Loling Song - 2017 SPIE Women in Optics Planner
Founder and CEO
ChiSquare Bioimaging, LLC., USA
 |
Country of Birth: China
|
My childhood in China was marked by turbulent political times. Social and political conformity were essential for survival, yet my parents created a micro-environment where self-expression and interests in math, chess, and electronics were supported. A passion for classical music and world literature were nurtured. My parents instilled in me pride in choosing a path less travelled. I never regretted being in a field where women are outnumbered by men. In the end all that really matters is what one can accomplish in one’s chosen field.
Today, after transitioning from academia to be the founding CEO of a technology start-up, I learn new skills on the fly: negotiation, marketing, product development, and financial management. My company's current focus is single-photon counting technology and fiber optics for use in fluorescence lifetime detection in deep brain structures of rodents for application in the study of human diseases. What I value most is delivering advanced solutions to a broad community of scientists where I have impact on a much wider scientific field than just my own.
To women considering a career in STEM, analytical thinking, cultivated through a solid foundation in math and physics, is essential to excel in whatever one chooses to do. To me it is exciting and rewarding to be adventurous and go beyond my comfort zone. Life is short, but it is possible to have very different life experiences in one lifetime while staying true to yourself.