Alvin Lai

Recent graduate with excellent research, technical, and problem-solving skills. Detail-oriented and able to learn new concepts quickly. Committed community health worker with experience in providing support and services to diverse populations. Skilled in advocating for individual and community needs. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with healthcare professionals to implement community health initiatives. Experienced in fast-paced environments and adaptable to last-minute changes. Thrives under pressure and consistently earns high marks for work quality and speed.

2020 High School Valedictorian - Graduated rank 1 among the class of 2020

VCH Volunteer of the Quarter - March 2023, outstanding contribution to Vietnamese Community Health

• Vietnamese Community Health, Member, 2020, 2024-06, Addressing the issue of preventative health in the LA community by educating and providing free services/screenings. As a member, I participated in raising awareness and volunteering in events, all while building leadership in health-related community service. Member of the Patient Education and Wellness committee for three quarters.
• Los Angeles Health Initiative, Member, 2021-09, 2022-06, Pre-health organization that is committed to serving Los Angeles through health-based projects in the community.
• Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Care Extender, 2023-05, 2024-05, Clinical experience at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, assisting nurses and patients. From stocking isolation carts to answering calls at the front desk, to addressing patient needs. Volunteered in the liver transplant floor, geriatrics, MICU, and ED.

• May 2023
• Semel Undergraduate Research Conference 2023 - Created a scientific paper with video presentation about our research lab, explaining mice strategies in complex discrimination of audio and visual stimuli. Worked on a poster, presented at Semel Undergraduate Research Conference 2023.

• Chem 14BL - Introduction to volumetric, spectrophotometric, and potentiometric analysis. Use and preparation of buffers and pH meters. Synthesis and kinetics techniques using compounds of interest to students in life sciences.
• Chem 14CL - Synthesis and analysis of compounds; purification by extraction, chromatography, recrystallization, and sublimation; characterization by mass spectroscopy, UV, NMR, and IR spectroscopy, optical activity, electrochemistry, pH titration.
• Chem 153L - Purification of enzymes to produce alcohol from bacteria. Assessment of protein amount, purity, and activity of enzyme. Techniques used include protein determination from Bradford assay, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunoblotting, and enzyme activity assays.
• Golshani Lab - Working as a research assistant from October 2022 to present, studying and collecting data on neural activity of water-deprived mice during simple and complex discrimination of an audio-visual task. Responsibilities also include attending bi-weekly meetings to improve mice training and performance, mice head-barring, and mice perfusions to extract brains for probing and analysis.

• January 2022 - June 2022
• New LA, Undergraduate Learning Assistant Program - Assisting peers taking LS30B about the computational functions of CoCalc (an online program that integrates the functions of python into practical mathematical uses).
• September 2022 - March 2023
• Returning LA, Undergraduate Learning Assistant Program - Assisting peers taking LS 30A about the computational functions of CoCalc (an online program that integrates the functions of python into practical mathematical uses). Also assisted peers taking LS 30B about the concept of matrices and linear transformations to understand dynamics of multivariable nonlinear systems. The examples are from ecological, physiological, chemical, and other systems.
• June 2023 - July 2023
• Pedagogy Head LA, Undergraduate Learning Assistant Program - Assisting peers taking LS 30A about the computational functions of CoCalc (an online program that integrates the functions of python into practical mathematical uses). As Pedagogy Head LA, served as a mediator between fellow Learning Assistants and course instructors while giving feedback to the same Learning Assistants for improvement.
• September 2023 - June 2024
• Muoi Board, Vice Coordinator - Vietnamese Catholic prayer and support group at UCLA. As vice coordinator, acted as a support role to the Coordinators and board members, planned socials and activities, helped plan fundraising events and connected with our parent organization, Đồng Hành. Led general meetings and prayer activities.