I am intellectually inquisitive in how I perceive the world. I use my excitement of learning to develop my sense of perception, so I can understand the wonderful work that mankind and the universe has created. I love learning the many things the world offers. I view this as an opportunity to learn different things and become a more well-rounded person. I enjoy woodworking, where I create bowls, pepper grinders, and kitchen utensils. I also learn through home improvement projects. My dad teaches me masonry (bricklaying), building (door frames), and electrical skills (outlet installation). Someday, I will use these skills for my family in our future home. By learning a broad range of skills, I contribute to my well-roundedness and become successful in many topics. I am curious over the many deeper things that build our world, giving perception a deeper meaning. Nowadays, people take everything for granted and never fully appreciate the many behaviors in the world. For example, I look at a skyscraper and see the numerous structural stresses that transfer from ceiling to floor to foundation—preventing the structure from collapsing. Furthermore, where you see a plastic water bottle, I see organic polymers holding together that bottle. I see the dissociation of water into its conjugate ions—hydroxide (OH-) and hydronium (H3O+)—preventing water from becoming dangerous. It is these aspects that I strive to learn and incorporate into my greater understanding of the world. There exists a hidden world within a world, independent from form or expression. All living things, objects, and structures envelope a universe of complex building blocks which I feel desired to understand. Immersing myself in many disciplines enlightens my curious nature and inspires me to learn more. With my intellectual inquisitiveness, I continue finding the world’s hidden connections and developing my well-rounded skill set.

I have been very fortunate during the coronavirus pandemic. My family and friends maintained good health, and my parents were able to keep their jobs. But the pandemic poisoned my perspective and love of school. My zest for learning disappeared one rainy day; in fact, it was Friday, March 13. My school shut down that day, forcing all students to begin remote learning. Everything I knew about learning and going to school changed. Instead of attending school lectures, seeing my friends, and doing homework, remote learning was limited solely to doing readings and completing homework all by myself. The ability to ask my teachers questions and interact with my friends disappeared. And with it, my enjoyment for learning did too. I was missing something. The start of my senior year fall semester brought renewed optimism. The remote learning experience improved with Zoom lectures which enabled interactions with my teachers and collaborations with my peers. Most importantly, I was no longer confined to doing readings and homework. This new learning atmosphere helped me realize that my favorite part of school was listening to lectures, interacting with my teachers, and socializing with my friends. So far, the pandemic taught me to look to the future because that future contains hope. Through seeking hope, I can live everyday to the fullest. Cherishing the fact that my family continues to remain safe only serves push me forward into a hopeful future. As time moves onward, we have to remember to be patient and to keep perspective. From the depressiveness of the pandemic to the happier life I am living today, I'm proud that I have overcome the most detrimental experience in my entire life. Everything will continue to improve, and we will slowly shift back to the normal life we knew before March 13.

Chemistry changed how I perceived the universe. Chemistry is matter, and matter is everything we see and experience. I want to learn more about what makes our world to help build a better one. But, the beginning of my obsession kicked-off in a bizarre way. From the start, I did not have much interest in chemistry. But I surprised myself and did well enough for my teacher to nominate me to represent my school in the 2019 American Chemical Society National Chemistry Olympiad Test. My experience in taking this exam encouraged me to try AP Chemistry. After AP, I knew chemistry was my calling. And there, I performed the “Carbon Snake” experiment, where I transformed sugar to black ash by adding sulfuric acid. Witnessing this amazingly cool experiment inspired me to continue pursuing chemistry and create my own “at home” experiments. My first experiment at home was the “Fiery Colored Flame” experiment, where I dissolved metal compounds (lithium chloride and copper sulfate) in water, mixed in rubbing alcohol, then sprayed each mixture into a flame. Metal compounds exist in many energy states. When the metal-compound mixture is sprayed on a flame, it gains energy on the flame’s front-end and loses energy on the back-end. When molecules lose gained energy, they emit light rays. The metal compounds emit light when they transition from the energy-gained front to the energy-lost back of the flame. Reactive lithium has high energy, emitting a red flame, and unreactive copper has low energy, emitting a greenish-blue flame. Looking back, I am astounded by how a test nomination sparked my decision to continue chemistry inside and outside the classroom. I am excited about starting my collegiate career and pursuing a career in chemical engineering.

In my home state, climate change wreaks havoc: ongoing droughts ravage arid landscapes, annual forest fires continually worsen the smog-infested air, and rising tides and temperatures threaten the long-time polluted Pacific Ocean. These environmental hazards endanger all life forms. A change must happen. Due to the endless research and career opportunities available, I hope to utilize my love of chemistry and passion for saving all life forms to help solve the greatest environmental challenges. Thinking deeply about climate change has led me to a potential solution called electrolysis. Electrolysis uses electricity to facilitate a chemical reaction by passing electricity through liquid substances. I propose using electrolysis to break down carbon dioxide molecules (CO2) into its two base components: carbon (C) and oxygen (O2). My proposal requires isolating carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere and storing the gas in metal cylinders. The next step involves liquifying the carbon dioxide by freezing it into a solid (dry ice) and then increasing the pressure against dry ice to force the solid to condense to a liquid. Finally, electricity can be applied to the liquid carbon dioxide. This process may result in more breathable oxygen for the environment and a solid carbon byproduct that can be repurposed to make batteries, pencil lead, and more. Once scaled up, electrolysis may slow and reverse the harmful effects of climate change and create a sustainable ecosystem. I want to make a difference in solving global climate change. I recognize that my electrolysis proposal may not solve the complexities of climate change. But that doesn't deter me; it fuels me to join the global team of tenacious, creative minds who dedicate their careers to solving worldly problems. For me, fixing the damages that humanity inflicts upon the Earth is not a job; rather, a responsibility.

Chemistry changed how I perceived the universe. Chemistry is matter, and matter is everything we see and experience. I want to learn more about what makes our world to help build a better one. But, the beginning of my obsession kicked-off in a bizarre way. From the start, I did not have much interest in chemistry. But I surprised myself and did well enough for my teacher to nominate me to represent my school in the 2019 American Chemical Society National Chemistry Olympiad Test. My experience in taking this exam encouraged me to try AP Chemistry. After AP, I knew chemistry was my calling. And there, I performed the “Carbon Snake” experiment, where I transformed sugar to black ash by adding sulfuric acid. Witnessing this amazingly cool experiment inspired me to continue pursuing chemistry and create my own “at home” experiments. My first experiment at home was the “Fiery Colored Flame” experiment, where I dissolved metal compounds (lithium chloride and copper sulfate) in water, mixed in rubbing alcohol, then sprayed each mixture into a flame. Metal compounds exist in many energy states. When the metal-compound mixture is sprayed on a flame, it gains energy from the flame and loses energy when it dissipates. When molecules lose gained energy, they emit light. These compounds emit light when they transition from the energy-gained state to the energy-lost state. Reactive lithium has high energy, emitting a red flame, and unreactive copper has low energy, emitting a greenish-blue flame. Looking back, I was fascinated over these color changes and the aggressiveness of sulfuric acid. From these experiments, I witnesses the complex chemical make-up of our world. Because of these inspiring experiments, my favorite scientific discoveries are those that I'm yet to discover. The fascination of the unknown keeps me enthusiastic about the future ahead.

I have been very fortunate during the coronavirus pandemic. My family and friends maintained good health, and my parents were able to keep their jobs. But the pandemic poisoned my perspective and love of school. My zest for learning disappeared one rainy day; in fact, it was Friday, March 13. My school shut down that day, forcing all students to begin remote learning. Everything I knew about learning and going to school changed. Instead of attending school lectures, seeing my friends, and doing homework, remote learning was limited solely to doing readings and completing homework all by myself. The ability to ask my teachers questions and interact with my friends disappeared. And with it, my enjoyment for learning did too. I was missing something. The start of my senior year fall semester brought renewed optimism. The remote learning experience improved with Zoom lectures which enabled interactions with my teachers and collaborations with my peers. Most importantly, I was no longer confined to doing readings and homework. This new learning atmosphere helped me realize that my favorite part of school was listening to lectures, interacting with my teachers, and socializing with my friends. So far, the pandemic taught me to look to the future because that future contains hope. Through seeking hope, I can live everyday to the fullest. Cherishing the fact that my family continues to remain safe on serves push me forward into a hopeful future. As time moves onward, we have to remember to be patient and to keep perspective. Everything will continue to improve, and we will slowly shift back to the normal life we knew before March 13.

In my home state, climate change wreaks havoc: ongoing droughts ravage arid landscapes, annual forest fires continually worsen the smog-infested air, and rising tides and temperatures threaten the long-time polluted Pacific Ocean. These environmental hazards endanger all life forms. A change must happen. Due to the endless research and career opportunities available, I hope to utilize my love of chemistry and passion for saving all life forms to help solve the greatest environmental challenges. Thinking deeply about climate change has led me to a potential solution called electrolysis. Electrolysis uses electricity to facilitate a chemical reaction by passing electricity through liquid substances. I propose using electrolysis to break down carbon dioxide molecules (CO2) into its two base components: carbon (C) and oxygen (O2). My proposal requires isolating carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere and storing the gas in metal cylinders. The next step involves liquifying the carbon dioxide by freezing it into a solid (dry ice) and then increasing the pressure against dry ice to force the solid to condense to a liquid. Finally, electricity can be applied to the liquid carbon dioxide. This process may result in more breathable oxygen for the environment and a solid carbon byproduct that can be repurposed to make batteries, pencil lead, and more. Once scaled up, electrolysis may slow and reverse the harmful effects of climate change and create a sustainable ecosystem. I want to make a difference in solving global climate change. I recognize that my electrolysis proposal may not solve the complexities of climate change. But that doesn't deter me; it fuels me to join the global team of tenacious, creative minds who dedicate their careers to solving worldly problems. For me, fixing the damages that humanity inflicts upon the Earth is not a job; rather, a responsibility.

Chemistry changed how I perceived the universe. Chemistry is matter, and matter is everything we see and experience. I want to learn more about what makes our world to help build a better one. But, the beginning of my obsession kicked-off in a bizarre way. From the start, I did not have much interest in chemistry. But I surprised myself and did well enough for my teacher to nominate me to represent my school in the 2019 American Chemical Society National Chemistry Olympiad Test. My experience in taking this exam encouraged me to try AP Chemistry. After AP, I knew chemistry was my calling. And there, I performed the “Carbon Snake” experiment, where I transformed sugar to black ash by adding sulfuric acid. Witnessing this amazingly cool experiment inspired me to continue pursuing chemistry and create my own “at home” experiments. My first experiment at home was the “Fiery Colored Flame” experiment, where I dissolved metal compounds (lithium chloride and copper sulfate) in water, mixed in rubbing alcohol, then sprayed each mixture into a flame. Metal compounds exist in many energy states. When the metal-compound mixture is sprayed on a flame, it gains energy on the flame’s front-end and loses energy on the back-end. When molecules lose gained energy, they emit light rays. The metal compounds emit light when they transition from the energy-gained front to the energy-lost back of the flame. Reactive lithium has high energy, emitting a red flame, and unreactive copper has low energy, emitting a greenish-blue flame. Looking back, I am astounded by how a test nomination sparked my decision to continue chemistry inside and outside the classroom. I am excited about starting my collegiate career and pursuing a career in chemical engineering.

In my home state, climate change wreaks havoc: ongoing droughts ravage arid landscapes, annual forest fires continually worsen the smog-infested air, and rising tides and temperatures threaten the long-time polluted Pacific Ocean. These environmental hazards endanger all life forms. A change must happen. Due to the endless research and career opportunities available, I hope to utilize my love of chemistry and passion for saving all life forms to help solve the greatest environmental challenges. Thinking deeply about climate change has led me to a potential solution called electrolysis. Electrolysis uses electricity to facilitate a chemical reaction by passing electricity through liquid substances. I propose using electrolysis to break down carbon dioxide molecules (CO2) into its two base components: carbon (C) and oxygen (O2). My proposal requires isolating carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere and storing the gas in metal cylinders. The next step involves liquifying the carbon dioxide by freezing it into a solid (dry ice) and then increasing the pressure against dry ice to force the solid to condense to a liquid. Finally, electricity can be applied to the liquid carbon dioxide. This process may result in more breathable oxygen for the environment and a solid carbon byproduct that can be repurposed to make batteries, pencil lead, and more. Once scaled up, electrolysis may slow and reverse the harmful effects of climate change and create a sustainable ecosystem. I want to make a difference in solving global climate change. I recognize that my electrolysis proposal may not solve the complexities of climate change. But that doesn't deter me; it fuels me to join the global team of tenacious, creative minds who dedicate their careers to solving worldly problems. For me, fixing the damages that humanity inflicts upon the Earth is not a job; rather, a responsibility.

In my home state, climate change wreaks havoc: ongoing droughts ravage arid landscapes, annual forest fires continually worsen the smog-infested air, and rising tides and temperatures threaten the long-time polluted Pacific Ocean. These environmental hazards endanger all life forms. A change must happen. Due to the endless research and career opportunities available, I hope to utilize my love of chemistry and passion for saving all life forms to help solve the greatest environmental challenges. Thinking deeply about climate change has led me to a potential solution called electrolysis. Electrolysis uses electricity to facilitate a chemical reaction by passing electricity through liquid substances. I propose using electrolysis to break down carbon dioxide molecules (CO2) into its two base components: carbon (C) and oxygen (O2). My proposal requires isolating carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere and storing the gas in metal cylinders. The next step involves liquifying the carbon dioxide by freezing it into a solid (dry ice) and then increasing the pressure against dry ice to force the solid to condense to a liquid. Finally, electricity can be applied to the liquid carbon dioxide. This process may result in more breathable oxygen for the environment and a solid carbon byproduct that can be repurposed to make batteries, pencil lead, and more. Once scaled up, electrolysis may slow and reverse the harmful effects of climate change and create a sustainable ecosystem. I want to make a difference in solving global climate change. I recognize that my electrolysis proposal may not solve the complexities of climate change. But that doesn't deter me; it fuels me to join the global team of tenacious, creative minds who dedicate their careers to solving worldly problems. For me, fixing the damages that humanity inflicts upon the Earth is not a job; rather, a responsibility.