Miao Meets Deanna: Biology Nerd in a Rock Band?
😸(Miao): Hi Deanna! Can you tell me more about yourself?
💃(Deanna): Hey Miao! I’m Deanna, but you can call me Dean (or Dean-sodium — guess why) and I’m a girl who loves STEM, Sci-Fi, EDM… it’s a spicy mix. Among them, Biology is by far my longest-running passion.
😸(Miao): Wow, when did you get interested in Biology?
💃(Deanna): When I was 13, I had my first love. No kidding — it was Biology! It stemmed (haha) from a silly reason: I love the show House. You know how Dr House fires off a long list of medical jargon while diagnosing patients? That was super cool — and also why discussing “antibiotic resistance” or “myocardial infarctions” during Bio lessons was my favourite part of school.
Haha the big words weren’t everything! I grew to love the unique sequence of processes that led to those outcomes. Everything in Biology ties back to the study of life. It explains who, how and even why we are. That always fascinates me.
😸(Miao): Sounds like you really love Biology! What have you been doing to further your passion?
💃(Deanna): In secondary school (RGS) I joined the Science and Math club, as well as an accelerated program for Biology that gave me tons of opportunities for competitions and internships.
Memorably, I had the chance to work with scientists at the A*STAR Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) through its Youth Research Program (YRP). I loved it so much that I stayed there from 2014–2016, working on a new project each year. In the YRP, you’re attached to a research scientist who guides you through different stages of a project: forming a hypothesis, planning experiments and analyzing your data.
While it sounds like something we could do in a school science lab, the big difference is the machines: you get to tinker with industrial-grade machines like contact angle goniometers and plasma coating machines. More importantly, the experiments you conduct could even change the world! For example, I investigated lateral flow assays that form the basis of disease detection kits. Because Biology is so intertwined with life, the research you do can make a big difference to humanity. That’s one thing I find incredibly meaningful about Biology.
😸(Miao): I know you’ve even won the Breakthrough Junior Challenge with your video about antibiotics! Do you have any advice for youths who plan to apply for the Breakthrough Junior Challenge?
💃(Deanna): Quick plug — the Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an international science film competition for youth aged 13–18, and it will change your life — the winner gets a USD 250,000 scholarship, a $100,000 Breakthrough Science lab, and a $50,000 prize for your teacher. You’ll also be flown to Silicon Valley for the awards ceremony (where you’ll meet some of the greatest people in the world). This year’s Challenge ends on July 1st, so it’s time get started if you haven’t!
If you need some help, I made this video with lots of tips for the Challenge:
Here’s a quick summary: pick a topic you love. Do lots of research — find out what people want to know more, or what they find interesting about your topic — and think of fun ways to express your ideas. Tell a good story. Make sure your viewers leave your video having learnt something new.
If you’d like more advice, leave a comment on YouTube or message me — my inbox will always be open for you :)
😸(Miao): A lot of people know you as a science person, so it’s a great surprise to hear that you are actually in a rock band! Do you have other non-science interests that you want to share?
💃(Deanna): I’m an Arts geek at heart! I joined a rock band because I wanted to experience making music with others. Fun fact: with so many instruments, the biggest effort actually comes from the small details — sometimes we spend hours jamming the same stretch, changing our octaves and where we pause until we hit the sweet spot.
My new band SHGC is currently on tour (at least… we performed last month at the Esplanade 😅) and I’m learning to play the guitar through YouTube tutorials. Other interests I’m pursuing include dance, writing, and film (this is why the Breakthrough Junior Challenge was perfect — a film about science, can you imagine!). Once I’m better at them, I’ll definitely post some progress videos up on YouTube so keep your eyes peeled 👀
😸(Miao): That’s a lot of things you’re working on 😱 How did you balance academics, commitments and personal interests?
💃(Deanna): Purpose, priority and a nice planner. I write down what I want to do during the hours when I’m not in school or at the lab, and it changes from day to day depending on my current priorities — some days it could be exams; on others, it’s an upcoming rock gig. My purpose in life remains constant: do it for the love of it :)
😸(Miao): Great advice! What are your plans going forwards?
💃(Deanna): My dream is to make a difference to the people I meet, and to find happiness in the process. The future is an open sea — my plan is to ride the waves and see where it leads!
Yo! I’m Miao. Can’t believe you scrolled all the way down here… bet you could’ve done a Math question with that time 😎 How about this — want to do Math together? I’m right here!
