Charm Feng Ang | Student Spotlight

Charm Feng Ang

Undergraduate
Materials Science and Engineering and International Comparative and Area Studies

"Even among the resources and teaching that we have access to at a University like Stanford, I have found that people are the greatest source of learning in my experience."

When I first came to Stanford, I had all the energy and curiosity of a 17 year old kid in the biggest academic candy store, but I didn’t know where to put my focus. Overwhelmed by the plethora of things I thought were novel and interesting, I think we students can fall prey to one of the best problems to have: too many choices. To this end, I found that talking to my peers and learning about their unique backgrounds and interests inspired me to find what I was passionate about. 

Even among the resources and teaching that we have access to at a University like Stanford, I have found that people are the greatest source of learning in my experience. Hearing about the different perspectives that everyone brings, and the community and conversational aspect of learning is the most important part. Working with passionate people is one of my biggest motivators. 

In my work in the Materials Science and Engineering Department, I similarly found that the guidance I received from advisors and professors to be very formative in developing my interests and goals. The wonderful mentors and friends I gained working in Professor Jennifer Dionne’s lab helped me unlock a new avenue in photonics and biological characterization to explore. In all of these cases, the people that have helped me along have been pivotal to my growth as a student, a researcher and a person.

Finding these amazing people is not something that I take for granted, and I understand that it is not always so easy to do. In my research and student life, I strive to be approachable and community-driven, which is one of the reasons I decided to help lead the Stanford Undergraduate Materials Society (SUMS), as we try to foster that community and teamwork in our department. I want to give others the same sense of home and inclusion that helped me so much in my time at Stanford.