An art and science major makes the most of both worlds

Thai Hoang, a student at Auckland University, said her parents told her when she was growing up that she had the mind of a scientist and the heart of an artist.

Huang admits that she loves science and art. You faced a difficult decision when deciding what you wanted to study in college: science or art? Ultimately, Huang decided to do both, majoring in studio arts in the College of Arts and Sciences, and clinical and diagnostic sciences in the College of Health Sciences.

“I've always felt the division between these two worlds: art and science,” Huang said. “I have my STEM friends, who are very logical and very direct and straightforward. Then I have my artist friends, who are very romantic and expressive.”

“I was always afraid that one would get in the way of the other, but as I grew up I realized that I could do both,” Huang added. “I've never felt like I understand the human condition more than when I'm creating art or in cadaver labs working on human bodies. These two things are very similar to me and most people think they're on opposite ends of the spectrum. But they're both about wanting to understand and be understood. I realized that it is possible to have these two things together.

Huang's art is already beginning to attract attention, as she recently received a Detroit Society of Painters and Sculptors grant.

“Winning this award is an incredible honor, not only for the scholarship, but also to be recognized by an organization that is as rich and uplifting for women artists as DSWPS,” Huang said. “It is an affirmation that I have the ability to create art that enhances communication, and that others see my potential and encourage me to continue to persevere. I realize how lucky I am, and I could not have achieved this without the support of my professors and classmates.”

Huang is grateful that she continued to pursue art in college because it challenged her in ways she did not expect.

“It opened my mind to what I thought was never possible for me,” Huang said. “I never considered myself a 3D artist, but I took 3D Foundations and it was completely out of my comfort zone and I loved it. I thought: ‘Oh no, this is where I feel humbled.’ But instead I was very inspired. I didn’t get much out of the class.” Before I began to realize that art is more about expression than the final product, it is about the process rather than the destination. I realized how the idea of ​​perfection gets in the way of actual creation. These messages really resonated with me, and I left that class a different person than I did when I came into it .

Hoang also has to interact with other artists in Auckland and feels like she is a better artist because of it.

“The community is definitely one of the best parts of the program,” Huang said. “Obviously we are individuals with different interests, but we all have this fundamental interest in creativity and in what makes life so beautiful. It's very easy to connect with people, which is something I didn't have before I came to CSU.”

Huang hopes to build a career in both the medical and artistic fields, before pursuing a career as a medical illustrator.

A medical illustrator is a professional artist with specialized training and advanced education in medicine, science, art, design, visual technology, media technologies, and theories related to communication and learning.

In collaboration with scientists, doctors, and other content specialists, medical illustrators serve as visual translators of complex technical information.

“I would love to become a medical illustrator one day and be able to combine my passions into one thing, but that is a long-term goal and not something I am looking to dive into right away,” she said. “I would like to get experience in both fields before pursuing this, and maybe even teach it to other people, and I would have a unique experience that no one else would have in both worlds.”

Huang has won numerous awards in the past, including the Congressional Arts Competition twice and the National School of Arts and Writing Awards (gold and silver medal).

“Winning these awards, in a weird way, made me realize that I wasn't special and I'm not saying that as a bad thing,” Huang said. “It's just that everyone is so unique that no one is unique at the same time. Everyone has their own talents, and this made me realize how ordinary I am. I come from humble beginnings and this is very comforting for me because it means that anyone can do So winning these awards has helped validate a part of me because I found that I can create something that moves people, but at the same time it helps me appreciate what other people can do.

Hoang's parents were born in Vietnam. Huang told her parents' story of how they survived the Vietnam War and came to the United States, which is inspiring and full of resilience. She hopes to have the same resilience in everything she does and make her parents proud.

“My parents always stressed that, no matter what, you have to get an education,” Huang said. “We've had some tough discussions along the way, but I'm happy with what I'm doing now. I'm really grateful for everything my parents have done and supported me with. I get a lot of who I am from my dad. My mom always says, 'You're truly your daddy's girl,' and so am I. My parents They are the reason I create and why I am so passionate about bringing awareness to my community and creating unity.