HEAL's
Philosophy & Vision

Let’s be real: we’re not doing all of this, all the time. 

But these philosophies are here to remind us what we’re aiming for, as researchers, as mentors, as colleagues, and as people. They serve as our compass when things get messy (and they will), and our anchor when we forget what this work is really about. It’s about intention, not perfection.

Because at the end of the day, HEAL isn’t just a lab. It’s also a place to think deeply, grow boldly, mess up safely, and do meaningful work in good company. So here they are, our guiding philosophies. A little practical, a lot aspirational, and always a work in progress:

1. Collaborative Over Competitive

In a culture that often rewards individual achievement, we choose something different: collective growth. We believe that collaboration leads to deeper and more lasting impact than competition ever will. We commit to building a space where people support one another selflessly.

Academia can feel lonely. For those of us from underrepresented communities, it can also feel like we’re constantly fighting for scraps. But in this lab, we reject the myth of scarcity. Instead, we choose, bravely and deliberately, to lift each other up, even if it means letting someone else take the spotlight before we do. We commit to building a space where connection isn’t an afterthought, it’s part of the mission. We rise, not despite one another, but because of one another.

2. Thinker over Doer. Philosopher over Technician.

Our goal is to develop not just skilled researchers, but deep thinkers: scientists who ask bold questions, invite complexity, and challenge assumptions. In HEAL, we believe that conceptual thinking is just as essential as practical skills. Statistics, methods, and technical knowledge matter, but impactful research must start with impactful thinking. In an era where tools like AI can assist with technical execution, it’s our conceptual clarity, nuance, and imagination that set us apart. Here, we value the ability to think critically, ethically, and expansively as the cornerstone of meaningful science.

3. Initiative is a Love Language

In HEAL, initiative is key to student’s success. At the end of the day, HEAL’s goal is to help students become prepared and competitive to meet the complex challenges and opportunities of today’s workforce. In other words, students are not just an extension of Dr. Nguyen’s work. They are scholars in their own right.

Lab members are encouraged to launch their own research projects, write first-author papers, apply for funding, and lead with their own voice. Dr. Nguyen is here to support, collaborate, and cheer you on. But your initiative, creativity, and commitment are what drive your journey forward. This lab is a space to test ideas, take risks, and build something that reflects you.

4. Take the Work Seriously, But Not the Self

One of the biggest threats to science and personal growth is our own ego. In HEAL, we believe in excellence without ego and authenticity without arrogance. We value humility, curiosity, and the ability to receive feedback with openness and give it with care. Growth happens when we stop trying to protect our pride, acknowledge our ignorance, and start embracing the messiness of learning. We don’t pretend to have it all figured out. We show up ready to learn, unafraid to be wrong, and open to being surprised.

And, just as importantly, we laugh, joke, have fun, and don’t take ourselves too seriously. We take the work seriously. But the self? We keep that part light, flexible, and always learning.

5. The Community of Care

In HEAL, we hold space for one another’s humanity and imperfection. We recognize the emotional weight of working on issues tied to identity, oppression, and pain, and we take seriously the responsibility to care for ourselves and for one another along the way.

We’re human. Which means there will be exhaustion, mistakes, and missteps. While we strive to be accountable and reliable to each other, we also aim to foster a lab culture grounded in gentleness, forgiveness, and compassion. We believe in calling in rather than calling out and inviting learning rather than canceling. We challenge ideas, not people. We try our best to assume good intentions and to extend the grace we’d hope to receive.

Boundaries and self-care are not indulgences; they are necessary. However, we don’t treat boundaries as rigid walls, nor do we rehearse “self-care” as an empty slogan. Instead, we value communication, negotiation, flexibility, and mutual empathy. We care for one another, and we allow others to care for us. No one can heal, learn, or grow in isolation.

6. Scholarship in the Service of Justice

Our research is unapologetically grounded in equity, liberation, and systemic change. We reject neutrality in the face of injustice. In the same breath, we also reject the empty recital of buzzwords without genuine understanding, reflection, or action.  

In HEAL, we challenge one another not to simply echo what’s trending in the field, but to contribute meaningfully to the conversation around multiculturalism, health equity, and social justice. We resist the pressure to sanitize, simplify, conform, or perform. Instead, we lean into complexity and nuance: because human suffering and injustice are never black-and-white, and neither are the solutions.

We ask hard questions: Who benefits from this knowledge? Who is missing from the conversation? What are we now able to see, feel, or name that we couldn’t before? And how can we ensure that our work ripples outward beyond the walls of academia into policy, practice, and lives? 

We approach our work with intention: to inform, to disrupt, and to heal. Because at the end of the day, research is not just about publishing. It’s about pushing for change.