Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 95, August 2014 by Neil Clarke

I made enough to pay for a very small apartment in San Jose, close to the lab. Jed had majored in business communications, and he handled client management and all the stuff like actually sending out bills for the work we did. So I was happy when my college friend Jed suggested we go into business together making custom animals.

So by the time I had my degree, there were way more bioengineers than the 3D organ printing labs actually needed. But it turns out that not all that many people each year need a new kidney or a new heart, and organ transplants aren’t the sort of surgery anyone gets for fun. Those are more useful than custom-printed animals. What I trained to do was make 3D printed organs for transplant. I am a bioengineer working in living 3D printing. I let Jed handle that one and started quietly sketching out the plan for the dragon. They have one of those dragon parade float thingies, right? But we’re thinking we’ll roll it out at the parade in San Francisco. We’ve got a whole ad campaign planned around having a dragon, the client said. Also, I’d realized that I’d rather make a dragon than a tiger.Probably Jed was having the same thought. This was definitely wrong, but Jed sent me another chat message, this one saying SHHHHHH in all capital letters. I’m sure every year is the Year of the Dragon somewhere, the client said confidently. I noticed, too late, that my business partner Jed was sending me a text saying shhhh Vivian shhhh. It’s not going to be the Year of the Dragon, I said. And I want the dragon ready for the parade. And it’s going to be the Year of the Dragon. I’ve always had trouble paying attention in client meetings, which is why I’m the bioengineer and not the manager.īecause that’s Chinese New Year, the client continued. I need it ready to go by February first.ĭragon, Feb 1, I wrote down on the paper pad I use to take notes during video meetings.

I want you to make a dragon for me, the client said. Breaking the Gender Barrier: A Conversation with Regina Kanyu Wang and Yu Chenįriendship in the Time Of Kaiju: A Conversation with John Scalzi

Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 95, August 2014 by Neil Clarke