Internship Experience at AMILI
About Me
I'm Ciara Zhang, an 11th-grade student at the Canadian International School of Singapore with a strong academic interest in medicine, clinical psychiatry, and biomedical research. I'm especially drawn to the intersection of mental health, nutrition, and digital well-being, and I've explored that intersection through independent initiatives and academic inquiry, which eventually led me to AMILI.
Outside the sciences, I'm a Steinway Young Artist and classical music composer. My musical journey began at age eight, sparked by a quiet fascination with my mother's childhood piano in my grandparents' basement, and today I use performance as a medium for healing and empathy. I'm also the founder of The Offline Movement, a student-led initiative advocating for digital balance and genuine, face-to-face engagement among youth, and I represented TOM's branch AI:bility at the UN ECOSOC Forum at the New York HQ. Whether at the keys or within my community, I believe in cultivating spaces where authentic human connection can flourish, a belief that, as it turns out, connects surprisingly well to gut health.
My Internship at AMILI
My time as an intern at AMILI has been one of genuine immersion. From very early on, I felt integrated into the team, not just observing from the sidelines, but contributing to real projects and real conversations.
I had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Jeremy Lim at several of his lectures, which gave me a grounded, first-hand look at what the medical sector actually looks like outside of a classroom. Attending the ST Engineering conference showed me just how quickly technology is evolving in this space, from AI-driven diagnostics to robotics being trialed on the healthcare front line.
At the ST Engineering healthcare technology conference
The Marsh Benefit event was another highlight of the internship. I had the chance to step into Dr. Jeremy's shoes quite literally — filling in for him during dress rehearsals, and helping deliver gifts during his presentation.
Filling in for Dr. Jeremy Lim during the delivering of the keynote address at the Marsh Benefit Forum rehearsal
Beyond the events, my day-to-day projects took me deep into microbiome science but also into the business side of things I hadn't expected to touch: market strategy, positioning, and how a scientific idea becomes a product people actually trust. Sitting in on investor meetings was especially eye-opening, it showed me that a strong pitch and a good product aren't enough on their own. What ultimately matters is the integrity behind both. Because AMILI's work is grounded in rigorous science and real evidence; the internship gave me a clear, tangible example of what that integrity looks like in practice, a lesson I'll carry with me into whatever comes next.
Celebrating National Day with the AMILI team
A birthday celebration with teammates — one of the small moments that made the internship feel like home