ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT RACHEL WAN, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
University College London | London, United Kingdom | Advancing SDG 3, SDG 4 & UNAI 1
" I believe technology has the power to bridge gaps in healthcare, education, and sustainability. I do the work I do because I've seen how innovation whether through virtual reality in surgery or hands-on engineering outreach can transform lives. As a Millennium Fellow, I'm excited to collaborate with change makers worldwide and create solutions that are not only technically brilliant but socially inclusive, leaving a lasting positive mark on communities. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: VR vs. 2D Imaging in Neuroblastoma Surgery
This project investigates how virtual reality (VR) reconstruction can enhance preoperative planning for paediatric abdominal neuroblastoma surgeries at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Traditional imaging methods such as CT and MRI are often limited by their 2D nature, making spatial interpretation of complex tumour–organ relationships challenging for surgeons.
The study involves segmenting patient CT scans, reconstructing 3D anatomical models, and exporting them into an immersive VR environment. These VR models enable clinicians to interact with patient-specific anatomy at full scale, potentially improving spatial understanding, surgical planning accuracy, and communication among multidisciplinary teams.
The project compares VR-based planning against conventional 2D and 3D imaging through structured interviews and questionnaires with surgeons and radiologists, assessing feasibility, effectiveness, and perceived clinical value. The ultimate aim is to determine whether VR can serve as a viable tool to improve surgical outcomes and workflow efficiency in paediatric oncology.
About the Millennium Fellow
Rachel Wan is a Biomedical Engineering student at University College London and a Laidlaw Scholar, passionate about technology, and inclusive design to transform healthcare. She has supported VR imaging research at Great Ormond Street Hospital, comparing VR reconstructions with traditional imaging for paediatric neuroblastoma surgery planning, and currently gaining R&D engineering experience at Johnson & Johnson MedTech. As President of Engineers Without Borders UCL, Rachel led STEM outreach to over 500 schoolchildren, alongside founding the “Beyond the Borders” sustainability podcast. She aims to pioneer innovations that improve patient outcomes, and create meaningful global impact.
