005 / dr camilla pang
Introducing Hope Heads. A series where we ask brilliant minds three big questions about how hope shows up in their lives, work, and world.
Next up: Dr Camilla Pang — scientist, author, and advocate, whose work spans biopharma, AI and protein engineering, alongside a powerful voice for inclusion and systemic change.
In this short interview she shares how her relationship with hope has evolved, from something naïve and passive to something rooted in action, agency and honesty.
For Camilla, hope begins in choice: in listening to anger as a signal, tuning into discomfort and deciding how to respond. Whether that is questioning the hidden costs of “efficiency” in tech, pushing for greener systems, or simply extending kindness, she sees hope as inseparable from action.
She reminds us that hope lives in those who leap, challenge the status quo and bring others with them. And that sometimes the most hopeful act is choosing, however small, to respond with courage and care.
1. What does hope look or feel like to you, in this moment, in this world?
My relationship with hope has changed, partly because things have unfolded differently than I expected, or perhaps because my internal version of them was naïve or misinformed. I used to think adult life would follow a certain path, or that I could meaningfully contribute to the world by simply getting a job in the right field. I leaned on hope as a way to convince myself everything would be fine. At times, it wasn’t very ‘scientific’ because I caught myself warping evidence to suit a narrative I was invested in, or even believed was right. It’s very human to do that, I think. But I soon realised that this kind of hope was hollow, especially when the problems I cared about, like inequality, climate action, and inclusion, persisted regardless of how much I cared or pushed to change from where I stood.
At one point, hope felt like accepting that what I wanted to change was out of my hands. That quickly spiralled into fear, then despair, and eventually a low-key denial, rooted in the feeling of powerlessness and narrowing of self. Telling people to simply "have hope" isn’t helpful. There’s no agency in that. It’s like saying, “I hope there won’t be storms on holiday,” or “I hope the trains will be on time.” I actually find it patronising when people tell me to hope, as if the outcome is entirely out of our hands, while businesses and governments continue to blame individuals for systemic failures, like inaccessible green choices or rigid education systems that discourage critical thinking. But over time, I got bored of that version of hope that is based on a ‘wish’ and waiting for things to land. For me, reclaiming hope meant accepting that our education system isn’t designed to solve the problems created by business, that sustainability often fails in the market, and that flashy technology rarely brings people along with it. We don’t want these things to be true, but they are. The first part of hope for me is the resolve to sit with that and position myself to help solve them.
My insuperable impatience pushed me elsewhere, which was actually the start of when things got better. I could exist more easily knowing I can decide. So instead of melting into that passive version of hope, I started using fear as fuel, something that could help me make better decisions based on uncomfortable truths. Because, like what we choose to buy, where we speak up, say yes or no to, and even when we don’t decide (love a little bit of Sartre philosophy)… everything is a decision, which is one of the most powerful tools we have as humans to show how we care and place hope. So today, I tune into that discomfort and thank my anger for being responsive, often pointing to something that needs changing. I ask, “ How can I act on that?” Whether it's voting, teaching, designing better systems, or simply engaging others in new conversations, or giving some the benefit of the doubt by softening my response, much of this is in our hands. And that, I think, is where hope really begins.
2. Where does hope live in your work or your industry, and what could shift if we let it lead?
In recent years, my work has centred on biopharma, specifically protein engineering, AI, and optimising molecules for disease treatment. On the surface, this might seem like a clean industry, free from the plastic waste or visible pollution of traditional sectors. But the truth is more complex. Biopharma, especially AI, carries its own hidden environmental footprint, from the massive energy and water demands of data centres to the carbon costs embedded deep within supply chains, impacts we rarely see. But initiatives like Green Software Foundations, stakeholder activism, and decentralised decision-making offer reasons for me to hope, since it brings the environment and people into the picture. Love it when businesses take accountability and know their role and own up. To me this is “we know things aren’t working as they are, here is what we are doing to help fix it”. Brilliant.
For me, hope lies in awareness: the ability to question what we’re optimising for, and who benefits from that optimisation. In tech, “efficiency” is often treated as a universal good, a buzzword at best, or at its most extreme, a lifeline. But we need to be clear: efficient for whom? And at what cost? Hope appears when conversations begin to include everyone the system touches, when stakeholder activism is taken seriously, when green software engineering is no longer niche, and when people start asking about materiality and environmental impact beyond their job title. Often, people are well-intentioned; it’s not always malice that causes harm, but a lack of awareness or a belief that “it’s someone else’s job to fix it,” or that “this isn’t what you are paid to do so why are you spending time on it?”. Better choices will become more accessible and justified by better business decisions, such as actively upskilling people so they feel safe enough to question the status quo and come along for green transitions. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for a paper coffee cup, I’m here for the various safeguarding courses and pizza parties with recycling bins, but where are we preparing the people for how to make greener choices as part of their job (in any job)?
Many people know the problem but feel defeated to solve it from the start, because that would mean telling your boss how to do their job properly (e.g we need to use a more eco friendly solvent, or perhaps we go with another trade association), which from my POV, hasn’t been the rosiest experience but finding the right people to listen is KEY. Businesses in general need to be designed so people within their reign can provide feedback on what isn’t working and question the integrity of business decisions without feeling like they will lose their lifeline. You may laugh at this, but this is how it’s going to be, and it’s happening as we speak. The moment companies let employees be part of the solution, by acknowledging the very problems they’re complicit in creating, is when I can finally start to sleep at night. Because when people feel empowered to contribute, no matter their role or department, that’s when real change begins.
3. What is one idea, project or person that is giving you a glimpse of a more hopeful future?
I find hope in numbers and in the pockets of care people show one another and the leaps people take that are at odds with the societal narratives. I cherish the moments when someone gives another person a chance, extends the benefit of the doubt, or chooses kindness as a driver of decision over convenience. I know it’s cheesy, but both of my parents, in different ways, give me hope. My mother, an inveterate optimist, always says: “Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.” I often return to her voice whenever I feel paralysed by helplessness, which, along with my dad’s pragmatic stoicism and dark humour, helps me out of the doom spiral. I am very lucky to have both. Because the thing is, I may not control the outcome, but I can always choose how I respond. It’s hard, but it’s possible and actually the only thing that’s your own.
There’s a lot of talk about change, and often a lot of hesitation to act. But I draw inspiration from those who invest time, care, and courage into actually building a better future. People who solve problems. People who make things and take leaps. I especially admire those with so-called “messy CVs”, because to me, that’s the closest thing to seeing a whole person. It reveals the different paths a life can take, the multiple lenses through which we can understand the world, and how those varied experiences become tools for building real solutions. People like this light me up.
The people I look up to most are those who took a leap, who felt something stir inside them, challenged the status quo, and acted on it. They carry both a heavy heart and a sharp vision, a magic combination that the world desperately needs. But most pertinently, they remind me I’m not alone. That’s why I started my Substack series Pivot Heroes, to spotlight these people who’ve made bold, values-led shifts in their lives and work. The series keeps growing, and every story feels like a spark: it gives permission to others still on the fence, whispering, “you could leap too.” And I believe that if more of us did, we could truly do wonderful things and build a better world that solves the problems it creates, and brings people along with it. How wonderful.
Want more hope?
Follow @dr.camillapang
More camillapang.substack.com/s/pivot-herosMore Hope Heads landing soon.
