey. This fall, I will begin a PhD in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley-UCSF, where I hope my fledgling scientific career will finally take wing.