The "Scientific Sparks"

It hasn't been the easiest growing up in a group home with my divorced parents, but it has been my life. We'd become so annoyed when we were a kid and saw a family of four enjoying their supper when we were out with my dad. My parents only ever went out to eat with me once a year for my birthday, and it was filled with arguments and squabbles.

As a child, I realized that, despite the fact that my parents were no longer in love with each other, I was the only thing that brought them together. When it came to what I considered "whole" families, I had no reason to feel jealous of others.

My parents, who wanted the best for me, recognized my early interest in science and encouraged me to pursue a career in it. Their efforts were directed on providing me with the resources I needed to follow my passions. My mother would read to me at night instead of nursery rhymes, nature field guides. The two of us frequently departed at 3:00 a.m. to travel long distances. to see meteor showers in the mountains' clear skies. For example, she encouraged me to experiment with palm tree sapling growth and dissecting owl pellets to find the mouse bones inside. I gladly obliged. Having a father who is an environmental scientist made it clear that he was eager to impart all of his knowledge to my little mind. Naturally, I was far too young to understand most of his spontaneous lectures, but even then, I was encouraged to learn more on my own by one in particular: his discourse on quantum physics, which he gave me when I was eight years old.

As I grew older, my desire to learn more about the world around me increased unrestrained. In January of 2011, my aunt Diane died following a five-year struggle with breast cancer. When my aunt became ill, I realized I could put my natural aptitude for science to good use helping others who were going through something similar.

I've worked hard to achieve this objective by achieving high grades in my AP scientific classes, pursuing a degree in biotechnology at UC Davis, and participating on my school's Science Bowl team. Through the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program, I had the opportunity to intern in the Reijo Pera Lab at Stanford University this past summer. Worked with human embryonic stem cells to investigate the function of PRDM1 (possibly valuable gene) throughout this two-month internship.

My life has been shaped by the scientific spark that my parents recognized when I was a child, and I hope to shape the lives of others as well. As a biomedical researcher, I hope to combine my love of science and desire to better the lives of individuals who are afflicted by medical conditions. The opportunity to collaborate with experts on the development of innovative therapies and technologies for patients and their families would be an honor.