College Admissions Essay

In my own endeavor to become a scientist, I’ve found that diversity, pertaining to both the people and the research disciplines involved, can produce incredible and innovative outcomes. The person I have become is result of what I have learned from others. My strength, persistence and selflessness have come from my mother, while my interest in science, mathematics, and engineering have come from many incredible professors, researchers, and mentors. The encouragement and support I receive from them are a force that drives me to pursue academic research. They have inspired me to become a role model that continues to fuel the interests of the next generation of professionals to come. My goal is to accomplish both: pursue interdisciplinary research

My campus has very limited research opportunities, where mostly juniors and seniors can work in. I participated in the Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP) at the University of Minnesota right after my freshman year. I was interested in studying molecular processes that affect cellular behavior, therefore I worked in Dr. Deanna Koepp’s laboratory under her mentorship. My project focused on the design and generation of a degron strain (recombinant DNA) that was to be inserted into yeast. This would allow us to control the expression of a protein that is involved in accurate DNA replication. I was encouraged to be independent, to test different ideas and think of possible solutions to problems I encountered in the process. This truly motivated me to pursue academic research. I was awarded the opportunity to present my work at the 2014 ABRCMS and 2015 ERN Conference in STEM, where I won first place for my poster

My interest was to do research on a different model organism in which I could study molecular mechanisms and their function in cells and tissues. I worked in Dr. Monica Driscoll’s lab under Dr. Carolina Ibáñez’ mentorship. I studied the role of a particular microRNA in the healthspan of C. elegans muscle. I was introduced to aging biology and accomplished genetic outcrosses in C. elegans which could later be analyzed using a computer program that examines their physical capacities and lets us determine the health of the worm’s muscle as it ages. This project helped me understand how different tools and methods can be useful to solve research questions, further motivating me to pursue interdisciplinary research. I’ve been able to present this project at the 251st American Chemical Society National