Irving S. Berman Scholarship

I moved to the United States from Vietnam when I was seven. Raised by a single mother who was simultaneously learning how to live in a new country, I went through the assimilation process on my own. I quickly learned the differences between my background compared to my peers when I entered elementary school. In a primarily Hispanic school, I faced bullying from others for the things I didn’t understand. In addition, having an unstable family expanded this gap. My mom worked long hours as a nail technician to take care of me and my sister and a divorce between her and my stepfather led me to further independence in my life and my education. Despite these circumstances, I became a motivated student and did my best in school. When I began high school, I was set on my dream of attending college to be the first in my family to reach a higher level of success. I didn’t want to become a nail technician like my grandmother and mother, a job they did for survival, but which brought no joy to their lives. I want to go to college to spend my future engaged in learning about and protecting the natural world I’m so fascinated about, a career I’m passionate about. My passion for nature emerged from taking AP Environmental Science in my junior year. This class helped me discover my love for nature and for solving global environmental issues. Initially intrigued by endangered species, I furthered my interest in dwindling species populations on a trip to the Gibbon Conservation Center. I learned how conservationists replicated the gibbons' natural habitat to protect them from habitat loss in Southeast Asia. It was fascinating to me how this niche solution of bringing the gibbons across the world prevented their extinction. This creative approach sparked my curiosity about what I could do to help protect species. I gained this insight when I joined UCLA biologists in their research to recover endangered California tiger salamanders. I set up tanks to imitate vernal pools the salamanders depended on for breeding; months later, I learned how to identify adult salamanders before releasing them into the wild. I took this chance to talk to real conservationists; so, while my teacher only required the class to ask one question, I kept bombarding the biologists with more questions regarding how trackers worked to identify such a small species and how they conducted research on a species so rare to find. This experience showed me how much I loved learning about the elements of the biodiversity around me and the methods of researching to create solutions. This summer, I seized the opportunity to conduct research for the first time at COSMOS, a competitive STEM program at UC Irvine, where I learned about alternative fuel cell technology and how it counters emission trade-offs. This learning inspired me to research how alternative wing configurations could improve the environmental impact of the commercial aircraft industry. Using research findings from universities currently testing unconventional designs, I developed a research poster comparing the Flying-V design to the traditional tube-and-wing. I found that the innovative design has higher fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions. Pursuing environmental science at my future college will prepare me to achieve my career goals of making an impact, reviving endangered populations, reversing degradation, and finding solutions to global issues. Using the lessons of persevering through obstacles in my childhood, I will continue using my tenacity to work hard each day to pursue my goals of creating a better future for myself and protecting the planet.

Hello, I didn’t take the traditional path to environmental science. I raised my children first, working to keep a roof over our heads while watching the Mississippi River flow past Staples, Minnesota, where I lived for years. Every spring, I’d see the water turn cloudy with agricultural runoff, carrying fertilizers and chemicals downstream. Every camping trip to White Dog Campgrounds reminded me how much I loved being outdoors, but also how fragile these systems really are. Eventually I realized I wanted to do more than just appreciate nature.-I wanted to protect it. Going back to school as a single parent in a low income household, hasn’t been easy. Between financial strain and life throwing curveballs, I’ve had to withdraw from courses and scramble to find ways to keep moving forward. But I haven’t quit because this work matters too much. My goal is to become a wetland delineator-someone who protects the areas that filter our water, sustain wildlife, and keep entire watersheds healthy. The hands-on work is what drives me. When I worked with Professor Kent Montgomery at Central Lakes College on GIS and ARCmapping projects for the Minnesota DNR, I wasn’t just looking at data on a screen. We were designating old forest status and mapping ecosystems that needed protection. I realize this is how conservation actually is-one parcel at a time, one delineation at a time, by people willing to show up and do the work. Living near the Mississippi headwaters has taught me that everything’s connected. What happens upstream affects communities hundreds of miles away. Protecting wet lands here means cleaner water in Iowa, healthier ecosystems in Missouri, and a more sustainable Gulf Coast. That’s the kind of tangible impact I want to make with my career-not just studying environmental problems, but being part of the solution on the ground. Irv Berman’s story resonates with me because he understood that hard work, curiosity, and love for the natural world can coexist with obstacles. Financial hardship and being a single parent doesn’t disqualify someone from making a difference. I might just be more determined.I’m committed to finishing this degree and building a career that protects the waterways and wetlands I’ve spent a lifetime caring about. Information and spreading information through community resources and any way we can helps. This scholarship would help me get there by lowering the stress level and help me concentrate on school and the kids.Thank you.