Zhuo 'April' Fu, PhD
Before joining Virginia Tech, I was a research faculty member at UVA, focusing on diabetes. In 2018, I resigned from my role as a Research Assistant Professor to pursue a career in education at VT, where I am dedicated to preparing and inspiring the next generation of scientists.
From a young age, I practiced qigong and later learned Taichi in college. During my postdoctoral work at UVA, I turned to meditation to manage stress and experienced profound changes in my well-being. These personal experiences deepened my understanding of the benefits of mindfulness, although I struggled to articulate them to others since they felt so personal. During the pandemic, I faced challenges with depression but was able to overcome them through mindfulness practices and art.
As an instructor at VT, I regularly survey my students, and many report experiencing depression each semester. This reinforces my belief in the importance of promoting mindfulness as an essential tool for mental health. I also began exploring the use of EEG headsets in my neuroscience courses, which has inspired me to investigate how I can demonstrate the physical changes mindfulness practices induce in the brain. This could be a powerful way to engage students in their own mental well-being.
I've published materials in the educational field of neuroscience, but I am now committed to developing educational content, particularly lab materials, that integrates mindfulness practices into neuroscience labs. I see this as a unique interdisciplinary research area that could significantly benefit my students.
Last year, during the Whole Health Consortium meeting, I made valuable connections with individuals from various disciplines, opening doors to new possibilities. I am eager to continue being part of this consortium, contributing to its mission, and advocating for mind-body practices in education and research.