October 20, 2021

Rebecca Shyu, MU College of Engineering Student, speaks during the Roy Blunt NextGen building Grand Opening Program on Tuesday, Oct. 19.

Mizzou Engineering senior Rebecca Shyu spoke at the Grand Opening of the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building on Tuesday, Oct. 19.

Shyu, who is studying computer science, spoke about the undergraduate research opportunities she has pursued with the MU School of Medicine.

“Research has served as my path to understanding the world and seeking out modern solutions to societal issues,” she said.

Shyu has worked with the Missouri Cancer Registry, and the Missouri Telehealth Network (MTN). With MTN, she has worked on the Show-Me ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) project to improve quality and accessibility of healthcare in the rural areas of Missouri.

“My role has been to analyze the travel and economic burden for rural patients to receive care,” Shyu said. “Through my computer science work, we have highlighted disparities in communities to better focus resources and outreach efforts.”

A Columbia native, Shyu has been active in research since her freshman year. In March, Shyu received a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, which helps to fund her research pursuits. In April, she presented at Posters on the Hill in Washington D.C., an event that provides a stage for the top undergraduate researchers in the country.

Shyu has participated in internships with Harvard Medical School, where she conducted research on health care policy regarding substance abuse using telemedicine.

Shyu is interested in pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Informatics and potentially working in academia to inspire the next generation of researchers.

“The NextGen Precision Health initiative affirms the University of Missouri’s commitment to science and belief in using research to improve society.”