Kathleen Dilger Memorial Scholarship

1.) My favorite book is "If All the Cats in the World Disappeared" by Genki Kawamura. The book was recommended to me by a friend, and I had no prior knowledge of the plot's premise, but I was pleasantly surprised by the creative storyline. I fell in love with the book as it reminded me why I began reading in the first place: to allow myself to feel the whimsical wonders that my imagination brought to life as an adolescent. The author possessed the capability to turn impossible decisions into a gateway that allowed for the exploration of mortality, regret, and acceptance, which we all as humans must face at some point in our lives. Having had to accept the terms of death myself, experiencing personal loss and anxiety from mortality, this book taught me the value of everyday relationships, objects, and the overall preciousness of life. "If All the Cats in the World Disappeared" is one of the few books that brought me to tears, as the climax of the tale prompted reflection about what it means for me to be alive and what we're all willing to give up just to experience life for a moment longer. In the end, I found myself wondering: "What would happen if technology disappeared? If books disappeared?" These questions allowed me to explore what I hold precious in my own life and how I perceive my reality. As an adult, I tend to focus on productivity and responsibilities, neglecting the sense of wonder that these questions propose, which is why I fell in love with the book. The book also taught me about the psychological factors in how loss changes perception and behavior, inherently showcasing how we as humans adapt surprisingly quickly to change. The whimsical premise of the novel allowed me to explore how memories shape my identity and the mental health benefits of imagination as we process uncertainty and grief. 2.) A cool scientific fact I refer to often is how grief affects the brain. The same regions of the brain that are involved in physical and emotional pain, such as the anterior cingulate cortex, are activated by grief. Losing family, friends, and even breaking up with a partner can activate these regions, which is why emotional loss can feel so physically painful. It may genuinely feel like your heart is breaking when experiencing heartbreak because grief affects the insular cortex, which is part of the cerebral cortex that impacts body awareness, pain, and emotions. The insular cortex helps control the internal sensory system, which senses bodily functions such as hunger, body temperature, and heartbeat. Grief affects this system, impacting these functions, mimicking the physical pain of one's heart breaking. This fact also explains how certain mental health conditions affect the body, which is why I believe it is immensely fascinating.

1) As I have entered my 20s I look back to a time where life was all about going to school, recess, lunches, and racing my brothers to and from the bus stop. As an adult now, there have been a plethora of books that have occupied spaces in my mind and heart. One of those books was The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. I was about 10 when I read this, although I was not so sure about my future I had aspiration to join the STEM field. That book planted one of the first seeds. In the story, a man enters the rainforest planning to cut down a giant kapok tree. As he rests and falls asleep under it, the animals that live in and around the tree come down one by one to plead with him. A boa constrictor, a bee, a frog, monkeys, a jaguar—they all explain how cutting the tree will destroy their home, and that more destruction will follow. Toward the end, a young native child appears and says, “Senhor, when you wake, please look upon us all with new eyes.” That moment really stuck with me. When the man wakes, he sees the animals and the child, puts the axe down, and walks away. That story made me think differently about the natural world. We humans too are part of nature not separate from it. The little child in the story reminds us that when we "other" ourselves from nature, we stop appreciating the balance and wholeness that exists all around us. That book helped me understand that nature isn’t just something we use or visit it’s something we belong to. And that’s a big part of why I was drawn to biology: to better understand the systems that connect all living things, including us. 2) One cool science fact I love is about a muscle called the palmaris longus. You can test if you have it by touching your thumb and pinky together and slightly flexing your wrist if a tendon pops up in the middle of your forearm, that’s it. Not everyone has it! It was useful for better grip when climbing, but now it’s pretty much useless. What’s cool is that surgeons often use it for reconstructive surgeries, since it can be removed without affecting strength. I just think it’s fascinating that our bodies still carry little pieces of evolutionary history like that. P.S I have it on both hands.