Dr. Milton Huang

Background

My undergraduate training was at Stanford University, where I started my journey between the boundaries of the "techie" and the "fuzzy," getting a BS. in Electrical Engineering and an AB. in Psychology. I was also premed (to cover all the bases) and went to medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. While my old roommates went off to work at Silicon Valley startups, I was busy in psychiatric residency training at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I did continue to use my technical background, creating a "psychiatric informatics" fellowship. I joined the faculty seeing patients, teaching and doing research that focused on the impact of technology on psychiatry. My research specialization was on the emotional effects of Virtual Reality, treating phobias with virtual heights.

In 2001, I returned to California, where I did some part time clinical psychiatric work at the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency and at the University of California, Santa Cruz. I also maintained a small private practice that emphasized psychotherapy. I am currently returning to the technical world, exploring different ways to employ my particular background.

Interests

I am interested in how things work. I see the world as a complex, dynamic system that simultaneously exists on multiple levels including the molecular, cellular, individual, and societal. Consequently, I try to explore multiple perspectives on people and the world they are a part of. This includes learning something about sociology, anthropology, religion, mathematics, cognitive science, neurobiology, and philosophy. It also includes working on being more true to myself, and despite failings, striving to live a better life. I practice tai chi and being a father. I continue to look at how I can best pursue creating change in myself and my personal relationships. I remain concerned about the effects of technology, but am excited about the potential people have as groups and self organizing systems to create sustained change and growth.

I also have an interest in the history and mythology of the stars.