Congratulations to our Bioethics students that were recognized for 2025 in the Husky 100.

We are thrilled to extend our sincerest congratulations to Bao Han Ngo, B.S. Statistics: Data Science; B.S. Human Evolutionary Biology, Minor Bioethics; Loveleen Tripathi, B.S. Neuroscience, Minor Bioethics; Shawn Panh, B.S. Neuroscience; B.A. Biochemistry, Minor Philosophy, Bioethics; and Sheamin Kim B.S. Informatics: Biomedical and Health Informatics, Minor Bioethics for being named to the 2025 Husky 100! This is a fantastic achievement that recognizes their exceptional contributions and experiences at the University of Washington. Read on to learn a bit about their incredible work and how Bioethics and Humanities courses are helping them pave their way.

Bao Han Ngo: "I’m passionate about using statistics and data science to tell stories and advance medicine in an increasingly data-oriented world. Through interdisciplinary approaches to medical data science, I hope to unlock the potential that data holds for public health and well-being. Something that often gets lost in (quantitative) public health research is that each datapoint is an individual with their own story apart from their diagnosis. As a bioethics minor, I am especially interested in ethical uses of (health) data, small sample sizes/rare conditions that are under-researched, and relationship-building with communities who graciously provide and trust us with their personal health information. I aim to translate complicated numbers and algorithms into digestible findings that the public (especially those whose data the algorithms are trained on) can easily understand and take with them in their own unique health journeys."

Loveleen Tripathi: "In my freshman year I noticed how prevalent opioid abuse disorder was throughout my local community in Seattle. Currently, I am conducting research on the effects of fentanyl on dopamine signaling in the prefrontal cortex. Outside the lab, I’ve volunteered at Recovery Café, a nonprofit organization in Seattle that offers food, shelter, and rehabilitation services to anyone in need. I also work as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where I’ve witnessed the immense emotional and physical toll of prolonged hospital stays on patients and families. As an undergraduate, I’ve had newborn babies pass away in front of me while I performed CPR on them and supported patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. These profound experiences have strengthened my commitment to becoming a compassionate, skilled physician/researcher who not only provides care but also fiercely advocates for patients—especially in culturally competent and ethically sound ways. My coursework in the bioethics minor has been instrumental in shaping how I approach complex, morally challenging questions in medicine. I believe that ethical reasoning is a critical skill for any physician, particularly when faced with matters of life, death, and patient autonomy."

Shawn Panh: "During my time at UW I have been conducting research to investigate the neuronal mechanisms of addiction involving opioid, stimulant and polysubstance use in the Fergason Lab. In addition, I volunteer at both Recovery Café and Swedish Medical Center, where I’ve had the privilege of working closely with individuals facing addiction in a variety of settings. I also helped to establish the Community Engagement Committee at the Center of Excellence in Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion. Our goal is to provide researchers with more opportunities to reflect on the broader impacts of their work and bridge the gap between researchers and the communities we serve through volunteer initiatives and educational events. My coursework in bioethics has provided a more holistic perspective of my involvement in my research and community. Learning about topics like stigma, and justice in healthcare has helped me reflect on the ethical dimensions within the field of addiction and the responsibility of researchers and clinicians, which I will continue to do as a future physician-scientist."

Sheamin Kim: "As a biomedical and health informatics student, I strive to bridge the gap between health and technology, always considering the people these systems are meant to serve. My bioethics coursework has helped me better understand the ethical issues that affect patients and learn how to apply various ways of understanding the world to the creation of information systems for patients. I am also a bioengineering research assistant researching COVID-19 antibodies, which aims to inform vaccine development. Bioethics and biomedical informatics has helped me understand the impact of medical research more deeply. Outside of coursework, I am also the President of the Informatics Undergraduate Association, an Informatics Peer Advisor, and a computer science teaching assistant."

It's clear that all four of these talented students have excelled through their dedication, hard work, and creative problem solving. It is a pleasure to see their efforts recognized in such a prestigious way. 

Once again, join us in congratulating Bao Han, Loveleen, Shawn, and Sheamin on this well-deserved recognition!