Quyen Phan

Quyen Phan is an epidemiologist with the Connecticut Department of Public Health.  She is a sophisticated scientist who conducts public health surveillance and investigates infectious disease outbreaks. Quyen is engaged in the systematic gathering of information (data) that will become evidence that will be used to gain better understanding and new knowledge about pathogens causing human illness. Quyen, however, is also a multidisciplined artist, with a talent to conceptualize and, with her remarkable creativity, uses her imagination to visualize ideas, emotions, or moments to express another facet of herself through painting and photography. As we have seen, she constantly pushes herself to form fresh visual perspectives to learn something new to share with her colleagues and the potential patrons. Although Quyen’s profession and pleasurable pursuits at first appear disconnected, they are linked by her boundless curiosity and her enjoyment in undertaking intellectual challenges.

Quyen and her family managed to escape from war-torn Vietnam as “boat people” refugees in the early 1980’s. They first stayed in a refugee camp in Thailand, then another in Indonesia, and finally came to the United States via a charitable organization in South Windsor, CT. Most of Quyen’s childhood was in Manchester, CT, where she graduated high school. She then went on to study at Tufts University receiving a bachelor’s degree, majoring in sociology while minoring in Community Health, then to the University of Connecticut to receive a master’s degree in Public Health. Professionally, she has co-authored many published epidemiological papers in scientific journals as part of her career at the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH). She has largely worked with the Emerging Infections Program (EIP), a collaborative effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ten state health departments throughout the country, including CT. Most of Quyen’s career has been with one project of the EIP, called Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), where she was the CT DPH Foodborne Disease Outbreak Coordinator for over twenty years.  Since 2021, Quyen has assumed a broader role as the Emerging Infections Program Coordinator and manages all of CT DPH’s EIP projects which include foodborne, respiratory, vector-borne, zoonotic, and other emerging infectious diseases.  In addition, she serves on the CT EIP senior management team, providing scientific and technical leadership, and coordinating a range of activities including culture-independent diagnostic testing, advanced molecular detection, and information technology for the state’s EIP projects. All of that and she has raised a son and daughter in Simsbury.

Outside of her family life and career, she expresses herself artistically through a passion for both painting and photography that she began in early 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) to provide a balance to her daily life as an epidemiologist. A member of several art leagues or associations, she paints using oil as her medium because of its rich color depth and flexibility and has been an award winner in several competitions. Her subject matters are wide ranging, but she feels being somewhat “theme eclectic” allows her to grow as an artist. As a photographer, she is drawn to imagery that discloses and reveals the innate beauty of nature, wildlife, and our surroundings. She particularly enjoys being outdoors with a camera in hand and looking for illusive images. Using her artist’s eye, she is always trying to capture that one singular moment that tells a thought-provoking story that may be difficult to express in written words.

Quyen’s interest in photography was sparked during the COVID-19 epidemic. She was looking for a balance between her work and a new hobby. She had no prior experience with photography but purchased an Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III that came with a 14-42mm lens, a mirrorless a light weight and versatile camera. With this she began teaching herself how to use the camera by studying and watching YouTube videos and started to capture the many intriguing largely outdoors scenes and objects. Before long, like most novice SCC members, Quyen felt the need additional opportunities to learn and improve her skills. She found out about the Simsbury Camera Club through Lorraine Cosgrove, a long-time member of the club. Quyen joined the club in summer of 2021 and has been participating in monthly competitions. She views monthly image competition as a great opportunity to receive feedback and improve her photography skills. Quyen admits that she does not spend enough time on post processing, editing her images. Given the fact that she already spends most of her day at the computer as part of her work, spending more time on the computer to edit photos is her least favorite part of photography. Quyen enjoys seeing and is impressed by the varied, imaginative, and often extraordinary images that many members have been able to produce. Most importantly though, she appreciates that everyone seems to enjoy sharing their knowledge and being helpful to the club’s newcomers.

Quyen has been quite active in the club in the three years she has been a member. She serves on the club’s Executive Board and handles the club’s public relations and social media efforts.  She particularly has enjoyed the club’s photographic outings and watching the monthly “open judging” on the SCC zoom portal. She has been impressed by the club’s well-oiled organization and the time commitment, passion, and dedication that some members have given to the club. But most important, Quyen enjoys the openness of the community of photographers, of all skill-levels, that make up the Simsbury Camera Club and the club’s emphasis on helping all members improve their photographic skills and discover their artistic voice and perspective along the way.