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Following YSC, I have conducted research in ecology at a biological preserve and studied the effects of imminent global change (elevated carbon dioxide, nitrogen deposition, precipitation, and temperature) upon herbivory and decomposition rates. In my junior year of high school, I won my local science fair to advance to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, where I won a fourth-place grand award in the environmental sciences category, a $1,000 first-place scholarship from the American Society of Agronomy, and an eight-week internship at Agilent Technologies. In my senior year, I submitted a research paper to the highly competitive national Siemens Westinghouse and Intel Science Talent Search competitions and earned semifinalist status in both events. Later I was awarded the California Association of Professional Scientists Outstanding Young Scientist Award and was selected as a California delegate for the National Youth Science Camp. Last summer, I switched hats and researched protein-protein interactions on the N terminus of GRAIL (gene related to Anergy in lymphocytes), work that has potential for better understanding how and why autoimmune diseases occur.
In my free time, I'm an avid golfer with a three handicap. I played competitively in outside tournaments on and off throughout high school and was on the varsity golf team all four years, where I was the only female. In my junior year, I won first place in the regional high school girls' tournament.
In high school, I enjoyed being active in student government: during my senior year, I served as school president. Currently in college, I am involved in student government and a few other organizations. I also like to sketch and paint, play ultimate Frisbee, and read a good book!
YSC really encouraged my scientific curiosity and interests. I remember being so fascinated when I listened to ornithologist talk about his travels through the rain forest and how scientists could measure the concentration of atmospheric gases by analyzing bird feathers. I left YSC with the sense that science could take me in infinite directions. Being with peers who felt the same way made it even better.
For now, my career plans are tentative, but I'd like to become a chemical engineer and do research pertaining to more sustainable energy sources like photovoltaics and hydrogen fuel cells. Eventually I'd like to apply my knowledge to help advise policy decisions for better environmental management and economic viability.
My favorite memory is the Smithsonian museum. I think for one project, we had to assemble a poster-board presentation about sea creatures that live at very deep depths in the ocean. This assignment took us to one exhibit that was just gorgeous. I had a lot of fun doing that group task.
When I was younger, I liked to do random scientific activities: I played with magnifying glasses, constructed parabolic solar ovens (after reading about it in a book), and enjoyed gardening. In sixth grade, my scientific curiosity was really piqued when I tested the effects of ginseng on a mouse's memory and performance. I was introduced to the trials and tribulations of conducting a sound experiment and learned to appreciate how some things (or animals) are just unpredictable. At the same time, I was thrilled to try to answer my own questions and test interesting hypotheses for my own knowledge.
I am still very interested in the sciences and am passionate about finding ways that it can directly benefit people under ethical, sustainable, and culturally sensitive conditions.
Go for it! Though the chances of being selected may seem small, YSC is an opportunity of a lifetime. Find a project that you are truly interested in, do plenty of background research to become knowledgeable about your topic, and be methodical about the way you approach your experimentation. Ultimately, it's not the destination, but the journey. You'll finish with a sense of accomplishment about what you've done and learned. If you present your work well (and run into a bit of luck), someone will recognize your hard work and reward it.
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Age: 19
Hometown: Saratoga, California
School: Stanford University
YSC Class: 2000
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