Born into a Chinese-Thai family, Tiffany Chen's connection with China began long before she decided to pursue her master's degree at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China in 2017. During her time in China, she traveled extensively – from Beijing and Shanghai to Xinjiang and Harbin – witnessing firsthand the country's rapid technological and social transformation. What impressed Tiffany most was how innovation had become part of everyday life. From mobile payments to e-commerce and smart urban development, China's fast-paced modernization opened her eyes to how technology could improve people's lives and connect communities.

Today, she works at the Thailand Policy Lab under UNDP Thailand, where she focuses on policy innovation and youth development. Inspired by her experiences in China, she believes meaningful change comes from inclusiveness, empathy and collaboration across generations and cultures.

For Tiffany, studying and living in different countries has not only broadened her worldview but also shaped her mission: bringing people together to create a better future. "When we include people from different walks of life with different perspectives and experiences," she said, "that is when the wonder happens."