Have you met Vivian Giang, Communications and Grant Strategist/Event Coordinator for the U of A Geotechnical Centre in the Faculty of Engineering? Spend a few minutes getting to know her better.
What is your first U of A memory?
Saturday morning Chinese classes in the Education Building with Student Volunteer Campus Community when I was a kid — I’m excited SVCC still offers language classes today!
What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?
I have mad recorder skills — give me any song, and I’ll figure out how to play it.
What’s your favourite distraction?
Any show written or produced by Mindy Kaling.
If you were enrolling in one course, program or degree right now, what would it be?
I am pursuing an interdisciplinary PhD program (Anthropology + Engineering) right now! My research aims to inform and develop equitable community engagement processes and communication frameworks for approaching renewable energy development responsibly and sustainably while respecting Indigenous rights.
What’s a weird pet peeve you have?
My bed is my sanctuary — no one is allowed to sit on it with their street clothes, even me.
You can invite anyone — alive or dead, real or fictional — to dinner. Who would it be?
Keanu Reeves — he has so many diverse interests and talents and seems to excel at them all while remaining humble and grounded.
If you could see any live performance tomorrow, what would it be?
U2
What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Seek and keep friends who will uplift you and celebrate your successes as much as you will for them.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
Family.
What three words describe your U of A experience?
Inspiring, dynamic, transformative.
About Vivian
Vivian is passionate about communicating and engaging with people and communities. She works for the UAlberta Geotechnical Centre and is pursuing interdisciplinary doctoral studies through the University of Alberta’s Future Energy Systems research initiative. Vivian is a 2022 National Geographic Explorer, a 2020 Action Canada/Public Policy Forum Fellow and recently completed her Fulbright Scholarship in Hawai‘i.