Media
"The Art & Science of Networking & Social Media" DVD by Dr. Zhu Shen
Local life sciences professional known as the ‘queen of networking’
July 16, 2009, Rancho Santa Fe Review, Carmel Valley News
By Diane Y. Welch
Local resident Dr. Zhu Shen is a multi-talented professional in the field of life sciences, but she has an even greater talent — bringing people together. During a decade of working with U.S. and Chinese firms, aiding them with media and public relations and helping them to establish partnerships, she has built a global network.
Known by her professional peers as a “the queen of networking,” Shen has 1,400 people in her LinkedIn first level and a staggering 8 million for all three levels combined. “I know lots of people worldwide in the biotech industry, and now in the media,” said Shen in a recent interview.
Shen is the mom of Perry Chen, 9, known in the United States as the “Youngest Movie Critic.” His unique ability to critique kids movies has led to Perry’s reviews being published in the media. Largely through Shen’s ability to connect with professionals, Perry has been featured on national network news and local media.
Shen, however, has her own unique abilities. An award-winning business leader and a former life science researcher, Shen has fast become an expert in professional networking. “I have intentionally built and cultivated wonderful relationships over the last 10 years and stayed in touch with people. I began just by thinking of creative ways to connect with people and then I stayed in touch with them.” When Shen meets somebody for the first time, she takes an interest in them, finds out more about them, then keeps her notes filed electronically so that they may be retrieved easily. It’s a modern day roladex, one that keeps Shen ahead in the fast moving communications field.
Now Shen is sharing her well honed networking skills with others through lectures and interactive presentations. A recent presentation at UCSD’s Jacob School of Engineering was filmed and will be available on DVD. Titled, “The Art & Science of Networking – A Practical Guide to your professional networking success in the challenging economy,” Shen’s presentation was specifically geared to engineering students, but offers advice valuable to any professional.
Using a moderator–Ann von Gal, the founding partner of Olmstead von Gal Associates–the event was a lively exchange of audience questions and interactive PowerPoint demonstrations. Topics covered on the DVD included establishing short and long-term goals of networking; how to stand out in a crowd and how to work the room; how to establish leadership in any industry; the dos and don’ts of professional networking and what to do when you drop the ball. Shen said that sharing her knowledge is a way to give back to the community. “This is a core value of mine that I have been doing for many years especially after I came to San Diego. So I have been giving presentations, doing workshops and conducting seminars to students to help them in their careers.”
Shen also gives back in other ways. She is chair and organizer of the upcoming SABPA– Sino-American Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Professionals Association – Pacific Forum at UCSD on Nov 7, 2009. It’s the 5th annual flagship conference on cross-Pacific life science alliances. She will chair and organize several leading experts who will speak on the cross-Pacific biopharmaceutical business. The grass roots organization was founded about six years ago and has since grown to about 1,500 members.
“We have been able to invite prominent public speakers, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs from China to speak to our conference attendees which is very exciting. Now you can talk to people across the Pacific Ocean and discuss unique business ideas and
possible relationships.”
Shen came to the USA from Beijing, China, to attend graduate school in 1988. Her husband, Dr. Changyou Chen, is a professor at Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, and a graduate of China’s prestigious Peking Union Medical College where he studied molecular biology and virology. Shen received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Colorado, and her MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University. Her business, BioForesight, is a life science strategic company which provides media and public relations services, licensing, cross cultural communications, and other services to clients in North America, Europe and China.
In looking back over the decades since she was a student, Shen said that she understands how difficult it can be for recent graduates to find their place in the professional world. “I was once a painfully shy girl myself, growing up in China. I believe strongly that we have a high capacity to learn and improve ourselves. In terms of networking, if there is a will, there is a way. One can become a master of networking with the right attitude, the right tools, and a lot of practice. I hope to inspire people to think outside of the box and to follow their destiny.”
In looking ahead Shen plans to develop other themes for her DVDs. Future topics include how to utilize online sites like Linked In to aid career growth, and how best to use social networking sites like Facebook, Plaxo, and Twitter. “There is so much that I have learned about these sites over the years, as I use them daily. Many people don’t know certain features that they may leverage: how to join the groups, how to be visible, and how to connect with people. It’s not a case of who you know, it’s more a case of who knows you!”
Dr. Shen’s DVD, “The Art & Science of Networking – A Practical Guide to Your Professional Networking Success in the Challenging Economy”, will be available soon. A companion book is being developed. Visit http://socialwebnetwork.com to purchase a copy or log onto Dr. Shen’s website, www.BioForesight.biz. It will also be available at Shen’s future speaking events.