These days Tan is using 3D printers to print off protective masks for use against COVID-19, and developing new designs that print more efficiently and quickly. He’s also providing a lot of IT support to the Wake Forest staff who are now working remotely—a monumental task considering the technology involved. “With radiology, some of these monitors are $25,000 a piece, so we have to figure out how to get these super expensive monitors home, installed, and talking properly to systems, as well as the calibration,” Tan said.
As one of the few staff still working on-site, Tan has found his job role expand to everything from replacing paper towels to helping to staff newly secured entrances, to trouble-shooting whatever computer problems may arise.
“A lot of this thinking in a different way I learned at UNC Asheville, just being out of your comfort zone, taking these different classes with people you don’t get to see very often in your main departments,” Tan said.
Tan said that while being a “computer geek” is considered cool now, that was not the case when he first came to UNC Asheville.
“In high school, essentially I would not say hello to anybody unless they said hi to me first,” Tan said. “I was really timid, really introverted, almost scared of people until I got to know them.” Attending UNC Asheville’s pre-orientation camping trip, pre-rendezblue, helped Tan connect with a group of friends before classes even started.
“We got to move in before everybody else, and we went on this seven- or eight-day camping trip, and we did not realize we were going to be dropped off in the middle of Pisgah National Forest and be picked up 30 miles away a week later,” Tan said.
“It was pretty insane, but because of that experience I really got to know 10 people really well in my group, and still to this day I keep in touch with a lot of those alumni.”
Tan felt like he had a head start on his social life in college, so he started diving into different student organizations. He became historian for three clubs his freshman year. “We started a pep band when I was there, and we also re-chartered a fraternity during my years there,” Tan said. He also served as president of the International Student Association, where he was exposed to different perspectives from students who hailed from across the globe.
“I really enjoyed my time at UNC Asheville with different departments working together to get things accomplished,” Tan said.
Tan still seeks the perspectives of friends and colleagues across the globe, especially in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic. “For me, being in health care, I like to listen to different groups and different people from different departments and different countries,” Tan said. One collaborator in Austria has developed a machine that can sterilize rooms, busses, and perhaps even PPE (personal protective equipment). Another friend in Denmark has helped create a special air cushion that allows patients to lay on their stomachs, which allows them to get more oxygen and sleep better, which can be crucial in the treatment of COVID-19.
“To be honest, there’s a whole lot of research going on. We just need to social distance, to stick with that a little bit longer,” Tan said. “The research is coming. There are a hundred different vaccines in clinical trials… We’re trying to do some really cool prototyping of potential new pharmaceuticals in the laboratory. We’re working with big pharma and NIH to try and fast track a lot of this testing in the lab.”
In the meantime, Tan continues to do his part on a day to day basis, one issue at a time.
“You gain knowledge, and then you can problem solve.”
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