Michael Zhu Chen is an MD PHD candidate at the Harvard/MIT MD-PHD program. In today’s conversation, we discuss his exploration of various fields in science ranging from neuroscience to public policy to other domains. You can find his twitter here. We explore the advice he gave to young students [he doesn’t want you to watch the video], talk about what stifles and cultivates curiosity in young people, and whether the common advice of “finding your passion” misses the mark. You won’t want to miss this conversation.
[0:20] Introduction
[1:20] How did Michael get into neuroscience and how has he pivoted into other domains?
[6:25] Michael’s generalist tendencies and how it influenced his scientific interests
[8:10] Did Michael look for something to specialize as soon as possible?
[13:10] How did his experiences in various scientific domains shape Michael?
[20:55] Focusing on Science rather than Public Policy
[24:50] Where “finding your passion” misses the mark
[26:20] Michael advice to kids was to “stay curious”. When did Michael ever not feel curious?
[32:00] Fear and Ego stifle curiosity
[35:05] Can you force people to be curious?
[38:30] Perhaps certain qualities should be developed indirectly through the environment?
[44:20] Successful people tend to have an action bias
[45:50] How did Michael get in his own way throughout his journey so far?
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