[Student Profile]
[Prompt & Essay]
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others,
helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
Sitting at my desk at Rosetta Institute’s Molecular Neuroscience summer camp, I was in awe of the brain—how it worked so seamlessly, how each neuron was perfectly calibrated, how each part had a responsibility. I was fascinated by neuroscience, so when a fellow Rosetta attendee mentioned Bay Area Society for Neuroscience Youth (SfN), I knew I had to get involved. At SfN, I took on the roles of PR officer and VP, organizing volunteer events and leading workshops to bring neuroscience to the Bay Area at large.
I soon realized that neuroscience wasn’t readily accessible at my high school, so I decided to found a Neuroscience Club. Since then, I have pioneered the Pen Pal program, an initiative connecting Neuroscience Club members to veterans at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, where I was already volunteering. In addition, I have hosted biweekly meetings with my club officers, facilitating activities such as Jeopardy to test members’ neuroscience knowledge and journal article discussions to make complex material more understandable.
After learning about neuroscience research, I wanted to try it myself. I started looking for research internships, but I found it difficult: I sent over 50 cold emails but was repeatedly turned away due to my age. Ultimately, I was able to obtain a research internship at UCSF, where I learned how to handle live animals, read research papers, and perform lab techniques, such as growing cell cultures and dissecting under a microscope. Drawing from my experiences, I decided to create a website, Research Rationalized, to help other high schoolers interested in research. Through a collection of articles, I provide my take on obtaining a research internship, navigating the complex jargon of scientific papers, and sending cold emails, giving students all over the country access to educational materials about neuroscienceand research.
Through SfN, Neuroscience Club, and Research Rationalized, I have learned that the inclusion and accessibility of scientific knowledge are just as important as the actual pursuit of science. I am grateful for the people who have mentored me and excited that I am able to help others as well.
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