My Vision
Inclusivity
Advocacy
Empowerment
At Equilibrium, my vision is to advocate for a holistic approach to health, policy, and art. I strive to bring attention to overlooked perspectives and promote inclusivity in these diverse fields.
I am committed to lead with authenticity, mindfulness, and sustainability. By embracing intentionality, conscientiousness, and using art as a medium for depicting stories, Equilibrium seeks to foster a new method for advocating for health policy change.
I aim to empower others to make informed choices, prioritize well-being, and appreciate the interconnectedness of health, policy, and art. By fostering a sense of equilibrium in thought and action, I hope to alleviate the fear and intimidation of speaking up about controversial topics.
About me!
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I’m Madiha Syeda, a Bioscience and Health Policy master’s student at Rice University with a background in biomedical engineering, neuroscience research, and public health advocacy. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Memphis, where I also studied Biology and Chemistry, and served as a student senator in the Student Government Association. I specifically worked on passing bills for religious inclusivity, disability resources, cultural inclusion, and mental health resources on campus.
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My research journey has taken me from studying neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin, exploring treatment methods for patients in addiction recovery, to analyzing signaling receptors in bladder cancer cells using super-resolution imaging. I've also worked on fabricating thin-film nano-devices for drug delivery to work as replacements for chemotherapy.
Along the way, I’ve worked with physicians in emergency medicine, shadowed clinicians, and contributed to starting organizations and chapters for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Houston Methodist University Hospital, and UofM's Pre-Medical programs.
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Equilibrium is where all these aspects of my world intersect with my love for writing, art, photography, and health policy. This space reflects everything I care about between the intersection of science, medicine, ethics, creativity, and human experience. From being exposed to so many vastly different fields, I've noticed inequities and blatant ethical concerns in each. Policy and healthcare shape people’s lives, and art nonverbally communicates unexplainable complex realities into something honest and human.
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Through this blog, I hope to share what I’m learning in real time as I navigate the medical and research world, unpack policy issues, and give voice to stories often overlooked, ranging from mental health to research ethics, technology, and social systems.
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My goal is to bring clarity, compassion, and depth to topics that matter, while creating a thoughtful space for anyone interested in the balance between science, humanity, and creativity.
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Together, let’s explore how research, policy, medicine, and art can move us closer to a true state of equilibrium.