YanZhe (Leo) Liu

YanZhe “Leo” summarizes his life with one word: independence. He first became independent in second grade, when his family immigrated to the U.S. and his parents started venturing outside of California in search of work. He was left under the supervision of a caretaker. Though he lacked constant parental supervision of his education, through independence and determination, he successfully graduated from high school and was accepted at UC San Diego’s Revelle College to study biotechnology, a field that he had always dreamed about.

“When I first joined college, the biggest shocker for me was undergraduate research. But I soon discovered that undergraduates can too be on the frontiers of science.” Leo found employment in two labs and discovered that his true passion lies in applying and discovering knowledge, not just learning it from a book.

Leo is an active student leader who loves event planning. He believes engaging events are the best way to build communities. Through his active participation in student organizations such as ACSSA (American Chemical Society – Students Affiliate), Revelle College Council, and Lab Expo Committee, he has gained invaluable leadership and organizational skills, all the while making the best of friends and reaping much joy.

In the far future, Leo envisions himself becoming an engineer or a biotechnologist, employing biological systems to benefit our society, whether through biomedical research or biophysical inventions. “The marrying of the two disciplines, biology and engineering, allows me to apply a field that I am passionate about into practical applications that can better, or even save, lives. With this career goal in mind, I am even more motivated to pursue a PhD which will enable me to become an expert in biological sciences.”