DiversiTEA: Building community one cup of boba at a time

Issac “Izzy” Kim stands out not just for her academic and professional pursuits but also for her deep commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. A Bioengineering senior hoping to pursue a career in medicine, Izzy has seen firsthand how impactful the field of biomedical engineering can be on different facets of the healthcare system. However, she has also seen how inequities in the medical field lead to mistrust between providers and marginalized communities.

“Studying a major and working a job that directly impacts lives, I saw firsthand how feeling ‘not represented’ can really impact people, not just in our field but in healthcare, too,” Izzy states. “In my work with the emergency department and my scribe volunteering with University District Street Medicine (UDSM), many patients expressed feeling unwelcome or like they didn’t belong when seeking medical help.”

Izzy’s research at the Cardiac Systems Simulation (CardSS) Lab under Bioengineering Assistant Professor Patrick Boyle focuses on using computational science to investigate cardiac arrhythmias. Her work, particularly on atrial fibrillation (AFib), leverages patient data to create personalized simulation studies aimed at bridging the healthcare gap for vulnerable populations.

Supported by a Mary Gates Research Scholarship, Izzy also conducted an independent study that identified and investigated how to improve simulations of Afib and atrial flutter. Currently, she is collaborating with Austin Baird—a research assistant professor in the UW Department of Surgery investigating healthcare simulation science—on behalf of the CardSS Lab to scale her research from organ-scale to human-scale modeling of AFib. This ambitious project aims to simulate AFib’s comprehensive effects across various bodily systems, thereby offering a holistic view of its impacts.

Izzy’s dedication to healthcare equity is paralleled in her efforts to foster a supportive environment within the Bioengineering community. As the president of the UW Biomedical Engineering Society, co-president of UW Qmunity and a member of the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) committee, Izzy has worked tirelessly to ensure that students feel welcomed and supported. “I wanted to dismantle traditional STEM stereotypes and foster diversity in our department,” says Izzy. “Ultimately, my goal was to cultivate a BioE that truly reflects and understands the communities we serve.”

The genesis of the DiversiTEA chats, an initiative spearheaded by Izzy, was inspired by her observations of underrepresentation in STEM and healthcare. Recognizing the profound impact of not seeing oneself reflected in professional environments, Izzy sought to challenge and dismantle these barriers. The DiversiTEA chats were born out of a desire to celebrate diverse identities and backgrounds, offering a platform for mentorship, discussion and community building.

I wanted to dismantle traditional STEM stereotypes and foster diversity in our department. Ultimately, my goal was to cultivate a BioE that truly reflects and understands the communities we serve. Izzy Kim

Collaborating with the Biomedical Engineering Society, the JEDI council, faculty members and various affinity groups, Izzy has managed to transform DiversiTEA from a concept into a series of impactful events. These sessions not only provide a space for sharing experiences but also aim to increase visibility and support for members of the BioE community with historically underrepresented identities. The success of events like “DiversiTEA: Queer Voices in BioE” underscores the initiative’s effectiveness in fostering a sense of safety and inclusion.
“Founding DiversiTEA taught me that rather than effecting change alone, the collective strength of communities can create a lasting impact,” Izzy states. “The relationships and diverse communities at UW, including our collaborators, that breathed life into DiversiTEA leave me confident that our endeavors will echo through the hallways beyond my time at UW, empowering the next generation of Bioengineers to discover their voices and advocate for their communities!”
Izzy hopes that DiversiTEA chats will reveal the inherent diversity within the Bioengineering community, encouraging a shift towards more people-focused solutions in research and development. By embracing varied perspectives, she believes the community can develop solutions that truly reflect a broader spectrum of human experience.

Beyond her academic and advocacy work, Izzy is an avid outdoor enthusiast, aspiring tattoo artist and a budding sourdough baker—her sourdough starter is named “Bread Pitt.” She states, “My family and friends say I can’t sit still because I’m constantly on the lookout for new experiences, but my dream is to be everything I can be in my life, so I’ve got a bucket list a mile long with all the things I want to learn and do next.” Her zest for life and relentless pursuit of new experiences highlight a dynamic personality driven by curiosity and a desire to make a meaningful impact.

My family and friends say I can’t sit still because I’m constantly on the lookout for new experiences, but my dream is to be everything I can be in my life, so I’ve got a bucket list a mile long with all the things I want to learn and do next. Izzy Kim

As Izzy prepares for the next chapters in her journey, including potentially walking routes on the Camino de Santiago post-graduation, she hopes to leave behind a legacy that will outlast her time in UW Bioengineering. Through the DiversiTEA chats and her broader advocacy efforts, Izzy is not just building bridges within the BioE community; she’s crafting a blueprint for a more inclusive, understanding and diverse field of bioengineering, one cup of boba at a time.