Kambria Team Member Spotlight with COO, Dr. Tra Vu

We are so proud of Kambria’s amazing team around the globe. Over the next few weeks, we will spotlight our leadership team to share a bit why they are so passionate about Kambria and developing a community. This week we introduce you to the incomparable, Dr. Tra Vu, Kambria’s COO.

Tra has a background in Financial and Civil Engineering. She earned her Master’s in Financial Engineering and her Ph.D. in Transportation Planning & Engineering from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Tra currently teaches at her alma mater and was responsible for leading her previous company in designing the first city-wide Transit Signal Priority system in New York City.

What led you to Kambria and excites you most about this project?

I met Thuc at a conference in NYC in the fall of 2017. Of course, I was interested in meeting him especially because he was the co-founder of VietSeeds, a nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged students attend college. It is an absolutely wonderful organization which I heartily support.

When Thuc introduced me to the concept of Kambria, I was intrigued and joined on a part-time basis to help draft the white paper. I got more and more involved with the project as it developed and evolved. What excited me most, and the main reason why I eventually joined Kambria full time, is the Team. Our team is made up of brilliant individuals who are ambitious, hardworking, funny, magnanimous, and humble. I am grateful to be part of this Kambria family.

Have you always been involved in robotics or blockchain?

No, my background is in Civil Engineering, Transportation, and Financial Risk Engineering. At my former company, I was leading a team to design the first wireless Transit Signal Priority system for NYC, which was quite different from robotics and blockchain. But my interaction with Thuc opened my eyes to this new world and I haven’t looked back. I get to learn and do something new every day. It is exhilarating!

What Kambria vertical are you most excited or passionate about?

Autonomous vehicles because of my background in transportation. We are at a game-changing junction in which the strive for seamless mobility could really come at a great expense of personal freedom if the public and its governments do not set the right direction and policies.

As a futurist, where do you envision Kambria in the next 1–3 years?

I envision Kambria in the coming years will become a hub for innovation. And we are working furiously to make this a reality through grassroots movements, innovation labs, and partnerships.

What is your motto?

My motto is “always be fair”. I try to apply that in all aspects of my life.

Who do you most admire?

My dad. He sacrificed a lot to give my sister and me the best education he could afford. He has instilled in me the courage to be independent and the perseverance to achieve anything that I set my mind to.

What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?

I feel most proud when I teach. I’ve been a professor for 6+ years and it’s heartwarming to see the positive impact I have made on my students’ lives.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our community?

Blockchain technology could potentially solve many roadblocks that we currently face, particularly social and infrastructure projects. I hope that together as a community we will be able to truly bring value to this space.