STEM Spotlight: Kitty Yeung
The word 'multifaceted' fails to describe the awesomeness that is Dr. Kitty Yeung. With a PhD in applied physics from Harvard, a role as Microsoft's Senior Program Manager for Quantum Computing, and talents in a variety of the arts, Kitty's fierce factor cannot be quantified! In addition to her considerably cool career, Kitty runs her own smart fashion line, writes and illustrates epic graphic novels and cute comics, sings, and plays multiple instruments. Kitty combines STEM and art in ways like no one else could ever dream. Dr. Kitty Yeung is one of the sharpest, most creative individuals out there, and we are psyched to share her thoughts on the intersections of the intellect and imagination!
When did you know you wanted to be a physicist?
I always wanted to be a scientist since I was little. But at the same time I wanted to be all those other things: a painter, a musician, a philosopher, etc. They share the common theme of being scholarly and intellectual. I get inspired when seeing different systems in nature behave so similarly under the same physical models. It does take years of academic training to reach a professional level in physics. I decided that if I did arts, I might not be able to do science; but if I did science, I might be able to do arts at the same time. It’s been working out and I still get inspired by all three most important fields for me: science, art and music.
Why do you think the intersection of art and science is so important?
Both are inspirational subjects. Science determines what we can ever know and ever do and art influences people culturally. They lie in the extreme ends of this intellectual spectrum: science <-> engineering <-> design <-> art. Engineering and design are the practical manifestations of science and art. At the intersection between engineering and design, creative new ideas can be generated with inputs from science and art. Well-rounded and inclusive decisions can then be made to better serve the society.
What excites you most about the realm of smart fashion?
The possibility of an industrial revolution in garment manufacturing. I’d like to push for a more efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing process in garment production, and for technology be an integral part of fashion design. I’d like to see any designer being able to use technology as a component in their creations and make products that consumers actually need and want through efficient and affordable customizations.
If you were a superhero, what would your go-to wearable tech device/outfit be like?
Probably not a superhero outfit, but I’d really love to have a time-turner like Hermione Granger’s. There are so much I’d love to learn but too little time. I want to have multiple versions of myself learning different things in parallel!
To keep up with Dr. Kitty Yeung, check out her website and shop her fashion line here. For more physics, art, fashion, and fun on your feed, be sure to also follow Kitty on Instagram (@artbyphysicistkittyyeung, @ktycomics, @artbyphysicist) and on Twitter (@KittyArtPhysics)!
Editor's Note: Kitty's full interview was originally published June 4, 2018. You can read it here.