Campus Achievements:
University Honors: I received the William J. Branstrom Prize in my freshman year and was recognized as a James B. Angell Scholar in sophomore and junior year. I was also recognized as a “Top Student” in Spanish 201-202: Intermediate Spanish in the 2013-2014 school year and received “Honors” in Spanish 301-302: Advanced Conversation and Composition in the 2014-2015 academic year.
Research: I have done research with Dr. Krisanu Bandyopadhyay in his nanoscience chemistry laboratory working on the nanoshell project since my freshman year. I am working on synthesizing sub-100 nanometer silica-gold nanoshells, which have a potential application in targeting cancer cells in radiation therapy.
I also participated in the mathematics REU at UM-Dearborn during the summer of 2015. Later that summer, I presented my research on the isoperimetric inequality in 3D at the Young Mathematicians Conference.
I will be participating in the 2016 summer REU program at the University of California-Berkeley doing genetics research.
Organizations: I am a member of the Sigma Delta Pi National Spanish Honor Society, the Golden Key International Honor Society, the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
Leadership Experiences:
I have been a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader for four semesters. I started the summer after my freshmen year as an SI leader for General Chemistry II and since then I have worked with the Physics 150 classes. I love being a SI leader; it is definitely one of my favorite parts of my college experience. It is rewarding to help the students understand the material while sharing my passion about the class. It is great to see their confidence and grades improve throughout the semester. Undoubtedly, my experience with SI has strengthened my interest in teaching and becoming a professor.
What is your Dream Career?
My long-term plan is to earn a Ph.D. in one of the biological sciences, perhaps genetics or biochemistry. Then, I hope to pursue a career as a professor and author. I also want to become fluent in Spanish so that I am able to better communicate with a broader population of students. As such, I would be able to achieve my life goal of affecting positive change in the world. I would have the ability to carry out my true calling, to teach students and engage them in research, encourage them to follow their dreams, and, hopefully, inspire them with my own love of science and math.
What has been a Defining Moment at UM-Dearborn?
I have had a few defining moments throughout my time at UM-Dearborn. The first was in my freshman year when Dr. Bazzi, my chemistry teacher at the time, recommended me to participate in the research done in Dr. Bandyopadhyay’s lab. Joining the research lab has been one of my greatest opportunities. I have learned various lab techniques, made friends, and gained an invaluable mentor in Dr. Bandyopadhyay.
Another great moment that comes to mind is also from freshman year, when professor Nelson, my physics teacher, recommended me to be an SI leader. He noticed that I enjoyed helping the other students with their work and encouraged me to participate in the program. I love being an SI leader and am thankful that he recognized my interest in teaching so early in my student career. Being able to work with so many other students is a blessing. Leading SI sessions encourages me to think differently, to think more broadly; I enjoy developing multiple ways to present material so that all students can understand it.
Additionally, last summer I took part in the mathematics REU program at UMD under the guidance of Drs. Yunus Zeytuncu and Hyejin Kim. Later in the summer, my research partner and I were accepted to the Young Mathematician’s Conference at the Ohio State University to present a poster of our project. Being able to share my findings with the academic community after a summer of hard work was extremely rewarding.
The most recent significant event at UM-Dearborn was my acceptance to the University of California-Berkeley summer REU program. With the support of my mentors and previous teachers, I am excited to spend the upcoming summer doing genetics research at a fantastic institution. This experience will hopefully help me to better decide which Ph.D. schools I will apply to in fall 2016.
In summary, these defining moments and terrific opportunities have all been influenced by my mentors and teachers. I am grateful to attend a university that offers the chance to form quality relationships with the faculty; attending UM-Dearborn has been an incredible experience.