My name is Cassie, and I recently graduated from Clemson University with a Master’s in Materials Science & Engineering (Aug 2025). I am passionate about innovation, particularly the development of biocompatible and sustainable materials that can reshape existing technologies. My professional goal is to pursue a career in patent law so I can help inventors protect ideas that improve systems and create lasting environmental change. My passion is deeply personal. As the oldest daughter of four children, I grew up watching my parents work tirelessly to provide for us. They instilled in me the value of perseverance, but financial barriers meant I had to work multiple jobs to fund my education. As a double minority in a predominantly white institution and male-dominated field, I often felt out of place. Yet these challenges fueled my determination. I want to help create a future where everyone has access to what I see as basic needs--clean air, healthy food, and education. Because so many people, like my research advisor, pulled me up along the way, I intend to do the same for others. Graduate school shaped me in ways I could never have imagined. As a Graduate Research Assistant in Dr. Olga Kuksenok’s lab, I learned how to take an idea from inception to completion. My work in computational modeling focused on polyethylene, the world’s most-used plastic. Our lab is employing a method to make it 100% recyclable, addressing the material loss of current recycling processes. I also worked at the Polymers for a Circular Economy Center, where I engaged with diverse audiences to spread awareness about recycling. These experiences not only gave me technical skills but taught me how to translate complex research into meaningful conversations. Beyond research, I served as Director of Sustainability, leading 15 senators in building a cleaner, greener campus. We organized hike-and-litter cleanups, hosted tours of our university’s recycling facility, and launched an annual Sustainability Symposium where students presented sustainable research using virtual displays. My proudest achievement was expanding glove recycling to all undergraduate labs, transforming discarded gloves into furniture for campus use. Even larger was our $10,000 community garden project, featuring 8 large box gardens and a self designed and constructed irrigation system to ensure it is primarily self maintained. The goal is to provide students with free produce and donate surplus food to our campus pantry, and I'm excited for this years first harvest! For this work, I received the President’s Award for Outstanding Leadership and the President’s Award for Outstanding Committee. These roles taught me that impact doesn’t have to wait until after graduation--it can begin in the present moment. I also served as graduate representative on the university’s Intellectual Property committee, where I learned to advocate for student researchers during times of funding changes. These experiences solidified my desire to enter patent law, a field where I can combine my technical background with my commitment to equity and sustainability. Since graduating, I have been preparing for the patent bar exam while working at a restaurant to fund the Practicing Law Institute prep course recommended by my mentor. Passing this exam is my next step toward becoming a patent agent and, ultimately, an attorney. This scholarship would help me bridge that critical transition. I envision a career where I not only safeguard innovations but also continue leading initiatives in sustainability and community support. My journey has shown me that ambition and drive are magnified when paired with service. With this scholarship, I can continue breaking barriers, uplifting others, and contributing to a STEM workforce that reflects the diversity and resilience of the communities it serves.

Telekinesis Cassie Simpson If there were one super power I could possess it would have to be telekinesis. I’m sure I’m not the only person that has attempted to move an object with their mind after watching one too many reruns of Matilda as a child. As I’ve matured and gained more knowledge and experience in both life and engineering, I’ve been able to draw two conclusions pertaining to superhuman abilities: 1. Most superpowers, sadly, don’t exist; I say most because parents definitely have eyes in the back of their heads and precognitive abilities despite how much they may deny it. 2. Telekinesis is by far the most useful superpower you could have when considering it is not just the movement of objects, but the movement of matter. Matter is defined as anything that has mass and volume. Through my studies as a Materials Science and Engineering major, I’ve come to realize how all-encompassing this term truly is. Things you can’t see and feel, such as the air you breathe, the scents you smell, and the flavors you taste are classified as matter. The ability to control and manipulate matter drives virtually all processes in our physical world, so the implications for telekinesis go far beyond levitating a book over to yourself without having to get out of bed. You could alter the chemical structure and molecular activity of practically any resource you can think of, which opens the door to limitless opportunities. If I had telekinesis, I would help the world in any way super-humanly possible. I would cure cancer by stopping the endless division of telomere regions, condense water droplets in regions experiencing drought, help launch rocket ships into space- the possibilities are endless. Although energy isn’t a form of matter, its generation could be achieved by using telekinesis. I would warm someone with hypothermia by moving subatomic particles so fast that their collisions result in the formation of heat. I would synthesize enough food to feed the world, lift heavy objects for the elderly, and anything else, big or small, that would make at least one person smile. Through the use of a superhero disguise and nickname, I would be able to live out my everyday life as a passionate materials science engineer. I would use my ability to create new metals and polymers with enhanced physical and mechanical properties and make all of these compounds readily available to anyone who could benefit from them. In addition to my two conclusions pertaining to superhuman abilities, there are two historical figures with quotes that encompass the actions I would take if I had the power of telekinesis: “Without knowledge action is useless and knowledge without action is futile” -Abu Bakr “Knowledge is power” - Francis Bacon And with great power comes great responsibility.