Stephen T C Wong
Methodist Hospital Cancer Center and Academic Institute; Weill Cornell Medicine, USAFor outstanding contributions in pioneering CARS imaging in medicine and high content microscopic screening for drug discovery and biological research.
Stephen T.C. Wong has not followed a traditional career path. In fact, he says, “I don’t think I’ve had a career at all!” Instead, Stephen has followed his interests and passions regardless of the technical area, country, or sector and the result has been a wonderfully rewarding life. He has lived and worked in more than ten countries in various industries, including optical communications, semiconductors, fabrication, biophotonics, medical imaging, and even online brokerage trade. Always interested in science, Stephen has been driven by his ambition to excel as an engineer, and he aims to address socioeconomically impactful challenges.
Growing up in Hong Kong, he became interested in pursuing science professionally in secondary school. Stephen’s interest in optical communications was sparked during his final year thesis project, where he built an early functional prototype of a digital Optical Time Domain Reflectometer. This project required meticulous integration of optical components and a complex circuit system, which laid the groundwork for Stephen’s highly cross-disciplinary career. Today, his research aims to enhance diagnosis and treatment in cancer, neurological disorders, and metabolic diseases. Stephen is drawn to highly complex problems and likes to incorporate his pragmatic perspective as an engineer into solving disease and health problems. With a wealth of diverse experiences, he can more quickly identify where the knowledge transfers and how unique fields can inform one another.
With experience in academia and industry, Stephen has observed that working in industry can be more team-oriented and likens profit to a company’s oxygen. For academia, he says it is an excellent place for idealistic people who like having freedom to explore. Stephen is never overly concerned with accumulating accolades and reflects that he is happy as long as his students and postdocs are happy and making progress toward their goals. He has mentored many students and postdocs since landing in academia and enjoys sharing his numerous experiences with them. Though he didn’t have a mentor himself, he shares that a good mentor “possesses the experience and genuine desire to support your professional growth. They should be willing to invest time in nurturing your development.” Stephen adds that it is a two-way street, and mentees should maintain open communication and be transparent in their expectations.
Stephen did have a role model for his career: Nikola Tesla, whose engineering spirit and eye for the big picture are particularly inspirational. He calls him one of our time's “least appreciated scientists.” Tesla was more concerned with getting things done and thinking creatively, not necessarily turning his inventions into profits like others active during his lifetime. Stephen comments, “In a way, that’s thinking about the big picture, something bigger than yourself.” With this example in mind, Stephen strives to consider the impact of his work rather than what might be the next stepping stone for his career, saying, “It's not just about the technology; it's about how this technology connects us, improves our lives, and has a profound impact on our health and well-being.”
Optics and photonics have many emerging technologies that could revolutionize the medical industry. Stephen predicts a similar revolution for medical optics as when radiology changed the medical imaging and treatment landscape. Depth is still a challenge, but where optics shines is in its resolution and precision. He shares as an example: “Now, if there’s a tumor on a nerve, we have to cut the whole nerve. This causes significant damage. With optics and photonics, we can potentially use precision lasers to chip away at the tumor, preserving the nerve completely.” He advises those interested in pursuing this area, “Embrace both passion and purpose. These fields are not just about technical skills, but also about curiosity and the drive to make a meaningful impact.”
Stephen summarizes his life and achievements, “I’m an ordinary engineer trying to do something great.”
Photo Credit: Stephen Wong
Profile written by Samantha Hornback
