I have always been fascinated by worlds that are hidden from view.

That fascination has shaped much of my life. In the laboratory, it has led me to study engineering at the nanoscale, developing bioinspired materials for medicine. Underwater, it has inspired me to explore marine life with a camera, documenting extraordinary creatures that many people never have the opportunity to see. Although these pursuits may seem unrelated, they are driven by the same curiosity: a desire to discover, understand, and share.

I am an engineer specializing in biomaterials and nanomedicine at the University of California, San Diego. My research focuses on developing bioinspired materials for medical applications, and I have authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications in journals including Nature, Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Reviews Materials, and Nature Reviews Microbiology. I have also been recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher. Alongside my research, I enjoy scientific illustration, and my artwork has appeared on numerous scientific journal covers.

My academic journey has taken me from Tsinghua University (Beijing, China), where I earned my bachelor’s degree, to Yale University, where I completed my Ph.D., followed by postdoctoral training at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These experiences allowed me to work alongside exceptional scientists while exploring the intersection of biology, materials science, engineering, and medicine. Today, I continue that work at UC San Diego, seeking new ways to harness biology to address challenging medical problems.

My fascination with nature began long before my scientific career. I grew up in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China—a region known as the “Spring City” for its mild climate and remarkable biodiversity. Surrounded by mountains, lakes, and wildlife, I developed an early appreciation for the natural world. During my undergraduate years, photography became a way to document that beauty and to observe the world more carefully.

While pursuing my Ph.D. at Yale, I discovered scuba diving and earned my Open Water certification at Diver’s Cove in Essex, Connecticut. What began as a hobby quickly became a lifelong passion. Today, living just minutes from La Jolla Shores in Southern California, I spend much of my free time exploring one of the world’s richest temperate marine ecosystems. My underwater photographs have received awards and have been featured in television, newspapers, and magazines, but the greatest reward is simply being able to witness—and share—the remarkable diversity of life beneath the surface.

Beyond Southern California, I have been fortunate to dive in destinations including Antarctica, Mexico, the Philippines, and Canada, and I hope to continue exploring some of the world’s most remote and challenging underwater environments. Every dive reminds me that there is always something new to discover.

Whether through scientific research, illustration, underwater photography, or animation, my goal is the same: to make the unseen visible. I hope my work inspires others to slow down, look a little closer, and discover the beauty, complexity, and wonder that often lie hidden just beneath the surface.