[Photo credit: CALTECH]
Caltech’s Women in Biology and Biological Engineering (WiBBE) group will mark the Lunar New Year on Thursday, Feb. 8, with a talk on “Working Women in Ancient China” at the Chen 130 seminar room from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
The event, the first in-person Lunar New Year celebration in over two years, is spearheaded by WiBBE member Dr. Wen Chen, a scientific curator for Caltech’s WormBase project.
“The original idea of crafting talks about Chinese culture came when I watched Shen Yun (Performing Arts),” Chen said. “They always have dance dramas about Chinese historical stories. These fascinating legends like Mulan and Monkey King, through dance and music, bring great hope and inspiration to audiences.”
Chen, who holds a Ph.D. from Caltech’s Sternberg Lab, has been with the WormBase project since 2000 and is known for her dedication to sharing insights on Chinese culture, history, and society. She has been working to bridge Eastern and Western cultures, and that is evident in her work, which draws from her lifelong interest in traditional Chinese art. For her, events like the Lunar New Year celebration serve not only to educate but also to foster community among WiBBE members and beyond.
Thursday’s event can help clear up some mistaken ideas about the role of women in society, Dr. Chen said.
“We often face this notion from society that traditional women do not work; at the same time, there is also a prejudice against housewives,” she said. “I published a blog article about working women in ancient China a couple of years ago. It was fascinating to read about the personal lives of so many brilliant women. They gained knowledge from family education and served society with their talent, thus leaving their names in history. I saw wisdom and harmony in them, which are timeless qualities that can help us in modern society.
While Chen is used to organizing virtual events over the last two years, she is excited about doing this talk in person, especially with most research groups having limited communication with other groups, usually only through scientific meetings.
“I hope this in-person event can bring WiBBE members together in a setting outside of science,” she said. “People may not have a connection in science, but they can form a bond through their interests or specific topics. That is how WiBBE builds a community for our members to encourage and support each other.”
Each year, Chen presents a Lunar New Year talk at Caltech. Her past presentations include “The Science of Tea Making” last year, “Chinese Medicine & Meditation” in 2022, and “Traditional Chinese Attire” in 2021.
“As a scientist, I need to read complicated cutting-edge literature and present scientific concepts to researchers clearly and concisely,” she explained. “Now I apply my unique advantage in explaining some traditional concepts in languages that make sense to the Caltech community.”
One of the things Chen hopes to achieve with her talks is bring attention to the fact that many in the West do not hear much about China from the people there; most of their information comes from the Chinese government, she said.
“As an independent speaker, I want to be the voice of the voiceless, not only for human rights in China but also for the Chinese history that was censored and distorted in the textbooks controlled by the Chinese government,” she said. “Chinese Americans are in the middle of the geopolitical conflict between China and the U.S. I hope my activism at Caltech can help the community distinguish Chinese people from the Chinese Communist Party. That is the only way for Chinese Americans, like me and my children, to be part of American society while preserving our heritage.”
She also hopes that the Lunar New Year event will become a cherished tradition at Caltech. She plans to continue engaging and educating the community on Chinese culture, and is encouraging suggestions for future topics.
“That is something I want to hear from the audience this year,” Chen said. “People can also email me their suggestions for future topics. I am interested in crafting a talk about how ancient Chinese solved conflicts because there was so much courage, wisdom, and compassion demonstrated in some historical records.”
The Lunar New Year talk is open to all members of the Caltech community and beyond. Light refreshments will be served between 2:30 pm and 2:45 pm, with the talk following.
For more information and to RSVP for the event, visit www.caltech.edu/campus-life-
Dr. Wen Chen’s email is wenchenspeaker@gmail.com.
