Mikayla "Miki" Chan, Founder/Developer

Miki Chan is a high school student with a personal and academic commitment to health research. As someone considered high-risk for breast cancer due to family history, she values making health information freely accessible and easy to use, especially for young people. Since her freshman year, she has developed a strong interest in data literacy and in understanding breast cancer risk factors across demographics. She has worked with national incidence datasets and hopes to help other students see how data can be applied to any disease they feel connected to. Through Pearl Watch, Miki brings together her passions for health, design, education, and advocacy, focuses on how controllable risk factors can shape long-term health conditions. Inspired by community engagement, scientific curiosity, and the belief that knowledge shared with kindness can create change, Miki envisions Pearl Watch as a starting point for teens to connect public health research to their own lives.

What does "Pearl Watch" mean?

Pearl Watch emphasizes the value of vigilance and needing to care for one’s wellbeing. The name "Pearl Watch" was partly inspired by how the word 波霸 (boba), playful slang in Taiwanese culture, has became associated with pearls and femininity. Pearls more broadly represent the qualities of resilience and rarity that reflect in the strength and individuality of young women. "Watch” emphasizes one's need to protect and have more timely attention to their health.

Affiliations/Awards

The Dedrick Kon ’96 Fellowship for Exploration of the Life Sciences

Adore Your Buds -- demystifying breast cancer through sharing and creative expression