BMES Board Spotlight: Simon Ng!

Meet Simon Ng! Simon is a 4th-year Bioengineering major (with an Environmental Engineering minor) as well as one of our Industry Co-Chairs — read on to learn more about him!

How'd you hear about BMES?

My freshman year buddies!

How long have you been involved with BMES?

As a wee freshman, I felt like a BMES outsider since I hadn't joined a family (awww, saaadness). But 2nd year I swooped into a BMES family and joined Design Team, where we built an awesome automated pill dispenser! With my newfound BMES buddies and big league hacker / maker confidence, I spent my 3rd year leading my own Design Team! Now, as a wee senior, I'm wilding out as an Industry Co-Chair getting you those job opportunities and getting the club that BREAD!

What are your primary responsibilities as Industry Co-Chair?

Responsibilities of an Industry Co-Chair:

1. Get you internship and job opportunities with the FINEST companies in med tech, biotech, pharma, consulting, etc.
   
2. Maximize BMES clout (and $$$$) via industry connections and sponsors

What do you enjoy most about your position?

My Co-Chairs and committee! We've worked really well together planning BIG events like the Biotech Career Fair and Science Vendor Expo, and we just flow with ease through logistics for infosessions and other industry meetings.

What's one thing you've learned from being Industry Co-Chair?

Re-read emails before sending to check details (date, time zone, company name, links, etc)

Which family are you in?

Cytosine - some nucleotides have 2 hydrogen bonds. Cytosine has 3. Not saying we're better than Adenine or Thymine, buuut like, it's p obvious who's the best.

Favorite BMES memory?

BioE Ball 2020 was not only a great time, it was one of the last big in-person events I did with BMES! Tearz, but good memories

Favorite class you've taken at UCLA?

ChemE 126: Viruses and Biotechnology
Viruses can be super devastating. But they're also the basis of so much of modern biotechnology, and they likely played a critical role in the development of life as we know it (ex. syncytin is a protein critical to human placenta development. The syncytin gene came from ancient viruses via horizontal gene transfer! So, uh, thanks ancient viruses for helping me be birthed?!)

What do you like to do in your free time?

Get outside! Backpacking! Trying to go climbing more too, so, uh, if you have climbing gear, hmu.

Describe yourself as a Care Bear.

IDK what Care Bears are. However:

1. I would be green, the color of chlorophyll (and USD$)
   
2. Belly badge is rainbow, cuz rainbows look pretty awesome
   
3. Why does my belly badge have to give me powers? Perhaps my belly badge exists not for me or you, but for itself.

Anything else you'd like to share?

They ask me, "Simon, should I study abroad?"
I respond, "I'm so glad you asked! YES! Study abroad is super fun, a great way to experience another culture, and, if finessed correctly, can totally count for major classes as well as GEs! Contact my guy Erkki Right NOW to get your courses mushed around to make room for study abroad. You won't regret it."