Jet Li

UOP Tzu Chi Club

-cofounder of UOP Tzu Chi club with another student; took on the Publicist role; managed social media account on Instagram; created fliers for events and took pictures during events; organized local events for members of the club such as a Red Cross drive, dental and medical clinics associated with Tzu Chi organization, and did a book drive with local elementary schools; provided monthly volunteer events for members; held monthly club meetings going over future events

Cooking Club

-started cooking club at UOP; held biweekly meetings where members could present unique recipes related to their culture; had potlucks during these biweekly meetings where members would bring food they cooked so they could share with other members; was a place where members could socialize and learn more about different cultures; held cooking competitions

Tzu Chi

-volunteered at a non-profit organization called Tzu Chi; they host dental clinics, medical clinics, and festivals; assisted the dentists during their procedures by getting them their tools and suctioning our blood/split out of patients' mouths; helped out with paperwork and directed patients to where they need to go during medical clinics; sold raffle tickets during festivals; traveled around with dentists on mobile clinics to provide dental care to underprivileged individuals around the central valley; part of movement to expand health care access

Medical Ministries International (MMI) Fresno

-helped sort medical supplies hospitals didn't need anymore so they could be donated to third world countries or any hospitals that needed them; during college I volunteered over the summer

Fresno Community Food Bank

-helped package food into boxes and donated them to homeless shelters; during college I volunteered over the summer

UOP Tzu Chi Club

-monthly volunteering events for underprivileged community

Pre-dental Society

-learn more about dentistry and attended events/workshops such as cavity fillings

Soap Carving Club

-practiced manual dexterity by carving soap

Bodybuilding Club

-went to gym almost everyday and did weight training; tracked progress

Cooking Club

-taught members about different recipes around the world; held potlucks were members brought food they cooked so they could share with other members; held cooking competitions; learned about different cultures and was a place for members socialize with others

Dental Research Club

-learned about different research associated with dentistry and presented the research I did about laser dentistry

shadowed Dr. Nguyen at NorthSide Dental for 200+ hours; watched Dr. Nguyen do different procedures such as fillers, root canals, veneers, invisalign, etc; assisted her during different procedures by suctioning water, spit, or blood from patients' mouths; did the paperwork for examinations; sanitized the tools and different stations after different procedures; prepared trays for upcoming procedures

Regent's Merit Award

-$25,000 renewable scholarship award for all years of undergrad

Freshman Honors Program

-was in the first year honors program and took a class in volunteering

Dean's Honor Roll

First Generation Student

Research under Dr. Carlson-Fall 2023

-I was a part of Team Algae and we used collected samples of algae from Florida and swabbed treated samples on media plates to grow bacteria to produce isolates. We then compared algae chemistry of extracts to surface bacteria growth plates to see if the chemistry would decrease or increase its growth. The overall goal of this research was to see if antibiotics could be created from these algae samples to treat human diseases. I was able to practice skills such as plating and swabbing bacteria. I learned how to make agar media and agar plates and learned about different bacterial morphology and algae species. Additionally, I was able to develop my teamwork skills and got to experience what undergraduate research was like.

Research under Dr. Vierra-Spring 2024

-We researched about dragline silk from the black widow spider with the overall goal of advancing synthetic spider silk production as spider silk has been shown to outperform Kevlar, material used to make bulletproof vests and body armor. Current research suggest that the transformation of spider silk proteins from a liquid-crystal phase into a solid fiber is triggered via a pH changer during spider silk extrusion. However, our research is exploring the potential for a redox change that is causing this transformation. During research I practiced techniques such as PCR and procedures involving SDS-Page and Silver Staining. I learned how to analyze amino acid sequences using mass spectrometry and I learned how to analyze DNA sequences. I also learned the importance of working in a group setting and developed communication skills. During the end of the year PURC conference, I presented our research to peers, professors, and faculty who attended the event.

a brother in professional chemistry fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma beta pi chapter; was community service chair and coordinated volunteering events for the fraternity such as volunteering at Norcal Science and Tech festival and helping Girl Scouts get their science badge; provided chemistry tutoring for students needing extra support with their chemistry classes; bonded with chemistry faculty department; developed long lasting friendships with brothers

played clarinet all 4 years of high school in most advanced band; at UOP occasionally practiced clarinet from time to time and performed during some concerts as a backup player

worked on the weekends during summer vacation at A Star Buffet as a waiter, host, and ran the BBQ and Teppanyaki station; had 8 hours shifts

Sports

-every Friday I would either go play basketball or pickleball; participated in a basketball tournament to raise money for the Special Olympics and competed in intramural basketball

Cooking

-I love trying out new recipes and creating new dishes I see from YouTube. I also enjoy creating my own twists to dishes and experimenting with different flavors. During my second year of college, I would invite a few friends over during Saturday nights where I would treat them to a three course dinner I cooked as a way to test out new recipes. Cooking was also a way I got to practice my manual dexterity and aesthetics.

Cutting Hair

-At first, I got into cutting hair when my dad asked me to cut his hair as he didn't want to go to the barbershop anymore as a way to save money. During college, I would cut my friends' hair and started a side hustle by cutting their hair. I learned how to cut different styles such as taper fades, textured fringes, and middle parts. Cutting hair also helps with my manual dexterity and skills associated to attention to detail.

Gym

-Since the start of college, I've started going to the gym consistently as a way to stay healthy and to relieve stress. I mainly focus on weight training and developing more muscle. Going to the gym is also a way I can hang out with my friends as it allows us spend time together even with our busy schedules.