Focus on the Journey as well as the Destination

Chen Li’s Passion for the Scientific Study of Human Behavior

 

Chen LiFocus on the Journey as well as the Destination: Chen Li’s Passion for the Scientific Study of Human Behavior

Chen Li pondered life’s biggest questions from an early age, questioning everything from current events to her school’s curriculum. An AP Psychology course in high school sparked her passion for using science to study the mind in order to shed light on human behavior. Attracted by the Colin Powell School’s strong Psychology Department as well as CCNY’s beautiful campus and affordability, Li excelled as a researcher and participated in a neuroscience research partnership between CCNY and the University of Rochester, the same university where she plans to begin her PhD in Psychology in the fall. She urges current and future students to take advantage of the opportunity while in college to try out new things, fail, and explore new directions.

Please share a little about where you are from and what is your background.

In Chinese, the word for America (美国) literally translates to “beautiful country.” And this beautiful country was the entirety of my parent’s dream. They immigrated to America in 1997 with hopes to start a new life, and had me in 2001. Born and raised in Brooklyn, I grew up being constantly reminded of how lucky I was to be here and to have access to education. Neither one of my parents went to school, and they both regretted not having an education, so education was taken very seriously at home. I went to public school my entire life, and even graduated from the largest high school in NYC. 

What brought you to City College?

A big part of me wanted to go away for college, so I could have the cliché college experience. But with financial concerns playing a key factor in my college decision, I knew my parents couldn’t afford to send me to a private institution. As a result, I mainly applied to programs and schools that would allow me to graduate debt-free, and I stumbled across Macaulay Honors. When I was touring several CUNY campuses to help finalize my decision of which campus I would attend, I immediately fell in love with CCNY’s campus. It felt like a typical college campus despite being nested inside of the world’s busiest city. And after learning how diverse the psychology program is at CCNY, I knew I had to come. At the time I wanted to major in psychology, but wasn’t exactly sure which path to pursue. Knowing that CCNY offered a range of programs and classes, I figured what better place could I be at when trying the many different routes a psychology major had to offer. 

What is your passion or purpose behind pursuing what you did at City College?

Growing up, my favorite word was why. There was never a day where I didn’t question the things I learned in school, major events happening in the news, or my mom’s sudden decision to go out for dinner instead of eating in. As I got older, I realized that I was actually interested in the fundamental questions of life. But I also knew that I wanted to potentially answer these questions through science. After taking AP Psychology, I quickly realized that studying psychology would allow me to do both. Psychology allows one to address some of the fundamental questions of life through the study of human interaction and behavior. And specifically, cognitive neuroscience allows one to discover the biological foundation of the most complex organ in a human body that controls all human behavior: the brain. 

How has your career unfolded, and how has the Colin Powell School helped you along the way?

Although I did just recently graduate, my career is definitely still unfolding. It was only recently when I finally figured out what I wanted to do post-graduation, and I only have the Colin Powell School to thank. CPS allowed me to find a group of supportive professors and staff who helped guide me on my journey to finding the right path, gain hands-on laboratory experience in cognitive neuroscience research, study a side passion I had in Economics, and graduate in 3 years. I also participated in NeuroCity, a 10 weeks intensive research program CCNY has with the University of Rochester. 

Would you like to share your biggest accomplishment or greatest memory from your time at CCNY?

Yes! I am extremely grateful to announce that I will be starting my PhD in neuroscience this January. 

Also definitely one of my biggest accomplishments was presenting the work I had done during my 10 weeks at the University of Rochester. Although I have been doing research since 2020, I never got the chance to present my work or attend a conference because of the pandemic. So being able to attend a poster conference, talk about my work and network with fellow researchers in the same field for the first time was definitely an achievement I am extremely proud of. 

What advice do you have for current and future students at CCNY?

Remember that degrees provide credentials, not practical knowledge. Your ultimate goal should not just be getting that degree. Instead, focus on the journey getting there, and make the most out of it. Take advantage of the many opportunities available at CCNY, because there are so many! And as cliché as it may sound, don’t ever stop trying. If something doesn’t work out, that’s fine. Try something else. College should be your safe haven to try, so take advantage of it. Once you get thrown into the real world, your chances of freely trying will be limited. And finally, always remember that success is a process, never an event. You’re bound to make mistakes, so don’t beat yourself up when it happens. Accept them, and channel your energy to what you’ll do next. In the end, that’s what’s going to really matter. 


 

Subscribe to podcast via RSS

<< Back to blog