Huyen Nguyen
Biography
Fun Fact: I had 15 Roblox accounts
Xin chao everyone! I'm Huyen Nguyen, and I was born in Da Nang, Vietnam until I moved to Virginia 9 years ago. I am a current, first-year student planning to concentrate in Public Health on a pre-med track to embrace further equitable healthcare systems in impoverished areas, but I also look forward to leveraging PSP and Brown's Open Curriculum to explore other STEM areas and environmental studies at Brown. I'm honored to be part of PSP, which will offer me the opportunity to continue my communal effort through research and interactions among a highly goal-driven and diverse group of students.
Research
Over the past year, I have engaged in diverse research and internship projects spanning chemistry, environmental health, and policy, working with faculty and organizations including graduate mentors, Brown University’s Public Health Department, the Environmental Explorer School, the Rocky Mountain Institute, and the UN Environment Programme. In chemistry, I contributed to ligand and gold nanocluster synthesis under graduate mentorship, advanced quantum computational modeling of covalent kinase inhibitors, and studied rare-earth metal catalysis for sustainable applications like plastic depolymerization across different universities. Concurrently, I led environmental health initiatives involving soil and air pollution analysis in collaboration with local laboratories and public agencies, a state-wide billboard equity study, and policy research to advance clean indoor air standards, partnering with government and nonprofit groups. I also managed a campus project comparing the environmental impact and usability of detergent sheets versus traditional detergents through market research, product testing, and brand partnerships. Through these interdisciplinary experiences, I have learned the value of integrating technical expertise with community engagement and policy advocacy to create sustainable solutions, and I remain eager to continue exploring new challenges and opportunities across science and public health.