We live in a world of obstacles. Fortunately, amidst the energy crisis and epidemics worldwide, new technologies arise to combat what would be the downfalls of society. They are inspired by innovators, those with the intelligence and passion to change the world for the better. They are avid learners, and apply their knowledge to solving the world's problems. I hope that in the future I will use the knowledge I acquire through my studies to become an innovator and pursue such change.
Sophomore year, I was posed with a problem. I could not think of a topic for my Honors Integrated Science project that would later be entered into the Marin County Science Fair. At the time, I found magnetic bullet trains fascinating and wanted to incorporate magnets into my experiment. My father suggested that I use a spinning top, so I decided to combine the two ideas. My experiment tested the effects of magnetism on the motion of a spinning top. My scientific method and conclusions earned my project the grand prize.
This past year in AP Biology, our coursework covered bacteria and viruses. While studying the AIDS virus, we learned that the most effective AIDS medication reduces the virus' ability to replicate by targeting an enzyme that only retroviruses have - reverse transcriptase. Scientists have analyzed the reverse transcriptase enzyme's structure and synthetically created an inhibitor for it, thus decreasing the replication rate. My eyes lit up with this understanding. Scientists combined different sciences - biology and engineering - to create a result that would improve our world. I wanted to be a part of something similar, a project that could dramatically enhance people's lives.
I spent the past summer interning at Stanford University, working for Professor Prinz on the Carnegie Project. The primary goal of this project is to produce a more efficient solar cell using the most advanced technology of our time. From the beginning, my work captivated me. I designed and fabricated the insulation for a scanning device used to measure quantum dots of material. Each day, I would enter the lab earlier and leave later, but my adviser would always be at work before I arrived and after I left. He was an innovator with the project's goal in his sights and would not stray from the path to completion. While I played only a small role, being part of a potentially world-changing project felt incredible. I was helping to change the world and inspired to continue to do so.
Sophomore year, I was posed with a problem. I could not think of a topic for my Honors Integrated Science project that would later be entered into the Marin County Science Fair. At the time, I found magnetic bullet trains fascinating and wanted to incorporate magnets into my experiment. My father suggested that I use a spinning top, so I decided to combine the two ideas. My experiment tested the effects of magnetism on the motion of a spinning top. My scientific method and conclusions earned my project the grand prize.
This past year in AP Biology, our coursework covered bacteria and viruses. While studying the AIDS virus, we learned that the most effective AIDS medication reduces the virus' ability to replicate by targeting an enzyme that only retroviruses have - reverse transcriptase. Scientists have analyzed the reverse transcriptase enzyme's structure and synthetically created an inhibitor for it, thus decreasing the replication rate. My eyes lit up with this understanding. Scientists combined different sciences - biology and engineering - to create a result that would improve our world. I wanted to be a part of something similar, a project that could dramatically enhance people's lives.
I spent the past summer interning at Stanford University, working for Professor Prinz on the Carnegie Project. The primary goal of this project is to produce a more efficient solar cell using the most advanced technology of our time. From the beginning, my work captivated me. I designed and fabricated the insulation for a scanning device used to measure quantum dots of material. Each day, I would enter the lab earlier and leave later, but my adviser would always be at work before I arrived and after I left. He was an innovator with the project's goal in his sights and would not stray from the path to completion. While I played only a small role, being part of a potentially world-changing project felt incredible. I was helping to change the world and inspired to continue to do so.
