Undergraduate / When a Stargazing Is Your Extracurricular Activity - Harvard essay [2]

Elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences

We Are Stardust

My voice trembles. I can barely hold the microphone. But it all disappears when I look at my audience's dazed eyes against the "pale blue dot", or when I say that our galaxy is colliding with Andromeda and a child apprehensively asks: "What will happen to us?".

Choosing the theme of my lectures is another challenge. I simply can't do it. I could spend hours planning it just because of the pleasure of looking at supernovas or outlining a slide about the Big Bang that seems so incomplete because little do we know about it- which definitely excites me.

It's also about the stunned expression of those who realize that we are stellar dust: a unique, special combination of stars that play a singular role in this uni verse. I want them to explore and improve themselves, to follow their true passion and make something out of their own existence.

Undergraduate / Additional intellectual activities that you have not mentioned or detailed elsewhere in your form [4]

1.Your intellectual life may extend beyond the academic requirements of your particular school. Please use the space below to list additional intellectual activities that you have not mentioned or detailed elsewhere in your application. These could include, but are not limited to, supervised or self-directed projects not done as school work, training experiences, online courses not run by your school, or summer academic or research programs not described elsewhere.

Lost in Space - Harvard essay

Within the nuances of our Universe, not rarely do I find myself dazed when contemplating the elegance of our cosmic home and trying to find my place in it. Its visual and mathematical sumptuousness drove me to learn more about Modern Astrophysics and Mathematics through a Physics online course offered by USP, online lectures, books, such as "O Tecido do Espaço-Tempo", my favorite one, and even TED Talks since I was 14. With the knowledge acquired, lectures and Clube da Luneta give me the opportunities of heartening and galvanizing people with the mysteries of the Universe. Since 2016, I've been exploring, researching and theorizing in a deeper sense about the origins of our Universe and the Grand Unified Theory. This year, I also had the opportunity to explore Astronomy in the course taken in Harvard Summer School, which provided me mathematical support to dig dipper into the equations of Modern Astronomy.

Undergraduate / Three experiences which helped to explore your desire to study and possibly pursue a career in STEM [3]

What three experiences or activities have helped you explore your desire to study and possibly pursue a career in STEM?

MY EXPERIENCES CONNECTED WITH Physics and Astronomy

My enthusiasm for research in Astrophysics/Physics was hastened by the Introduction to Astronomy course I took at Harvard Pre-College Program. There, I explored college-level topics related to Physics and Math of astronomical systems, such as stars and galaxies. Also, I could dig deeper into numbers, from calculus to Friedmann's equation, which certainly motivated me to pursue math, the Cosmos language, in college.

Also, in 2016 I founded "Clube da Luneta", a social organization through which I teach basic concepts of Physics and Astronomy, from Interstellar medium to black holes, to 6-13 year-old kids from Vila Verde, a needy district of Sao Paulo. By simplifying complex topics that I've learned through books, like The Theory of Relativity, by Einstein, online lectures,TED talks and documentaries, as well as online courses offered by the University of Sao Paulo, I could develop a clear and simple vision of such subjects, which definitely speeds up my current researches and independent studies on Unified Theories, such as String Theory.

It also leads me to give lectures on Physics, Math and Astrophysics at churches and social conventions. I explore in my lectures topics such as Stellar Formation and Cosmos expansion, combining it with biblical and metaphysical parallels.

*I don't know if I should translate "Clube da Luneta" and "Vila Verde", which are in Portuguese, to English

Undergraduate / Coffee and its universal laws. Caltech students have fun. [4]

Caltech students have long been known for their quirky sense of humor, whether it be through planning creative pranks, building elaborate party sets, or even the year-long preparation that goes into our annual Ditch Day. Please describe an unusual way in which you have fun. (200 word max)

"Golden ratio" coffee recipe

Boil 200 ml of water. Take a full spoon of powder coffee. Pick up a coffee strainer and filter it. Add 1 tea spoon of sugar: I call this recipe "Golden ratio".

Finding universal laws while preparing multiple types of coffees: that's my hobby.
Expresso, Barista, Latte Macchiato. Each one is regulated by laws I'm still discovering. The most dangerous thing in those experiments is using the wrong proportion: if you add more milk than necessary, you can transform a "half milk half coffe" into a pingado.

So far, the best combination I've ever found is Mocha: its elegant three-phase combination of chocolate, coffee and milk (because its equation has two roots for milk, we also admit milk bubbles on the top). By mixing Chocolate do Padre with condensed-milk at hot temperatures, I make brigadeiro, a traditional Brazilian candy. After, I prepare pure coffee according to my Golden Ratio recipe. Next, I heat whole milk on low flame until it is almost boiling and add it to the god-recipe. This proportion should always be 1 chocolate: 3 coffee: 2 milk (Unity of Volume). After drinking it, I'm prepared to another experiment.

Undergraduate / Ethics and Integrity - when it affects your family [4]

Members of the Caltech community live, learn, and work within an Honor System with one simple guideline; 'No member shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community.' While seemingly simple, questions of ethics, honesty and integrity are sometimes puzzling. Share a difficult situation that has challenged you. What was your response, and how did you arrive at a solution? (200 word max)

words can hurt

When should we tell the truth? Is it okay to tell a family that their daughter has no chances of surviving her cancer's treatment?

My 81-year-old grandmother calls me. I know exactly what she will say: another "adventure" of my father, another lie she found out, another help her "perfect son" denied. At the end, she will cry and beg me to ask dad to talk to her,to visit her.

Alright, I call him. He soon realizes her appeal and gets even angrier, because "I have nothing to do with it". He actually means that I shouldn't be aware of his "enterprises". What should I do? Keep quiet? Give some relief to grandma and say that her impetuous son is coming, he is just busy? Tell my father he is wrong and face his truculent look for weeks?

I take into account Job 15:3: "Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable?". I choose my words and talk to my father. I know what he will say and I face it. If he doesn't change, I will persist until he realizes that I can't agree with his behavior. What he does is not what he taught me.

Undergraduate / From Napoleon to Genes - diversity in thought [3]

In an increasingly global and interdependent society, there is a need for diversity in thought, background, and experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. How do you see yourself contributing to the diversity of Caltech's community? (200 word max)

the "interest"

From Napoleon's battles to genetic engineering; from Communism in China to Fermat's Last Theorem: my studies and experiences in different fields, from Philosophy to Biology, broadened my mechanisms of logic, reasoning and analysis of scientific issues. Throughout my High School years, the insights and skills I acquired when studying Geography or Sociology, for example, granted me with widen tools of thinking, decomposing and solving problems.

Studying Symbolism poems helped me to gather the apparently uncorrelated pieces and build the big picture; to look for the essential information, removing pointless data. Also, the cause-consequence perception I acquired when studying Historical events and their development broadened my approach of Mechanic and Thermodynamic problems. Similarly, the different sequences of amino acids and their correlation to codons and proteins provided me unconventional insights into Permutation and Combinatorial Analysis.

It's like unraveling knots: there are infinite possibilities, but choosing the right dot may save you a lot of time. Likewise, take a look at Rafaello Sanzio's School of Athens: the convenient and suitable use of each color is what makes it a masterpiece - that's the "interest" I want to bring to Caltech's community.

Undergraduate / What's the probability of existing? Make something out of it! [4]

The right star - Personal Statement

Still a draft, but every feedback is valuable!

The whole Universe was confined in a hot, dense and small piece. No words were written yet, but each path, force and burst of radiation led it to the visually and mathematically perfect form we see today. Make a tiny adjustment on the Gravitational constant or add a little bit of Dark Energy and the Universe as we know would never exist.

Similarly, my burst of growth was sparked by my High School freshmen year. At that time, I wanted to be a medical researcher and getting into Universidade de São Paulo was the first step to my educational plans. With over 20.000 other qualified candidates aiming at that spot, I started studying harder than ever: that was my dream, I had to be prepared.

It happens that, on this road, I found a deep enthusiasm for learning, whether it is French Revolution or Euler's Identity. By opening and mixing these different boxes, I explored myself and listened to my own inner voice: unconsciously or not, at the end of that year, I had already been electrified by the nuances within our Universe. I understood that, sometimes, the path we take is what really matters: allowing myself to grow academically and personally, as well as getting out of my comfort zone were the most valuable paybacks.

Weren't by a tiny shift in the proportion between matter and antimatter, we wouldn't be here. What are the odds of such meticulousness? Allowing fear or self-doubt to take place doesn't seem to be the best return.

When I was 14, I took an exchange to Canada. My excitement shifted to panic as soon as the plane took off:
"I've never talked to a native speaker - what if they don't understand me?'"
"I don't know a single person on that country - what if I get lost?"
Weren't by risking, confusing "sheet" and "shit" or "bitch" and "beach", I wouldn't have met the Spanish bodybuilding whose discipline and resilience reinvigorates me to kill a troublesome Combinatory Analyzes problem, or my purple-hair English teacher, whose endless desire to learn new Languages (even Portuguese- lucky me) teaches me to never be satisfied with my current knowledge.

On the other hand, the opportunities I was experiencing just highlighted my community's need: drug trafficking, lack of educational opportunities and inconspicuous goals create an environment where bad influences prevail. I learned that you can't give an against violence speech to a 10-year-old kid who grew up being blown by his alcoholic and drug addicted father. Instead, it was my obligation to offer him a new perspective of life, an opportunity of finding his purpose and dreaming.

By founding Clube da Luneta and Seed, as well as giving lectures on Astrophysics, I had the chance of sharing this mindset that guides me through my road and makes me taste life differently. I expect to show to my community that life can be more than paying bills and waiting for Saturday: I want to motivate them to explore themselves as unique individuals who are capable of achieving absolutely anything.

By the same token, my acceptance to Harvard Summer School gave me one of the most enriching experiences I could ever wish: having breakfast with a Thailand math genius, lunch with an incredible Swiss writer and dinner with the guy who wants to be the future president of The United States showed me that there are no economical, geographical or social barriers for commitment and hard work - we can achieve anything we set our minds to. With the experiences acquired on this program, I've been giving lectures on education at PBF English School, where I have the opportunity of emphasizing study as the key to social and personal transformation.

Increase by a narrow shift the Universe density and those stars, that, millions of light-years away, died, giving me the calcium to my bones and oxygen to my cells, would never get by. What is the probability of being at the right distance from the right star in the right place of this hostile galaxy? What is the probability of existing? We need to make something out of it!

Undergraduate / Lost in Canada - Harvard essay; unexpected situations that happened in my life [3]

The prompt is:

Unusual circumstances in your life

I mentioned two of my projects, Seed and Skylight Club, that are already detailed in other parts of my application.
I'm still editing it, so there is space for any other changes. Also, it's 56 words over the limit, so if there is any part that is irrelevant to the main purpose of the essay, please, let me know.

I also would like to know which personality traits this essay shows.
Any feedback is valuable!

Ottawa, Canada, 12th July 2014

Heading from Westgate Shopping Centre, Pedro, Heloisa and Jean took the same bus, since they lived close to each other; I took Churchill-Byron, the one I used to get when coming back from school.

Time was passing and I wasn't seeing either Tunney's Pasture station nor Metro Supermarket - there was something wrong.
Although I wasn't crazy about talking to strangers, felt insecure about my English and intimidated by that large, outraged face and middle-age bus driver, I had to get out of my comfort zone and figure out what was going on.

"Excuse me, sir. Are we going to Churchill Avenue?"
"We are now heading in the opposite direction, girl"
His words came to my heart as the sharpest sword, causing me some milliseconds of panic.
"Well, I just have to call my host mother and she will tell me what to do", I said to myself.
"Cecilia, I took the wrong bus and got lost"
Barely have I pronounced those words, my battery died.
I was completely by myself, and solving that situation depended entirely on me: If I didn't take action, nothing would ever happen.
" I'm becoming an adult, and adults solve things by themselves. That's what I'm going to do."
Then, I asked the bus driver for directions.
His advice that the next (and right) Churchill-Byron bus, which I should take, was the last one of the night caused me a mini heart-attack.

As soon as I saw a boulevard, I dropped off at the nearest bus stop. Maybe a store was open and I could ask for help.

That was Canada over 9 pm. Of course, no stores were open, but the shot was worthy because, on my way back, I saw a weak light coming from a small grocery store.

As I entered it, I saw a guy hurrying up to close the establishment.
I'm still trying to figure out if my anxiety made my utterance confusing, or if his troubles with English were bigger than mines, since, after repeatedly explaining my situation, all I heard were mumblings that went from "eh" to "huh?".

Our connection was not very effective, and I decided to return back to the bus stop. That was my last chance to get back home and I couldn't miss it. Yes, I was afraid. It was dark, nobody was on the streets and I was insecure, but my desire to get back home strengthened me to overcome any obstacle.

Some minutes later, the right bus appeared as, literally, a light at the end of the tunnel.
As I boarded it, I felt like 10 tons were being taken off my back...But that was just destiny joking with me.
As usual, I drop off at Churchill Avenue, but everything was so dark that I, again, got lost. If I felt dumb? Assuredly.
Although everything was apparently against me, giving up was not an option. I was so close to home. I knew that I was.
While I was trying to remember the neighborhood street names, so I could better find my path, I saw a police car - my heart popped up.

I knew that, if I kept trying, I could go back home by myself, but, with police officers' help, things would be way better.
I felt a mix of joy, anxious and nervousness. My fear of talking to strangers didn't even come to my mind - after all, I overcame it. With my heart coming out of my chest, I talked to those two police-officers and explained my situation.

They asked if I wanted them to drive me home, and I, with no hesitation and thanking God for sending those guys, said yes.
For them, driving me home was part of their duty; for me, a night-saving, showing me that small actions may have a great impact on others.

I realized that, despite getting some people worried about me, there is nothing wrong with getting lost: it is part of the game. If it weren't for me taking the wrong path, I wouldn't have overcome my fear of talking to strangers, which was crucial not only to my lectures but also to my personal development: supermarket lines and dining halls became a new world to be explored. Also, challenging myself, risking and persisting shaped my perspective toward my goals, impacting my whole High School experience, and motivating me to found Seed and Skylight Club.

After all, if I do nothing, nothing will ever happen.

Undergraduate / "Why Cornell" Essay - Cosmology and Quantum Theory [6]

Describe two or three of your current intellectual interests and why they are exciting to you. Why will Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences be the right environment in which to pursue your interests?

Cornell offers me a lot

A zombie cat that is 50% dead and 50% alive until one opens the box, or a diamond planet orbiting a neutron star; the perfect adjustment of Electromagnetic Force, or a planet being set a the right distance from the right star in the right place of such hostile Universe in order to make life possible: the exploration of such weirdly fine-tuned place is what drives me to Cosmology and Quantum Theory.

Studying cosmology means comprehending not only the beginning and evolution of the Universe, but also the matter, forces and energies that shape the most beautiful supernovas, the largest black holes and the most beautifully structured galaxies; it means, essentially, comprehending us: why are the physical constants perfectly adjusted for life? How does a black hole's singularity, where neither space nor time exist, work? If there is a "place" where even space, maybe the most certain true we hold, does not exist, is there anything we actually can be certain about?

Similarly, studying Quantum Mechanics conveys understanding the Socratic Paradox that little, very little do we know about things: Heisenberg's Uncertain Principle suggests, for example, that our exploration of reality itself has a limit; Quantum Tunneling shows that we can cross the walls. I am not saying that we live in a Matrix-like reality, but the idea that everything is harmonized shapes who I am today, not only stupefying my curiosity, but deeply impacting my perspective of life, purpose and the world around me. In this sense, I am deeply fascinated by the beginning of the Universe, but we find difficulties in unrevealing this mystery due to the apparently divergence between the physics of the astronomical and the tiny.

Since my interests lay on the intersection between Cosmology and the Quantum Theory, I need to pursue an education that allows me to explore both fields and to do independent study, considering that I may eventually come across topics not deeply addressed by regular classes during my undergraduate studies. Cornell perfectly meets this goal through its Advanced Study and Research, which allows me to explore guided readings not covered during classes, and engage in individual work guided by faculty members through the Independent Study classes offered in the Physics major. Also, when it comes to connecting both Astronomy and Physics, Cornell offers me the possibility of pursuing the Astrophysics concentration, through which I can customize my studies. In this context, one of the reasons that allured me to Cornell is its Physics curriculum, that covers over than 17 classes on Modern Physics broadening from Cosmology to Quantum Mechanics to General Relativity. Also, since my purposes also lay on expanding Science by bringing my lectures to the next level, I am deeply interested in the "Learning and Teaching Physics" classes.

Likewise, I found that the Astronomy Lunch ideally addresses my ideal of mutual growth and knowledge exchange, by creating an environment that allows interaction between Astronomy-lovers not founded in many others places, also stimulating a deep exchange of ideas, and bringing the possibility of making life-friends and research partners.

Likewise, since I am pursuing a researcher career, a research experience during my undergraduate experience is crucial to my professional goal. In this context, REU called my attention due to the possibility of developing my own research, and interacting with other prospect scientists through group activities. Also, considering my purpose of converging "the big" and "the small", I would love to learn from and work with Professor Liam McAllister, whose article "String Cosmology: A Review" furthered my idea of converging the cosmic and the quantum worlds.

I strongly believe that Cornell gives me not only the flexibility I need to pursue my academic endeavors, but also a cooperative, challenging and socially enriching atmosphere that are key factors to my personal and academic development.

Undergraduate / The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph [4]

Prompt:

Tell us about a person who has influenced you in a significant way.

"Ana Flavia is the most stellar student I have ever seen. That girl is a genius!"
"With only 17 years-old, she was approved at every single Medical School she applied to!"
"She went to Harvard!"
During my Freshman year, these were the comments I frequently heard from everyone around my school. At that time, I wanted to be a medical researcher, and knowing that someone who achieved exactly what I wanted studied at the same school I did drove me to believe that if she could do it, I could do it too.

I logically concluded that, if I were like Ana Flavia, I would achieve the same stellar results. Therefore, I asked every single person about her: I wanted to know how that figure was, how she behaved, and what she did to become "Ana Flavia". I have also reached her and asked for some advice, which I strictly followed.

During my first year, she framed me from the time I woke up to study on Saturdays to the number of practice tests I did. However, I realized that I was building a character, a human-calculator who has never gotten a wrong question on a Math test, or who has always known from back to forth every single step of The Krebs Cycle. The more I compared myself to this "superhuman" that I created, the more frustrated I got.

"How can I take more than 5 minutes to understand the Lagrangian Standard Model equation? She would certainly take some few seconds!"
Nevertheless, I felt increasingly motivated me to be disciplined, resilient, and determined. I learned to never settle, but always aim for more, constantly seeking for improvement and growth. The more I worked on myself, the better my cognitive abilities got and, consequently, the higher my academic results.

On this road, I also understood that we all have genius and creativity in us: the way we live our lives and explore ourselves determine to which extend we develop them.

I also realized that her stellar achievements were not the result of some god-like feature that belongs to few of us. Instead, it was the consequence of a strong work ethic. More importantly, I also comprehended that I did not have to be "another Ana Flávia" to achieve my goals. I just had to be myself, the best version of myself; after all, Ana and I were so different! She woke up at 8 am to study on Saturdays, but I loved to wake up at 6 am; she wanted Medicine, and I discovered a passion for Physics; she had troubles with Portuguese; I, with Biology. Instead of building "another version" of Ana Flávia's puzzle, I decided to incorporate her pieces of commitment, dedication and persistence that I so much admire to construct my own.

Ana Flávia deeply shaped my perspective of myself and the world around me, driving me to also inspire those around me. I want to show people that perfect human-beings do not exist; that before cracking an essay, I had to throw many drafts away. After all, as Thomas Paine stated, "the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph".

Undergraduate / Seed - Changing Belief Systems [2]

Prompt: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences

team commitment

I can't try to convince an 8-year-old kid to "follow his dreams through education" if he wakes up every morning and sees a drug trafficker richer than his teacher. Instead, I must converge social and health care to a change in belief systems - that's where *Seed comes.

This idea of mine would have never flourished and reached more than 700 people if it weren't for the commitment and dedication of each member of our team.

Because two brains certainly work better than one, we could strategically design Seed in order to motivate people to find purpose and to see beyond their limitations from the plays we elaborate to the songs we sing.

Also, I've learned the responsibility and challenges of making something happens. Although we constantly face financial issues, if it weren't for each time we asked for donations at congresses, or sold our products at events, none of this would have been possible.

*I have provided further details of Seed in other parts of my application.