Meet Your Service Unit Member: Angela Chang
June 8, 2023 | By WCER Communications
A former tea shop co-owner, Angela still likes to make to make different types of breads in her off-time.
Angela Chang works in the Business Office as a pre-award specialist, where she is responsible for proposal preparation and submission including budgeting, preparing non-technical documents, and communicating with intra- and extramural stakeholders. She also assists with post-award tasks such as rebudgeting and subaward management.
Angela grew up in Taipei, Taiwan, and graduated from UW–Madison, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology in 2011 and a Ph.D. in communication sciences and disorders in 2016. Angela joined WCER in summer 2022, after co-running a local tea shop with her spouse and friends for years. Read more about Angela in her own words below:
Q: What made you choose UW–Madison for college?
A. To be fair, I did not know much about UW–Madison or the state of Wisconsin at all before I started school! I had spent my high school years on the East Coast and visited several places on the West Coast. By the time I had to apply for colleges, I thought, “Why not venture out to the Midwest just to see what’s going on there?” I have been interested in biological sciences and research since I was little, and UW–Madison is just one of the best choices out there.
Q: How would you describe your work in the Business Office?
A. I started on the Client Services team when I joined WCER in 2022. I mainly made purchases and arranged trips for the WCER staff and students. Very often our team would also assist with the events, meetings, and communications that took place within WCER. I transitioned to the Grants team in the Business Office starting this year. I help projects to prepare their proposals and non-technical materials for the upcoming opportunities as a pre-award specialist. I also communicate regularly with the principal investigators and project managers for post-award tasks like rebudgeting and subaward management.
Angela Chang
Q: What parts of your job do you like the most?
A. Working with amazing coworkers and knowing that I am contributing to the matters I value and care about. I have had a hard time envisioning myself becoming a dedicated researcher after obtaining my degree. But I am glad that I found WCER and can still partake in research in a different way.
Q: What sorts of things do you like doing outside work?
A. I love making food in general, but breads are my favorite! When I was working at the tea shop, I would bake and sell breads I enjoyed regularly. Making breads to me is like running mini-chemistry experiments and creating artworks at the same time. I still sometimes cater breads and treats that I make (mainly Taiwanese-style sweet breads) for my previous “regulars” for their private parties.
I have dreamed about having my own bakery ever since I started in the food services industry, whether that’s starting a new shop or running a business from home—cottage bakery is legal in Wisconsin now!
I also enjoy playing video games. I usually have a hard time sitting through TV shows or books, but I can spend hours easily on video games. It is a nice way for me to spend time with my spouse and connect with friends when it is too cold to do anything out in winter.
