Finestida Scholarship for Women

What I love most about astrophysics is that it’s like a puzzle. You have to decode the universe through limited clues. I'm fascinated by how scientists make sense of the invisible, whether it's interpreting planetary pasts from surface clues or uncovering unseen particles from indirect evidence, and by the possibility of using those clues to discover something no one has before. The idea of learning so much from so little is what draws me to both astrogeology and astroparticle physics. In astroparticle physics, to detect what is only theoretical, we have to do so indirectly. You can only identify the final products of particle interactions, so you have to use the initial and final states to infer the intermediate states. Finding these particles is like solving a cosmic murder mystery: you only know so much, and you have to trace back the steps to see if something new was created along the way. Similarly, in astrogeology, this happens by examining physical properties such as composition; we can use just a few grams of material to unlock billions of years of history. This pursuit of piecing together incomplete evidence to reconstruct hidden stories is the reasoning behind everything I do. Because the universe leaves so few clues, my search for answers has evolved with time. Initially, I devoured library books and watched every YouTube lecture I could find. But eventually I realized that if I wanted to answer questions no one had solved yet, reading about past discoveries wasn’t enough; I needed to become one of the scientists making them. But as a young woman in STEM, I often felt isolated and underrepresented in my classes, surrounded by male peers who seemed far more confident and successful than I was. Finding guidance from mentors at school and during my NASA SEES internship helped me recognize my potential and turn my passion into a greater purpose. I wanted to be a mentor, just like the women who helped me. That realization ultimately led me to where I am now at UC Berkeley, studying both Astrophysics and Geophysics, building the skills to make my own discoveries. Ultimately, I chose my majors because they give me a way to inspire others and change what people believe is possible. Watching the excitement surrounding the Artemis II mission reminded me of this. Space exploration doesn’t just answer questions about our universe; it brings people together and sparks new dreams. This is why I’m passionate about diversity in STEM. I believe it fuels innovation and discovery. When researchers from diverse backgrounds collaborate, they can solve universe-sized problems. As lead of my mechanical engineering team designing a zero-gravity biological experiment, I put this belief into practice every day. Technical problem-solving is only half the job; the rest is fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome and that they can contribute meaningfully. Ultimately, I want my career to leave a lasting impact beyond the lab. My early mentors gave me the reassurance I needed to believe I belonged in science, and my goal as an astrophysicist is to pay that forward. I hope to continue my leadership throughout college and one day build structured internship and scholarship initiatives for underrepresented women in STEM. By serving as an advisor and advocate for young women coming up behind me, I want to help the next generation find the confidence, drive, and resources to make their own mark on the world. Because if we can launch ourselves into space and uncover particles we cannot even see, then even our biggest mysteries can be solved when we lift each other up.