Member Spotlight Interview: Calvin Huang

Pictured: Calvin Huang working in his lab

For this blog I reached out to Calvin Huang, a member of Project SCIFI, and asked him a few questions pertaining to the organization. You can find more information about Calvin as well as the rest of SCIFI’s team members under the “Our Team” tab of our website. For more information, please visit us at projectscifi.org and be sure to follow us on social media! Enjoy the article.

Michael: What is your role in Project SCIFI?

Calvin:  I am in charge of our relations with the ASUC (the student governing body of UC Berkeley) as well as on-campus affairs SCIFI is involved in such as applying for organizational funding from campus. I am currently working on the powerpoint presentations we will be using for public outreach.

Michael: Why did you join Project Scifi?

Calvin: I joined SCIFI because my experience with STEM was similar to the ideals and reasons that SCIFI was founded upon, and I want to impact the next generation by positively influencing their interest in STEM just like how I was impacted when I was a kid.

Michael: What got you interested in STEM?

Calvin:  I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of finding answers to the unknown. I also loved running basic science experiments at home when I was a kid. I decided to pursue a career in STEM as a result.

Michael: How does Project Scifi positively impact underprivileged schools?

Calvin: Project SCIFI provides underfunded classrooms with STEM materials to encourage teachers to spend time focused on science in the classroom. Furthermore, putting on lab coats encourage the students to feel empowered as they learn and engage in different science experiments and lessons.

Michael: What do you think are some barriers that are preventing underprivileged students from pursuing STEM careers?

Calvin: Currently, I believe the lack of funding in schools prevents classrooms from having an adequate amount of science supplies to properly engage students in learning science to the fullest extent. Science cannot just be learned out of a textbook or on paper, but needs to be experienced through hands-on approaches and activities.