In a biotechnology company in Seattle, Phuong Le (Class of 2019) is deep in the details. As a Quality Engineer at InBios International, Inc., he’s responsible for ensuring diagnostic tests used by hospitals and clinics around the world meet the highest standards. Precisely. Consistently. Without compromise. “I like figuring out how things work—and how to make them better,” he says. “When the stakes are people’s health, every detail matters.”
It’s a role that suits him. Phuong is analytical, curious, and quietly exacting. And he’s also got range. At UNIS Hanoi, he was a singer, choreographer, MUN leader, cookbook author, and chemistry enthusiast—often all in the same week. “STEM was always my comfort zone,” he explains, “but UNIS pushed me into spaces I wouldn’t have explored on my own. That shaped who I am—someone who’s technical, but also artistic, and open to new ideas.”
Phuong graduated from the University of Rochester, where he earned both his undergraduate and Master’s degrees in biomedical engineering. He received multiple scholarships for his academic achievements and performed extensive research as an undergraduate student. Impressively, this included a competitive research fellowship at Mayo Clinic, one of the top medical centers in the United States. He also served as vice president of an engineering society and led a campus dance crew.
But ask him what stands out in his memories, and he circles back to something more personal: the Vietnamese cookbook he created for his Grade 10 personal project. A Slice of My Hanoi spanned 160 pages, blending iconic Hanoian dishes with his own unique twists. “I didn’t want to just recreate traditional recipes. I wanted to reinterpret them to learn and say something about my identity, about growing up between cultures. That project made me realise that food is a powerful cultural lens.”
That instinct to hybridise, to experiment, and to bring systems and souls together, runs through everything Phuong does. These days, it’s expressed in equipment troubleshooting and project reports. But his underlying motivation hasn’t changed. “There’s a quiet yet powerful impact in what I do,” he reflects. “I may not treat patients, but the tools I build can change someone’s diagnosis, and their life.”
When asked which UNIS core value still guides him most, Phuong doesn’t hesitate: integrity. “I always try to be the most authentic version of myself, with friends, with my family, and at work. “Showing up as one's true self is one of the bravest things anyone can do.”
With his first year in Seattle behind him and a visit from family coming up, Phuong is still building his career, community, and direction. But one thing’s clear: he hasn’t forgotten where it started. “UNIS gave me the mindset I have today. Think critically. Stay curious. And always, always keep growing.”