I’ve always been a curious person and dipped into everything from anthropology to astronomy, but what draws me to medicine is the human connection, combined with the constant innovation and thinking outside the box; you are never done learning and may even have to rethink everything you thought you knew. To further my interest in medicine I participated in the ‘Stanford Splash’ program and ‘Google Tech Day’ every year. Lectures in areas from ultra-rare diseases, to neuroscience, to AI widened my view on the close links between technology and medicine and gave me food for thought regarding the ethical dilemmas behind some of the rapidly moving technologies such as CRISPR. Genetic engineering, stem-cell biology, and regenerative-medicine can potentially change our understanding and treatment of diseases entirely and provide a path into a new world of endless possibilities. I remember one lecture in particular: “A girl presents with liver failure, alacrima, seizures, tremors, microcephaly, hypotonia, and a developmental delay. What disease/disorder does she have?” The professor finally announced: “She obviously has N-Glycanase 1(NGLY1)Deficiency” and he chuckled: “If any of you had guessed that, I would have recruited you on the spot”. Only two people in the world had been diagnosed at that point and no cure found. However, this research had thrown light onto something affecting a lot more people–-cancer. The knowledge gained from this gene deficiency research is now put to use by using NGLY1 as an on/off switch in certain leukemia and lymphoma patients’ treatment. The title of the lecture was: “Why should we study ultra-rare diseases?” The answer was, of course, that studying a very rare disease could lead to a breakthrough for millions of others, which is so inspiring. Stem-cell therapy, robotics, lab-grown organs, AI, CRISPR...There is an excitement in feeling closer than ever to a cure, or a better life, for so many people living with chronic/terminal ailments. However, ultimately, human relationships are what healthcare is all about. At its most basic level, healthcare means helping people live their best, healthiest lives. Physicians have to connect with patients and give them the support they need to do this because the truth is that innovation and technology will only get us so far without humanity in treatment.

It might sound cliche, you may roll your eyes and say I’ve heard this a million times, unoriginal, but its true, I care about people and I genuinely want to help them. If my friend texts me with a question about homework I will stop what I am doing and call them to work through it with them. If the kids I tutor need extra time to go through the assignment I happily run through the 45 minute allotted time, even if I am swamped with my own homework, to make sure they go home confident in their ability to do that math problem. If a kid tells me he is scared to swim we work through it slowly because although it's a job and I am paid to be there, I care about every single one of them. I know all of their brothers and sisters names, I know their pets names, I know their favorite color and food, I know which pool toy is their favorite and make sure we have two darth vaders for my second class otherwise there will be a meltdown. I know that Sylvie won’t swim unless she has a purple noodle, Dina has to hold my hand the whole time she does her kicks or she will cry, and I know Oliver will have the biggest frown on his face but if you say the word “monkey” he laughs hysterically. I want to carry this into becoming a doctor. Genuine care in medicine is what separates good doctors from the amazing doctors. Obviously, I love the scientific aspect of medicine. I love that science is imperfect. We discover things everyday about science and medicine and maybe the next, someone will disprove the theory made the day before.

Identifying as a female scientist, science is still an area where women face a lot of both explicit and implicit gender bias. I was motivated to give back and encourage other young girls after meeting all the incredible female scientists at Tech Trek, so I have been tutoring STEM with a non-profit for nearly five years now. In my tutoring I try to build confidence by focusing on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not just getting the end answer right. I was inspired by Richard Feynman’s thinking about the important difference between “knowing something, and knowing the name of something”. My former middle school science teacher also asked me to volunteer as a cabin leader for the weeklong 7th grade outdoor Ed. trip, which I have done two years in a row. Next summer, I will come full circle and return to Tech Trek as a counselor. Teaching forces me to work on improving my communication skills, be flexible and continually assess what teaching method works best for each individual through trial and error, and I think that is something that will serve me well in medicine too. After Tech Trek, I wanted to share my own love of STEM with other girls and I have now tutored girls struggling in STEM for over four years through a non-profit. In my tutoring I try to build confidence by focusing on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that the most important thing in maths is the process of working through it, not just getting the answer right. I was inspired by Richard Feynman’s thinking about the important difference between “knowing something, and knowing the name of something”. Teaching forces me to work on improving my communication skills, be flexible and continually assess what teaching method works best for each individual through trial and error, and I think that is something that will serve me well in medicine too. I have participated in the ‘Stanford Splash’ conference every year. The many varied lectures in areas from ultra-rare diseases to neuroscience widened my view on the close links between technology and medicine, and gave me insight into new areas of research and food for thought regarding the ethical dilemma behind some of the rapidly moving technology such as the CRISPR and DNA manipulation. What has really drawn me to medicine is the constant innovation and thinking outside the box; you are never done learning and may even have to rethink everything you thought you knew. Podcasts have opened up my mind to so many new things and made me start my own podcast “Kuriosity Kills”. For our first project, I reached out to a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University.The big picture question was: Can we live forever? It was a fascinating conversation, not only about his stem cell research, but also about the ethical concerns existing within this field of medicine and the potential effect on the planet. A Freakonomics podcast about the US healthcare system prompted me to read In Shock by Rana Awdish, a physician’s negative account of being a critically ill patient, and it was the eye-opener that made me really think about the issues intrinsic in a profit-driven healthcare system Becoming a physician is how I think I can best combine my interest in science with my love of interacting with people.

I focus on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not just getting the end answer right. I was inspired by Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn’s words: “I didn't just want to know the name of things. I wanted to understand how it worked”. The desire for perfection and the fear of making a mistake may make students study harder, but without any true understanding at the end of it. We simply memorize the “name of things”. We are never told to explore new methods, but simply plug into formulas and get a ‘correct’ answer. Where is the growth? Where is the exploration and passion? Where is the true scientific thinking?

I identify as a scientist but never thought much about the female aspect of it. That changed with a scholarship to TechTrek, an empowering STEM camp for girls where the mentors were inspiring female scientists. Listening to their experiences made me very aware that the world of STEM has some deep-rooted gender bias with long-standing stereotypes about girls' intelligence and scientific acumen. Feeling inspired to give back, I signed up to tutor through Healthy Cities Tutoring, a program helping struggling students to succeed. I was motivated to give back and help other girls find confidence, so I have been tutoring STEM with a non-profit for four years. My very first student was Gabrielle, an adorable little first-grader. I am not going to lie, the first weeks were rough. She was not a fan of me pulling her away from her after-school playtime to go work on math problems. The first thing she said to me was: “I'm not very good at math and I hate it’. Seeing her slowly opening up, and hearing “I can do this” when I told her how to break things down to work through a problem was rewarding. I told her to focus on the ‘little wins’ and that math is not all about getting the answer right, it's about the process of working through it and problem solving. By the end of the year, her favorite subject on her “All About Me” classroom poster was math. In my tutoring, I focus on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not just getting the end answer right. I was inspired by Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn’s words: “I didn't just want to know the name of things. I wanted to understand how it worked”. The desire for perfection and the fear of making a mistake may make students study harder, but without any true understanding at the end of it. We simply memorize the “name of things”. We are never told to explore new methods, but simply plug into formulas and get a ‘correct’ answer. Where is the growth? Where is the exploration and passion? Where is the true scientific thinking? I want to never stop being curious and never stop showing compassion, so an education for the mind and heart must be a perfect fit. Being part of a community, and the importance of serving others is something I am actively working towards. At the end of the day, when we graduate we become active members of society on a global scale, and I think, more so than ever, our society is in dire need of a lot more heart. I want to carry this in my community and engage and encourage young minds to do the same. When I return to Tech Trek as a counselor next summer, I’m proud to carry on the message that science is for everyone - using my voice for gender equality in STEM is now a part of who I am.

I work with kids; all I can say is patience is key. I work part-time as a swim instructor and I love to teach and motivate, especially in the water, where most people truly feel ‘out of their depth’. I take the time to get to know the kids and earn their trust. I know their siblings’ names; their favorite color, food and animal; I make sure to have duplicates of favorite pool toys, or there WILL be a meltdown. I know that Sylvie won’t swim unless she has a purple noodle, Dina has to hold my hand the whole time she does her kicks, and I know cautious Oliver will laugh hysterically every time I say the word “monkey.” I’ve also volunteered for the weeklong 7th-grade outdoor-education trip. Working with hormonal teens is a very different experience to my swim kids and working with them required more nuanced communication. A lot of the outdoor activities push them out of their comfort zone and fear can be a powerful enemy, but feeling fear doesn't make you weak, it makes you aware, and that is something you can learn from. It was a fantastic opportunity to work on patience and understanding, whilst still being authoritative enough to keep things under control. Teaching challenges me to work on improving my communication-skills, and continually assess what teaching method works best for each individual through trial and error. Observing my students on land and in water, courageously tackling their fear and unease, has taught me how invaluable it is to take time to listen and make people feel heard and safe to be able to help. It has taught me how kindness, understanding and encouragement can make all the difference. They're lessons that continue to make me a better teacher and a better person.

A STEM summer camp for girls cemented my desire to work in medicine. The last speaker was a physician who had moved into palliative care. She was the only person who told us about feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and feeling like quitting sometimes. Giving patients and their families bad news broke her heart and dealing with insurance companies was often soul-destroying. It was a pretty grim story, but it touched me to my core. Maybe her work wasn’t ground breaking - she hadn’t found the cure for Alzheimer’s or cancer - but she was caring for people at their most vulnerable, every day endeavoring to make them comfortable. Whilst shadowing an eminent OB/GYN, I experienced those everyday realities. Most of the clinic’s patients are high-risk, many having endured years of pregnancy loss. Whereas pre-screening patients, doing ultrasounds under supervision and listening to his case studies was an unforgettable learning experience, what struck me the most was his humanity; his compassion for and genuine interest in his patients, truly listening to them without ever being condescending. He created a safe space for them to be heard and healed, and that is what health care always should aim to do. I know that a career in medicine is unarguably gruelling, but I can’t think of anything more fulfilling than to be a part of helping someone lead a healthier and therefore happier life. With my experience shadowing doctors and attending numerous scientific events. I know that this is an environment in which I thrive. However, most importantly, through my job, tutoring and volunteer work, I’ve found my love of helping people.

I identify as a scientist but never thought much about the female aspect of it. That changed with a scholarship to TechTrek, an empowering STEM camp for girls where the mentors were inspiring female scientists. Listening to their experiences made me very aware that the world of STEM has some deep-rooted gender bias with long-standing stereotypes about girls' intelligence and scientific acumen. After the camp, I was motivated to give back and help other girls find confidence, so I have been tutoring STEM with a non-profit for four years. In my tutoring, I focus on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not just getting the end answer right. I was inspired by Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn’s words: “I didn't just want to know the name of things. I wanted to understand how it worked”. The desire for perfection and the fear of making a mistake may make students study harder, but without any true understanding at the end of it. We simply memorize the “name of things”. We are never told to explore new methods, but simply plug into formulas and get a ‘correct’ answer. Where is the growth? Where is the exploration and passion? Where is the true scientific thinking? When I return to Tech Trek as a counselor next summer, I’m proud to carry on the message that science is for everyone - using my voice for gender equality in STEM is now a part of who I am.

Identifying as a female scientist, science is still an area where women face a lot of both explicit and implicit gender bias. I was motivated to give back and encourage other young girls after meeting all the incredible female scientists at Tech Trek, so I have been tutoring STEM with a non-profit for nearly five years now. In my tutoring I try to build confidence by focusing on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not just getting the end answer right. I was inspired by Richard Feynman’s thinking about the important difference between “knowing something, and knowing the name of something”. My former middle school science teacher also asked me to volunteer as a cabin leader for the weeklong 7th grade outdoor Ed. trip, which I have done two years in a row. Next summer, I will come full circle and return to Tech Trek as a counselor. Teaching forces me to work on improving my communication skills, be flexible and continually assess what teaching method works best for each individual through trial and error, and I think that is something that will serve me well in medicine too. After Tech-Trek, I wanted to share my own love of STEM with other girls and I have now tutored girls struggling in STEM for over four years through a non-profit. In my tutoring I try to build confidence by focusing on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that the most important thing in maths is the process of working through it, not just getting the answer right. I was inspired by Richard Feynman’s thinking about the important difference between “knowing something, and knowing the name of something”. Teaching forces me to work on improving my communication skills, be flexible and continually assess what teaching method works best for each individual through trial and error, and I think that is something that will serve me well in medicine too. I have participated in the ‘Stanford Splash’ conference every year. The many varied lectures in areas from ultra-rare diseases to neuroscience widened my view on the close links between technology and medicine, and gave me insight into new areas of research and food for thought regarding the ethical dilemma behind some of the rapidly moving technology such as the CRISPR & DNA manipulation. What has really drawn me to medicine is the constant innovation and thinking outside the box; you are never done learning and may even have to rethink everything you thought you knew. Podcasts have opened up my mind to so many new things and made me start my own podcast “Kuriosity Kills”. For our first project, I reached out to a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stem-Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University. The big picture question was: Can we live forever? It was a fascinating conversation, not only about his stem cell research, but also about the ethical concerns existing within this field of medicine and the potential effect on the planet. A Freakonomics-podcast about the US-healthcare system prompted me to read In Shock by Rana Awdish, a physician’s negative account of being a critically ill patient, and it was the eye-opener that made me really think about the issues intrinsic in a profit-driven healthcare system Becoming a physician is how I think I can best combine my interest in science with my love of interacting with people. I have learned many lessons throughout my high school experience and will carry these with me through my further education and hopefully tackle the biases and issues still deep-rooted in STEAM and healthcare.

I identify as a scientist but never thought much about the female aspect of it. That changed with a scholarship to TechTrek, an empowering STEM camp for girls where the mentors were inspiring female scientists. Listening to their experiences made me very aware that the world of STEM has some deep-rooted gender bias with long-standing stereotypes about girls' intelligence and scientific acumen. After the camp, I was motivated to give back and help other girls find confidence, so I have been tutoring STEM with a non-profit for four years. In my tutoring, I focus on the ‘little wins’ and emphasize that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not just getting the end answer right. I was inspired by Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn’s words: “I didn't just want to know the name of things. I wanted to understand how it worked”. The desire for perfection and the fear of making a mistake may make students study harder, but without any true understanding at the end of it. We simply memorize the “name of things”. We are never told to explore new methods, but simply plug into formulas and get a ‘correct’ answer. Where is the growth? Where is the exploration and passion? Where is the true scientific thinking? We must empower one another. Teaching the younger generations that they are smart and strong and to set a goal and go for it. I had this experience when I was young and now I continue to support other women and young girls in my community. When I return to Tech Trek as a counselor next summer, I’m proud to carry on the message that science is for everyone - using my voice for gender equality in STEM is now a part of who I am.

I’d make deeper changes to our healthcare system. Whilst shadowing physicians, I experienced the everyday realities of practicing medicine in the US; constantly having to look at the bottom line, without it affecting patient care. A Freakonomics podcast about the profit-driven problems within our healthcare system prompted me to read In Shock by Rana Awdish, a physician’s negative account of being a critically ill patient in her own hospital, and it was an eye-opener that made me think deeply about healthcare issues and the importance of empathy. Whereas I’m born and bred in California, my parents are Swedish and English respectively. I’ve spent ample time in both countries and noticed the differences and similarities to my own Silicon Valley. When it comes to medical care, the differences are stark. I strongly believe that good healthcare should be a basic human right and, whereas national healthcare systems like the ones in Sweden and the UK have their own problematic structure, the business-led model of the US system is so intrinsically flawed that ‘health’ and ‘care’ are two words that rarely cross paths for any uninsured American. No one should have to choose between eating and not being in pain. Being ill or injured is terrifying enough, it shouldn’t come with the fear of losing your home and providing for your family too. My wish, as a hopeful future physician, is to work in an equitable US healthcare system, rather than having to categorize my patients and their care according to how much insurance they can afford. I believe that humanity is capable of so much more humanity.

I’ve always been an extremely curious person in all aspects of life. I have dipped into everything from anthropology to astronomy, but what draws me to medicine is the human connection, combined with the constant innovation and thinking outside the box; you are never done learning and may even have to rethink everything you thought you knew. To further my interest in medicine I participated in the ‘Stanford Splash’ program and ‘Google Tech Day’ every year. Lectures in areas from ultra-rare diseases, to neuroscience, to AI widened my view on the close links between technology and medicine and gave me food for thought regarding the ethical dilemma behind some of the rapidly moving technologies such as CRISPR. I remember one lecture in particular: “A girl presents with liver failure, alacrima, seizures, tremors, microcephaly, hypotonia, and a developmental delay. What disease/disorder does she have?” The professor finally announced: “She obviously has N-Glycanase 1 (NGLY1) Deficiency” and he chuckled: “If any of you had guessed that, I would have recruited you on the spot”. Only two people in the world had been diagnosed at that point and no cure had been found. However, this research had thrown light onto something affecting a lot more people – cancer. The knowledge gained from this gene deficiency research is now put to use by using NGLY1 as an on/off switch in certain leukemia and lymphoma patients’ treatment. The title of the lecture was: “Why should we study ultra-rare diseases?” The answer was, of course, that studying, seemingly in vain, one very rare disease could lead to a breakthrough for millions of others, which is so inspiring. I’m a self-confessed podcast nerd and love how they have opened up my mind to so many new things. They influenced me to start my own science podcast with a friend: KuriosityKills.com. For our first episode, I reached out to a stem cell and regenerative medicine researcher at Stanford University. The big-picture question was: Can we live forever? It was a fascinating conversation, not only about his stem cell research but also about the social ‘search for immortality’ concerns existing in this field of medicine and the potential effect on the planet. The latest episode is an interview with Dr. Matt Weiss, who is the Medical Director of Organ Donations at Transplant Quebec. We spoke at length about the difficulty in acquiring enough organs, the lack of consistent guidelines for physicians, and the intrinsically human emotional and ethical dilemmas of organ donation. Science and technology are constantly evolving, and medicine with it of course, and those advancements can be awe-inspiring, but what I have also found deeply interesting is how ‘modern’ medicine doesn’t always involve very high-tech, or even ‘new’ thinking. Just look at the first recorded use of leeches from 1500 BCE and their comeback today, or the use of maggots to clear necrotic tissue, or fish skin for burns. Many useful modern drugs were developed looking at herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. The focus of western medicine has been to fix what is wrong; perform surgery, or write a prescription, and move on. When the opioid epidemic hit us hard here in the US, it forced our healthcare system to reassess this quick-fix attitude to pain with increased emphasis on preventative medicine. By opening up to the benefit of seeing the impact of disease and injury on the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – and being more open to complementary types of treatments, such as the use of acupuncture for pain, and meditation for anxiety, modern healthcare is moving towards a much more holistic, human-centric future. That is something I want to be a part of. The future is bright when it comes to new technology and innovations in treating and curing diseases… stem cell therapy, robotics, lab-grown organs, AI. There's an excitement in feeling closer than ever before to a solution or cure for so many people. However, ultimately, human relationships are what healthcare is about. At its most basic level, healthcare means helping people live their best and healthiest lives. Physicians have to connect with patients and give them the support they need to do this because the truth is that innovation and technology will only get us so far without humanity in treatment. I know that a career in medicine is unarguably grueling, but I can’t think of anything more fulfilling than to be a part of helping someone lead a healthier and therefore happier life. I have the mental capacity for academic work and stress, having excelled with a loaded AP schedule, even during 18 months of self-driven distance learning. With my experience shadowing doctors and attending numerous scientific events, I know that this is an environment in which I thrive. However, most importantly, through my swim teaching job, tutoring, and volunteer work, I’ve found my love of helping people.

Feeling inspired to give back, I signed up to tutor through Healthy Cities Tutoring, a program helping struggling students to succeed. My very first student was Gabrielle, an adorable little first-grader. I am not going to lie, the first weeks were rough. She was not a fan of me pulling her away from her after-school playtime to go work on math problems. The first thing she said to me was: “I'm not very good at math and I hate it’. Seeing her slowly opening up, and hearing “I can do this” when I told her how to break things down to work through a problem was rewarding. I told her to focus on the ‘little wins’ and that math is not all about getting the answer right, it's about the process of working through it and problem solving. By the end of the year, her favorite subject on her “All About Me” classroom poster was math. The idea that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not getting the end answer right is difficult to get your head around, since it's practically the opposite of what we have been told in school our whole lives. I was inspired by Richard Feynman’s thinking about the important difference between “knowing something, and knowing the name of something”. The need to be perfect and the fear of making a mistake may make students study harder, but without any true understanding at the end of it. We simply memorize the “name of something”. We are never told to try to work through problems, or explore new methods, but told to plug into formulas and get a correct answer. Where is the growth; where is the exploration and passion; where is the true scientific thinking.

Feeling inspired to give back, I signed up to tutor through Healthy Cities Tutoring, a program helping struggling students to succeed. My very first student was Gabrielle, an adorable little first-grader. I am not going to lie, the first weeks were rough. She was not a fan of me pulling her away from her after-school playtime to go work on math problems. The first thing she said to me was: “I'm not very good at math and I hate it’. Seeing her slowly opening up, and hearing “I can do this” when I told her how to break things down to work through a problem was rewarding. I told her to focus on the ‘little wins’ and that math is not all about getting the answer right, it's about the process of working through it and problem solving. By the end of the year, her favorite subject on her “All About Me” classroom poster was math. The idea that it’s the process of thinking that is of value, not getting the end answer right is difficult to get your head around, since it's practically the opposite of what we have been told in school our whole lives. I was inspired by Richard Feynman’s thinking about the important difference between “knowing something, and knowing the name of something”. The need to be perfect and the fear of making a mistake may make students study harder, but without any true understanding at the end of it. We simply memorize the “name of something”. We are never told to try to work through problems, or explore new methods, but told to plug into formulas and get a correct answer. Where is the growth; where is the exploration and passion; where is the true scientific thinking.