First and foremost, as a woman pursuing STEM, I am most inspired by women and technology who, throughout history, have broken down barriers and opposing gender norms, fighting to make their mark on the world through innovation, determination, and resilience and creating a new frontier in the field of STEM.  In the 1940's, Hollywood actress and bombshell, Hedy Lamarr defied societal norms and proved herself to be one of the most ingenious minds in technology. With the aid of musician George Antheil, Lamarr created a solution to WWII United States Navy’s torpedo signal jams, using a groundbreaking technique that was referred to as Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology (FHSS). The technology utilizes noise sequences in order to spread narrowband information over a wide band of radio frequencies, correlating and retrieving information from the original signal with unpredictable jumps. This unpredictably ensures messages cannot be intercepted or easily detected.  While she was not properly given credit for her work initially, in the last decade, Lamarr's technology has been attributed to her own invention, and is now what we know today as Wifi, GPS, and Bluetooth. All of these technologies are used in the modern day to connect individuals with one another, aid in travel and transportation, and allow for communication across the world. In fact, it could be argued that FHSS is the basis of all modern technology, opening doors for inventors in multiple fields such as travel, military defense, medical devices, and aerospace. Because of this technology, we have the ability to step into the future, and create a better world for tomorrow. It is my dream to follow in Hedy's footsteps and complete my Bachelor's in "Robotics and Embedded Systems." With this knowledge, I hope to be on the forefront of creating technology and robotics that can specifically aid the elderly and patients struggling with progressive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Loneliness is a major epidemic for individuals in these categories. My dream would be to create a robotic companion and care unit that can give personalized treatment, mental stimulation, and company to people who do not have families or friends in which they can lean on. I would also love to create the ability for these companions to have connectivity between themselves so other individuals can be connected with people similar to them and form a sense of community, especially for those who are homebound or bedridden. Beyond companionship, I believe robots have the ability to push us into the future to create more connectivity between each other, and understand the process of creation. It would be my hope that through this process of creation, individuals gain compassion and empathy for one another by working together and inventing something for the greater good. You may go far as an individual, but you will go farther as a team. The field of robotics is built upon taking different pieces from different minds and combining them to make something spectacular. I hope to receive scholarships to help pursue this academic dream and make it a reality, creating something that can help people in the future for the better. Thank you for taking the time to read this essay, and I hope it encourages you to also think outside the box, and challenge stereotypes in education and innovation. To quote Hedy Lamarr herself, "All creative people want to do the unexpected." And indeed, it is the unexpected I hope to achieve.

As a woman pursuing STEM, I am most inspired that women and technology who, throughout history, have broken down barriers and opposing gender norms, fighting to make their mark on the world through innovation, determination, and resilience and creating a new frontier in the field of STEM. In the 1940's, Hollywood actress and bombshell, Hedy Lamarr defied societal norms and proved herself to be one of the most ingenious minds in technology. With the aid of musician George Antheil, Lamarr created a solution to WWII United States Navy’s torpedo signal jams, using a groundbreaking technique that was referred to as “frequency hopping.” Although George Antheil’s background was no more technological or scientific than Lamarr’s, two decades before their meeting he had composed a piece known as the Ballet Mécanique, which introduced the use of synchronized player pianos.Lamarr and Antheil applied the technology these pianos used to change notes in order to substantiate a radio signal which was impossible to jam. As Hedy and George continued to develop their technology, they enlisted the help of engineer Samuel Mackowen, who aided them in conceptualizing their invention into what is now known as Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology (FHSS). The technology utilizes noise sequences in order to spread narrowband information over a wide band of radio frequencies, correlating and retrieving information from the original signal with unpredictable jumps. This unpredictably ensures messages cannot be intercepted or easily detected. The duo applied for a patent for FHSS in 1940, which was officially granted in 1942, and submitted the idea to the National Inventors Council.34 Despite the excitement surrounding their invention, the United States military shelved the idea until almost two decades later. However, in the last decade, Lamarr's technology has been attributed to her own invention, and is now what we know as Wifi, GPS, and Bluetooth. All of these technologies are used in the modern day to connect individuals with one another, aid in travel and transportation, and allow for communication across the world. In fact, it could be argued that FHSS is the basis of all modern technology, opening doors for inventors in multiple fields such as travel, military defense, medical devices, and aerospace. Because of this technology, we have the ability to step into the future, and create a better world for tomorrow.

The story below imagines the possibility of robotic technology that allows patients with Alzheimer's to remember aspects of their life using a Memory processor attached to a Care Assistant Program (CAP) Unit. I've awoken in that room again. The room in which large, blue velvet curtains drop to the floor. I feel a sliver of light cascade through them, drawing a line up the side of my wrinkled face. I roll over and find a clock at my bedside. The numbers are illuminated in bright green neon font. 8:26am. I peer down at my hands, folded around a white quilt with delicate embroidered pink roses. Slowly, the room becomes familiar. This is my room. A few wooden bookshelves line the walls, stacked to the brim with no room to breathe. It’s been a while, I think, since I’ve read one of them, but the illustrations certainly are beautiful. Pictures of me line the room in ornate little brass frames, a younger, and happier version of myself staring back into my presently tired eyes. This is a young girl I seem to only have a faint memory of, as if she were a friend from the past. Knock. Knock. Knock. The white wooden door to my left creaks open and a woman wearing blue scrubs with her mahogany hair tied back in a low braid enters the room, a white mechanism on wheels rolls in behind her feet. A small black screen with two pupils blinks up at me. “Good morning, did you sleep well?” the woman asks with a warm smile. I nod, feigning satisfaction, and although it’s a lie and I can’t remember what “good sleep” is. I sit up and her robot rolls up along the side of the bed, a small tray sliding out of its body with a handprint appearing on it. “CAP” is going to take your vitals,” the woman says as she slowly lifts my hand onto the sensor. Looking at the bright blue blinking eyes of the robot, I notice a small inscription on its white neck. Care Assistant Program. CAP. I understand now. “Please stay still and allow for a scan, thank you so much for your patience. You are doing great!” the robot chimes. While the scan is in process, the woman comes to the other side of the bed, her long brown braid cascades over her shoulder. I love braids. I have a memory of braiding my hair just the same way. “Your braid is beautiful.” “Thank you so much, my mother taught me.” “She must be very talented.” “She was,” the nurse smiles back. Suddenly, CAP beeps. “Scanning complete. Your blood pressure levels are excellent, and O2 levels are at 98%. How are you feeling today?” “Very well,” I lied. “My scanner indicates some levels of restlessness and irritability. Would you like me to schedule a nap reminder?” Stupid robot. “No thank you, I’m just fine.” The nurse bends over and reaches into the back of the robot for a long wire, attached to a small metal bead. “Are you ready to wake up your brain?” she asks, as if to say it wasn’t awake already. Rude. I’m starting to like these nurses less and less. She attaches the small bead to the left side of my temple. CAP’s doting eyes look up at me as a few initialing beeps commence. I close my eyes and inhale deeply. My brain quiets, I can feel my chest rising slowly up and down in rhythm. A hand squeezes my own, and my eyes flutter open. “Alice,” I exhale. She reaches down and hugs me tightly, her long silky braid brushes against my skin. “Hi Mom, how are you feeling today?” I look next to me and see CAP, his bright eyes blinking back, and a small smile appearing on his screen. “Memory processing intact.” he chimes. I reach up and touch the cold metal bead attached to my temple. It amazes me that something so small and minute can bring so much flooding into my mind. Of course, it is temporary, the effects of CAP’s abilities have not been tested long-term. But even being able to remember and see my daughter's beautiful face in front of me, makes a minute worth a lifetime. I love my visits with Alice, we talk about Ben and the kids, and I love to tell her stories about her father. I can’t imagine which is worse, losing a parent, or watching a parent lose you in their mind. She tells me the twins are doing well, they just won their first medal at a National swim team meet. I do miss them. The minutes pass by slowly into what feels like hours. “Memory processing levels are low,” CAP informs. I look up to Alice, tears brim her eyes. Tears from knowing that the minute this small bead is removed, I will not remember her name. I will not recognize her voice. I will not know her face. I squeeze her hand tightly. “I love you.” “I love you too, Mom.” “More than the stars,” “More than the moon.” “Just me and you.” She kisses my forehead and I close my eyes. I feel her hand reach on to my temple. CLICK. I open my eyes. The nurse is methodically wrapping the wires that were connected to me into the back of CAP. “Well?” I ask. “Everything seems to be working just fine.” Humph. I told her. They all think I’m crazy, losing my mind. “I assure you there’s nothing wrong with me, I have all my faculties.” I sense a hint of sadness behind her eyes. “I will see you tomorrow.” “I will be here tomorrow, in the same damn place,” I utter under my breath. The nurse gives me one last sad smile and exits the room, CAP rolling behind her. I lean back into my pillows, reaching a hand up to my thinning hair, remembering the nurses’ braid. How I do love them.

Hello, my name is Kayla Marie Carlson. A little background on me, I am a proud member of SAG/AFTRA since 2005, working primarily in film, television, commercials, and modelling. While I love the entertainment industry, work is challenging, requiring two full-time jobs on the side to support myself. It has always been a dream of mine to work in the entertainment industry whilst also pursuing a career in science and technology. For this, I look to my idol, Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr. Hedy Lamarr crusaded against gender stereotypes of the 1930’s and 1940’s, opening doors for women around the world in her careers as an actress and later, inventor. She patented "Spread Spectrum Technology" which we now know today as Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS. A patent she was only recently acknowledged for inventing, proving that women can be both creative and intellectual. While Hedy Lamarr’s impact as a Hollywood icon was evident, but she, unbeknownst to many, served a greater lasting impact in the fields of science and technology with her invention of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology, opening doors for women in science and challenging gender norms of World War II. Growing up, my busy schedule required homeschooling, something that taught me the fundamentals of hard work and accountability. It creates an independence and provided me with the skill sets to understand what I needed to do to achieve a strong education. I believe what you put into your education is what you will receive. It is my dream to follow in Hedy's footsteps and continue my journey in the field of entertainment while also returning to school to complete my Bachelor's in "Robotics and Embedded Systems", utilizing the strengths I developed from independent learning. I would like to note, I have received acceptance for the online Robotics program at the University of Advancing Technologies. I hope to inspire other women to achieve all of their dreams, even in opposite fields. We are so much more capable than the world often perceives. I also hope to receive scholarships to help pursue this academic dream and make it a reality, creating something that can help people in the future for the better, with an emphasis on robotic care units for the elderly. To quote Hedy Lamarr herself, "All creative people want to do the unexpected." And indeed, it is the unexpected I hope to achieve. Thank you for taking the opportunity to read my application for this scholarship and I also thank you for your consideration.

Hello, my name is Kayla Marie Carlson. A little background on me, I am a proud member of SAG/AFTRA since 2005, working primarily in film, television, commercials, and modelling. While I love the entertainment industry, work is challenging, requiring two full-time jobs on the side to support myself. It has always been a dream of mine to work in the entertainment industry whilst also pursuing a career in science and technology. For this, I look to my idol, Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr. Hedy Lamarr crusaded against gender stereotypes of the 1930’s and 1940’s, opening doors for women around the world in her careers as an actress and later, inventor. She patented "Spread Spectrum Technology" which we now know today as Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS. A patent she was only recently acknowledged for inventing, proving that women can be both creative and intellectual. While Hedy Lamarr’s impact as a Hollywood icon was evident, but she, unbeknownst to many, served a greater lasting impact in the fields of science and technology with her invention of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology, opening doors for women in science and challenging gender norms of World War II. Growing up, my busy schedule required homeschooling, something that taught me the fundamentals of hard work and accountability. It creates an independence and provided me with the skill sets to understand what I needed to do to achieve a strong education. I believe what you put into your education is what you will receive. It is my dream to follow in Hedy's footsteps and continue my journey in the field of entertainment while also returning to school to complete my Bachelor's in "Robotics and Embedded Systems", utilizing the strengths I developed from independent learning. I would like to note, I have received acceptance for the online Robotics program at the University of Advancing Technologies. I hope to inspire other women to achieve all of their dreams, even in opposite fields. We are so much more capable than the world often perceives. I also hope to receive scholarships to help pursue this academic dream and make it a reality, creating something that can help people in the future for the better, with an emphasis on robotic care units for the elderly. To quote Hedy Lamarr herself, "All creative people want to do the unexpected." And indeed, it is the unexpected I hope to achieve. Thank you for taking the opportunity to read my application for this scholarship and I also thank you for your consideration.

Hello, my name is Kayla Marie Carlson. A little background on me, I am a proud member of SAG/AFTRA since 2005, working primarily in film, television, commercials, and modelling. While I love the entertainment industry, work is challenging, requiring two full-time jobs on the side to support myself. It has always been a dream of mine to work in the entertainment industry whilst also pursuing a career in science and technology. For this, I look to my idol, Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr. Hedy Lamarr crusaded against gender stereotypes of the 1930’s and 1940’s, opening doors for women around the world in her careers as an actress and later, inventor. She patented "Spread Spectrum Technology" which we now know today as Wifi, Bluetooth, and GPS. A patent she was only recently acknowledged for inventing, proving that women can be both creative and intellectual. While Hedy Lamarr’s impact as a Hollywood icon was evident, but she, unbeknownst to many, served a greater lasting impact in the fields of science and technology with her invention of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology, opening doors for women in science and challenging gender norms of World War II. Growing up, my busy schedule required homeschooling, something that taught me the fundamentals of hard work and accountability. It creates an independence and provided me with the skill sets to understand what I needed to do to achieve a strong education. I believe what you put into your education is what you will receive. It is my dream to follow in Hedy's footsteps and continue my journey in the field of entertainment while also returning to school to complete my Bachelor's in "Robotics and Embedded Systems", utilizing the strengths I developed from independent learning. I would like to note, I have received acceptance for the online Robotics program at the University of Advancing Technologies. I hope to inspire other women to achieve all of their dreams, even in opposite fields. We are so much more capable than the world often perceives. I also hope to receive scholarships to help pursue this academic dream and make it a reality, creating something that can help people in the future for the better, with an emphasis on robotic care units for the elderly. To quote Hedy Lamarr herself, "All creative people want to do the unexpected." And indeed, it is the unexpected I hope to achieve. Thank you for taking the opportunity to read my application for this scholarship and I also thank you for your consideration.