College of Arts and Sciences:An individual is characterized not only by what he does in the light, but by what he does in the dark. Even though I cannot perform a gel electrophoresis in the dark, I still have an undying love and passion for science. Through my experiences, I have come to revere science not only for its broad applicability and astounding ability to answer my questions, but also for its intriguing nature and capability to solve the growing problems in the world today.
Without hesitation, I can contribute my interest in science to an infatuation for the biological sciences - more specifically, genetics and bioinformatics. I clearly remember the "Recombinant DNA" section of the "Genetics" Unit in my sophomore year of high school biology, especially the questions it left lingering in my mind. Could scientists cure genetic diseases? If genes could be manipulated, could humans alter their genome? These questions were too volatile to be left unanswered in my mind, and my thirst for knowledge continually grew. I soon found out that the questions which perplexed me were the same questions which perplexed even the strongest scientific minds of the day. I was stuck. I had always been a proponent of instant gratification, and although Google's microsecond response satisfied my search query, it did not fulfill my
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My interest in finding answers for my search queries has all but faded, and after completing this past summer researching the brine shrimp genome at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology of Rutgers University, my passion for genetic research has grown so much more. I hope that by attending Cornell University, I can engage with teachers and students who share the same vigor for scientific discovery as me, and succeed in finding the answers for questions which have remained unanswered for too long.
I hope to take advantage of the numerous interdisciplinary research organizations Cornell has to offer. Cornell is renowned for the scope of its research, and through this scope, I aim to fuse my passions for genetic research and medicine in an effort to find a solution for the health problems which plague our society today. Cornell is renowned for its research facilities and high-tech laboratories, and as a result, it has been able to serve local and national communities with innovative and ground-breaking research essential for human development. This is the exact same environment which I want to immerse myself in, a world of research and development with the goal of improving human sustainability. Because of all the opportunities Cornell provides, and its unflagging commitment to the betterment of humankind, it is undoubtedly my number one choice for a college education. As a Senior Science Advisor at Cornell once said, "The strategic plan for research at Cornell can be summed up simply: Be the best at what we undertake to do," and I know that through Cornell University, I will learn never to stop trying my best at anything I do.
