Women Shaping the Future: Candy Hwang

Written by Paula Maguina Monday, July 6, 2026

A Passion for Discovery

For Candy Hwang, curiosity has always been the driving force behind her work.

As a scientist, she was drawn to discovery—the excitement of asking questions, uncovering new knowledge, and contributing to advances that could improve lives. Yet as her career progressed, she found that her greatest fulfillment came not only from making discoveries herself, but also from helping promising ideas move beyond the lab and into the real world as new therapies to treat disease.

“I loved being trained as a chemist and making discoveries,” Candy shares. “Over time, my passion evolved into helping other scientists translate their ideas beyond the lab into technologies, therapies, and healthcare solutions that can make a real impact.”

Today, as Senior Associate Director of the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, Candy works at the intersection of science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She partners with faculty and multidisciplinary teams to help move promising discoveries toward real-world application, supporting everything from project execution and funding strategies to commercialization pathways.

For Candy, there is something deeply rewarding about helping innovative technologies navigate their way beyond the laboratory and into the hands of patients who can benefit from them.

Turning Possibilities into Progress

Innovation often begins with curiosity—the willingness to explore an idea, ask new questions, and imagine what might be possible.

For Candy, helping researchers transform those possibilities into practical solutions is one of the most rewarding—and most challenging—parts of her work.

Every day, she works alongside researchers who have discovered a new way to treat a disease or a better understanding of how a disease manifests. She knows that innovation is rarely a straight path. It requires persistence, creativity, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty.

“I’m excited by the potential to accelerate discovery, solve complex problems, and improve lives,” she says. “The opportunities to turn great ideas into meaningful impact are growing every day.”

Whether through advances in medicine, technology, or artificial intelligence, Candy sees enormous potential for positive change in the research coming out of Yale.

For her, innovation is not simply about discovery. It is about ensuring that promising scientific breakthroughs survive the often decade-long journey from academic research to the therapies, diagnostics, and technologies that improve lives.

Creating Space for Others

Like many women pursuing careers in science, Candy’s path included moments when she found herself navigating environments where women were underrepresented.

During her Ph.D. and postdoctoral training, there were times when it felt like a “boys’ club.” Rather than discouraging her, those experiences strengthened her commitment to creating opportunities and supportive communities for others.

They ultimately led her to Women In Bio Connecticut, where she now serves as Vice-Chair.

Through her leadership and service, she has helped foster connections among women in the life sciences and create spaces where they can learn from one another, build relationships, and support each other’s growth.

“Women are outstanding leaders and innovators, yet they remain underrepresented in many top leadership roles and on boards,” Candy says. “Visibility helps others see what’s possible and creates pathways for future generations to succeed.”

For Candy, representation is not simply about recognition. It is about possibility. When women see others succeeding, they begin to see what they themselves can achieve.

The People Who Opened Doors

Candy is quick to credit the mentors, sponsors, and colleagues who helped shape her professional path.

Throughout her career, she has benefited from leaders who challenged her to grow, encouraged her to pursue opportunities, and believed in her potential.

Among them is Morag Grassie, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale Ventures and a respected leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization. Candy describes her as an exceptional mentor and sponsor whose guidance helped shape both her professional journey and her approach to supporting others.

These relationships reinforced an important lesson: success is rarely achieved alone.

The support she received throughout her career helped shape the leader she is today and reinforced her belief in the power of mentorship and community.

As she has advanced in her career, Candy has embraced the responsibility of paying that support forward—helping others navigate their own paths and encouraging them to pursue opportunities they may not have considered for themselves.

Innovation Beyond the Laboratory

While scientific breakthroughs often capture headlines, Candy holds a broader definition of innovation.

Sometimes innovation means developing a new therapy or advancing a promising technology. Other times, it means improving the systems and processes that help people work more effectively.

One accomplishment she is particularly proud of is modernizing the operational infrastructure that supports the program. She redesigned data workflows, integrated previously disconnected systems, and automated recurring processes, creating a more scalable foundation for managing a growing portfolio of projects. The improvements eliminated dozens of hours of manual administrative work each year—including more than 200 calendar invitations and 300 email reminders annually—freeing the team to devote more time to supporting faculty innovators and accelerating translational research. The project reflects a practical philosophy that has guided much of her work: innovation should remove barriers, simplify complexity, and create more time for people to focus on meaningful work.

For Candy, the most impactful innovations are not always the most visible. They are the ones that quietly make life easier and help people succeed.

Connecting People, Building Communities

One of the things people notice quickly about Candy is her generosity.

Whether introducing colleagues, sharing resources, connecting people across organizations, or offering advice, she genuinely enjoys helping others succeed. Throughout her career, she has learned that growth rarely happens in isolation. Strong communities, supportive mentors, and meaningful professional relationships often make all the difference.

That belief is reflected in her leadership with Women In Bio Connecticut, where she has helped create opportunities for women in the life sciences to connect, learn from one another, and build supportive professional networks.

Candy’s commitment to building connections extends beyond her professional role. As a valued member of Yale’s Working Women’s Network (WWN), she has actively supported efforts that bring women together to learn, connect, and grow as leaders.

WWN first connected with Candy through Women In Bio Connecticut, and she quickly became a trusted colleague and collaborator. When asked to host the first conversation in WWN’s Women in Leadership series, she immediately said yes. That enthusiasm and willingness to support new initiatives are qualities that those who know Candy have come to appreciate.

Since then, she has remained an engaged member of the WWN community, freely sharing ideas, making connections, and supporting opportunities that help women grow professionally and personally.

Her collaborative spirit and genuine interest in helping others succeed reflect a belief that progress happens faster when we learn from one another and work together.

At WWN, we are grateful for Candy’s partnership, encouragement, and continued support. Her thoughtfulness, generosity, and commitment to building community embody the values that strengthen our network and inspire our members.

The Power of Curiosity

One lesson Candy has carried throughout her career is that expertise is never static. Whether as a scientist, educator, or innovation professional, she has learned that every new challenge comes with a learning curve.

“I’ve learned that I won’t know everything, and that’s okay,” she says. “I focus on staying curious without becoming overwhelmed.”

That perspective has helped her navigate career transitions, adopt new technologies, and build solutions in unfamiliar areas. Today, she applies the same mindset to emerging tools such as artificial intelligence, exploring how they can enhance productivity, improve decision-making, and create new opportunities for innovation. For Candy, success is less about having all the answers and more about remaining curious enough to keep asking better questions.

Advice for the Next Generation

When asked what advice she would give young women interested in STEM, innovation, or AI, Candy’s answer is refreshingly straightforward.

Network. Ask questions. Seek opportunities. Stay curious.

She encourages young women to reach out to people whose work interests them, learn from their experiences, and seek hands-on opportunities whenever possible. Most importantly, she urges them to begin before they feel fully prepared.

“Don’t wait until you feel ready,” she advises. “Innovation comes from learning, experimenting, and growing through challenges. Some of the most valuable lessons come from trying something new and learning from mistakes.”

It is advice that reflects her own journey—one built on curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to embrace opportunities as they arise.

Shaping the Future

When asked what shaping the future means to her, Candy’s answer is simple and deeply personal.

“To me, shaping the future means leaving the world a little better than I found it.”

That philosophy influences not only her work but also how she approaches life. As a parent, she is especially mindful of the world being created for the next generation. She hopes her work contributes to one where innovation improves lives, communities are healthier and more sustainable, and opportunities are accessible to more people.

As a scientist, innovation leader, parent, and community-builder, Candy understands that meaningful change rarely happens through one breakthrough or one individual. It happens when people are willing to share knowledge, support one another, and work together toward something larger than themselves.

Through her work at Yale, her leadership with Women In Bio Connecticut, and her commitment to helping others succeed, Candy is working to create a future where ideas can flourish, communities grow stronger, and more women see themselves as leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

And perhaps that is what makes her a woman shaping the future—not only the discoveries she helps advance, but the connections she creates and the possibilities she helps others see for themselves.

Women Shaping the Future proudly recognizes Candy Hwang for her passion for innovation and her gift for bringing people, ideas, and opportunities together. Through her work, she is helping shape not only the future of healthcare, but also a future where great discoveries reach the people who need them and where others are inspired to lead, innovate, and open doors for those who follow.