Student profile
Our world is changing rapidly in worrisome ways. Fires are ravaging through the Amazon, a precious and biodiverse ecosystem with millions of species and billions of trees, decimating it. Sea levels are rising and oceans are warming threatening our wildlife, coral reefs and ultimately, our existence.
I realize that this is not the most upbeat opening to a college essay; however, as I sit here and ponder this issue, I realize that there is no sugar coating it. Global warming and its consequences are real and dire and we need to address it very soon.
My interest in the environment is not new or transient. In 7th grade, I entered the Alameda County Science Fair with a study analyzing the factors affecting the performance of a solar cell. While conducting an experiment using a concave mirror to concentrate light on the solar cell, I accidentally started a fire next to me. I was amazed at the amount of energy a small mirror could concentrate and I became interested in exploring how this could be leveraged to distill water, one of the few known methods to effectively remove microbial contamination.
According to the CDC, more than 35% of the world’s population lacks access to clean drinking water, a necessity we take for granted in our privileged lives.
In addition to kindling my interest in the fields of environmental science and microbiology, my project won first place and was one of the few to be selected for the California State Science Fair. These accolades inspired me to pursue scientific research further. The next year, I learned about Fresnel lenses, an inexpensive type of magnifying glass used to concentrate light. Using wooden structures that I built from scratch to house the lenses, I ran experiments to identify factors critical for heating water, such as the optimal tilt of the Fresnel lens or the best material for heating the water. I felt truly honored when I was asked to present my findings to the board members of the Alameda County Water District.
The year after, based on the insights gained from these experiments, I designed and prototyped a novel truncated icosahedron type water distiller using Fresnel lenses. I ran multiple experiments with this prototype and subsequently refined the design. The following year, I experimented with multiple design ideas for transporting water through the base of the icosahedron. My vision is to develop a very low-cost solar water distiller that can be easily assembled in areas lacking clean water. These projects garnered many honors including the prestigious NASA Earth Systems Award, one of which I am particularly proud.
My research on solar water purification systems gave me tremendous insight into environmental factors that impact human health, like microbial and chemical water pollution. I wanted to further this understanding by taking an AP Environmental Science course. To my dismay, our school did not allow us to take the course until senior year. However, that did not deter me and my passion for this subject led me to self-study and successfully complete the AP exam in my freshman year.
During the summer of 2018, I was very grateful to be selected to the COSMOS program at UC Santa Cruz in the Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology cluster. The program provided me with the opportunity to perform hands-on laboratory research studying the impact of mercury and microbial contamination on humans, under the guidance of professors who are in the forefront of environmental research. This experience left me wanting to delve deeper into this field and make meaningful contributions to it.
I believe the delicate balance between microbes, humans and the environment is severely impacted by climate change. I am deeply interested in pursuing a career in which I can explore the interactions between these systems and identify solutions to address them. I believe it is incumbent upon youth like me to drive change.