At UC Berkeley, Tia studied ecology and human health, conducting research on urban wildlife behavior in Northern California and coral health in Malaysia. Originally from Singapore, she often visits family in Southeast Asia and obtained her Open Water Scuba Diving Certification in Pulau Tioman, Malaysia. Currently, Tia serves as a volunteer Tropical Animal Husbandry and Horticulture Specialist at the California Academy of Sciences, while also contributing to food security initiatives for elderly Asian immigrants through the Sisterhood Community Garden. Additionally, she is a clinical research manager at UC San Francisco, where she develops neuroimaging tools for Alzheimer’s disease screening and explores environmental dementia risks. She founded and taught a course on Bio-inspired Design at UC Berkeley, integrating diverse academic disciplines to address global challenges. Tia’s passion for education extends to teaching various dance styles and tutoring high school students in math and science.