Jeffery Yen

 My first woodworking project was a model train station that I made using only a saw from a Swiss army knife back in elementary school. The iterative process is meditative, and I’ve been chasing that same feeling ever since. Being here feels surreal since I never thought I’d ever be “serious” enough about woodworking to apply. After some consideration and encouragement from my partner, I decided that I would come to the school and see where this passion might take me.

              Prior to coming here, I worked as a research geneticist studying genes related to walnut production. Remarkably, the skills between a scientist and woodworker are similar – careful project planning, keen observation skills, fine motor skills, creative problem solving, and a healthy dose of curiosity. Waking up every day to a new challenge in the woodshop and being surrounded by like-minded peers is both inspiring and invigorating. I look forwards to work towards the highest level of craftsmanship possible and push myself to improve beyond my expectations.