Personal

I am from Hanoi, Vietnam. I was a math-gifted student. I left home at sixteen for Singapore to study the Integrated Program at National Junior College before majoring in Political Science and Philosophy at National University of Singapore (NUS). 

I never pictured myself pursuing a graduate degree, let alone a degree in Philosophy — a field of study regarded by many as too abstract to be relevant. Even though I loved math, I wanted to major in Political Science with the hope of joining an international organization or a think tank to help others. In my first semester at NUS, however, I took Introduction to Philosophy and immediately fell in love with the subject because of the intellectual rigor and fascinating, relevant topics it explores. I ended up majoring in Political Science and Philosophy and gained a First-class Honors degree. Subsequently, I obtained my MA in Philosophy from Georgia State University prior to coming to UTK for my PhD in Philosophy. 

The literature on epistemic injustice resonates with my own experience of being lectured at by my uncle for deciding to major in political science. Thinking that I wanted to become a politician, he tried to dissuade me and encouraged me to become a teacher. Being a teacher, in his view, is better for family life, which he thinks is important for a woman. I found myself unable to utter a word in response—though a lot was going on in my mind. Kristie Dotson labels this phenomenon “testimonial smothering,” in which a speaker truncates their testimony when confronted by an audience who is ignorant of and unsympathetic towards the content of their assertion. 

I love swimming, yoga, and traveling. I am also a tea lover. Drinking a cup of tea feels like getting a hug to me. (I like coffee too though I mostly drink decaf nowadays.) I enjoy hanging out with my friends in my free time. Fun fact: As of November 2023, I have become a certified open-water scuba diver (basic) :)