I am currently studying astrophysics at the University of Cincinnati. I plan on going into a PhD program, and I would very much like to study exoplanets. When I was younger, I watched a lot of sci-fi, shows like star blazers, and Voltron, and was always really interested by the actual scientific things incorporated into these children’s shows. When I was about seven, I remember, being completely fascinated by a brief description of how light travels in Star Blazers, A show about traveling into space, and saving mother earth. In that episode, they talked about how to expedite their mission to the far off planet, by light jumping. While this is a fictional thing, the way they explained the science behind, it was actually quite believable, and sparked my original interest in Physics. From there, I was incredibly fortunate to have a strong science curriculum in high school, something a lot of homeschoolers are not provided with. It wasn’t until my Junior year of high school, though, that I realized that studying space, and the way, the universe worked, was actually something that people could do. I was intrigued by the idea, but also really nervous that it would be too hard, and that I wouldn't to be able to do it. I applied to a lot of colleges, all in the Astro physics, major, but we’re still nervous that nobody would have me. I ended up getting into every program I applied for, and chose the University of Cincinnati based off of my proximity to home, and their strong astronomy classes. Since then, I have Learned so much about space, and Physics, and I’m so excited to be coming into the world of astrophysics and such a pivotal and predominant time in the history of space exploration. In 10 years, I will be either done or most of the way done with my astrophysics PhD. I hope to be studying exoplanets, and working with various space agencies across the world. I would love to travel to Estonia, Finland, Japan, and other places that have strong, astronomy, presences and fascinating equipment. I would love to have worked with a lot of astronomers, and learned a lot about my work style, and hopefully found people that inspire me to work hard in my field. I am so very excited for what the future holds, and see so many open doors to go through!

My favorite Starbucks fall-inspired drink is the Pumpkin Spice late. I am not really a pumpkin person, but last fall I was on my way to my work in the early morning to let the horses in and get ready for a long day of trail rides and teaching kids how to ride in the arena, and decided that a quick coffee was in order. I am lucky enough to have a Starbucks right on my way to work, and make frequent stops. Usually, I get a grandee hot chocolate, but was in the mood for something to spice up my day. I ended up ordering some generic coffee, like a caramel latte, and took my drink to go. I get going, and had a big whiff of my drink, expecting the sweet smell of caramel and the harsh touch of the ground beans, but instead I got something unexpected. The spicy, warm smell of pumpkin hit my nostrils like a rude, but not bad, flick. They had gotten my order wrong, and I was to far out to go back. I was a bit perturbed, but I had payed for it, and really needed the extra pep that coffee drinker so love, so decided to give it a try. I say I am not a pumpkin person, but I really haven't given it a chance. After all, the only pumpkin I ever have is the store bought, chemical filled pie my aunt always brings to Thanksgiving, that I eat out of courtesy. This warm elixir was nothing like what I was expecting! The drink was just cooled, and the cream on top was starting to incorporate into the rest of the liquid. The strong smell did not lead to the overpowering pumpkin that I imagined, but to a softer, more welcoming, taste. The coffee blended in with the flavor, in such a way that a non-java enjoyer like myself found just right. I quite enjoyed the beverage, and any malice I had toward the mess-up washed away with each sip. I had an amazing day at work, the leaves were changing color, the horses mostly behaved themselves, and the sun was out all day. I now pair the Pumpkin Spice Late with the feeling of riding on long fall trails, and listening to leaves crunch under shoed hooves. I still usually get a hot chocolate, but if ever I am in the mood of a caffeinated concoction, I go for the pumpkin!

I am a second year Astrophysics major at the University of Cincinnati. Growing up, I was homeschooled, and was incredibly fortunate in the quality of academic guidance I received. I was allowed to learn about what I was interested in, while still learning all of the curriculum taught in schools. I was especially fortunate in my science classes. I had the same teacher for Biology, Chemistry, and then Physics. She was a family friend who was offering the classes, and was hands down the best teacher I have ever had, and made me feel like I could peruse any field I wanted, even with my dyslexia. She used to tell our class that "physics is the science of everything," and that was awe inspiring to young me. I chose astrophysics without much of an idea of what all it covered. I loved physics, and had grown up watching show like Starblazers and Voltron, knew I wanted to learn more about space. I have done more research into the range of things I could specialize in, and am leaning towards exoplanet studies. I would love to look for planets around distant stars, and analyze their spectra to determine the components of the planet and what it could have on it. I am especially interested in terrestrial planets in the Goldilocks Zones of their planets, and Hot Jupiters. I could even see myself working with Astro geologists and maybe even Astro Biologists! It has also crossed my mind that I might want to get a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and work on rovers for planets in our solar system. There is just so much that can be done, and I want to have my toe in a bit of it all, even thought that is not the most realistic thing in the world. I want to make a positive impact on our world by inspiring kids to do what they want. I work in a barn, at a summer camp, and I get the chance to talk to and teach so many kids every summer. I love the looks of surprise and interest when I am introducing myself at the start of the week, and all of the questions about my major and just college in general that kids ask. I really try to leave a positive impression on every kid I talk to, even it they are not in my cabin. I want kids to know that I can be an astrophysicist, and wrangle a green horse at the same time. Kids are the future of the world, and they are so incredibly spry and ready to learn! I can't wait to see where our world is headed.

I am a second year Astrophysics major at the University of Cincinnati. Growing up, I was homeschooled, and was incredibly fortunate in the quality of academic guidance I received. I was allowed to learn about what I was interested in, while still learning all of the curriculum taught in schools. I was especially fortunate in my science classes. I had the same teacher for Biology, Chemistry, and then Physics. She was a family friend who was offering the classes, and was hands down the best teacher I have ever had, and made me feel like I could peruse any field I wanted, even with my dyslexia. She used to tell our class that "physics is the science of everything," and that was awe inspiring to young me. I chose astrophysics without much of an idea of what all it covered. I loved physics, and had grown up watching show like Starblazers and Voltron, knew I wanted to learn more about space. I have done more research into the range of things I could specialize in, and am leaning towards exoplanet studies. I would love to look for planets around distant stars, and analyze their spectra to determine the components of the planet and what it could have on it. I am especially interested in terrestrial planets in the Goldilocks Zones of their planets, and Hot Jupiters. I could even see myself working with Astro geologists and maybe even Astro Biologists! It has also crossed my mind that I might want to get a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and work on rovers for planets in our solar system. There is just so much that can be done, and I want to have my toe in a bit of it all, even thought that is not the most realistic thing in the world. I want to make a positive impact on our world by inspiring kids to do what they want. I work in a barn, at a summer camp, and I get the chance to talk to and teach so many kids every summer. I love the looks of surprise and interest when I am introducing myself at the start of the week, and all of the questions about my major and just college in general that kids ask. I really try to leave a positive impression on every kid I talk to, even it they are not in my cabin. I want kids to know that I can be an astrophysicist, and wrangle a green horse at the same time. Kids are the future of the world, and they are so incredibly spry and ready to learn! I can't wait to see where our world is headed.

I am in my second year studying astrophysics at my university. After I earn my bachelors in science of astrophysics, I plan to either get a masters degree in mechanical engineering, start working on a PhD in astrophysics, or get both. I have taken four different calculus classes, which cover a wide variety of topics, but all center around integration. While at first, I did not understand what we were doing, nor while we were doing it, I have started to really appreciate the knowledge of these classes gave me. Having the ability to solve complicated equations, especially when the equation is just to get to another equation, is incredibly useful in my field of study. For instance, seeing a complicated integral, but knowing how to substitute or integrate by parts to break it down and make it into some thing, I know has come in useful in my last three physics tests. When finding the amplitude, eigenvectors, eigenvalues, and other such things, and a frequency or wave all involved taking derivatives. These derivations have been very basic calculus one or two so far, but just the other day in in a lab, we were told how next semester we are going to be using two different theorems, Stokes theorem, and an unnamed, but commonly used theorem, to help calculate the boosted velocity of some thing in inertial frame. This is an incredibly useful thing to be able to do in special relativity, which transfers to many fields of physics, like particle, quantum, and even astrophysics. An Astro physics, calculus is the foundation of the majority of the calculations that are used. It is used to determine the needed escape velocity for a rocket to leave a planet, and then, to leave the orbit of the planet, to determine the orbital, velocities and radius of astronomical objects, and calculate, traveling speeds. My friends in engineering, not taking as many calculus-based math classes as I have, but it is still required class, because of its uses in real world problems. Finding the pressure over the surface area of a container, determining the stress that will be put on A component of a machine, or even calculating the minimum amount of material that you need. Calculus can be transferred to so many real world problems! Overall, calculus-based math is the foundation of how our world works. From the basic motion of light and sound, to the lifespan of muons, or the orbit of a satellite, calculus is the key to understanding how our beautiful world behaves.

As an astrophysics, major, math is the base of everything I do. In high school, I was not good at math at all, nor did I enjoy it. It took me too long to do calculations, memorizing equations was frustrating, and I didn’t understand the practical application of any of that. That changed when I took my first physics class. I just barely began to see the tip of what math could do, and the things that it could show us, and I was excited. Shortly after that, I was diagnosed with dyslexia. After my diagnosis, I got more time on tests, looked into different learning methods, and understood why I was having such a hard time in school. The combination of understanding, my struggles, and having an application for the math I was learning Launched my admiration of numbers. Getting into a math problem, is like unraveling a story. I love problems with multiple derivations, or problems that you have to break into lots of smaller steps. Doing a methodical, rhythmic, calculation is difficult, but the sense of accomplishment you have once completing it is immense. I love the satisfaction of completing something difficult, and it makes it even better when it is applicable to a physical problem, like wave propagation or energy transfer. Now, in my second year of college, I am in my fourth calculus class. I never would’ve imagined liking math this much when I was in high school, but I am so glad that this world has been opened to me!

I absolutely love playing, smash Bros. My father is the youngest of 11 kids, and my twin sister, and I are far younger than all of our cousins. Growing up, at family reunions, all of our cousins would go to the basement, and play, super smash Bros together. I always would watch from behind the couch, but it was very rare that they would let May actually play with them. I remember one Christmas, I was watching from behind the couch, and all of my cousins, except for Gregory and Vania went upstairs to get dinner. Greggy and Vania took me and my sister, and taught us how to play. It was so incredibly generous of them, to not only play with us, but also to take the time to show us how all of the controls worked, and to even let us think we were winning for a bit! Even now, 15 years later, they are my two favorite cousins, because they’re the only ones that ever cared enough to pay attention to us. Since then, smash Bros has been my go to game when my friends and I are playing together. With my friend group, all living across the state, for college, we don’t get to see each other much. When we get the opportunity, we all come and play video games on the big screen, talk about life, and just have a really good time.

There are a lot of things about Zendaya that are very admirable. From her extensive variety of acting roles, her singing, or her a big and friendly personality, she is known to almost every household in America, and beyond. The aspect of Zendaya’s career that I admire most is her integrity and commitment to maintaining her values. In the world of Hollywood, getting swept up in the commotion and losing track of your values and family routes can be easy. Many actors and actresses take roles That, while still on his work, or not admirable on a moral level. Especially with Disney stars, trying to break free of the Disney stereotype. While Linda has starred in several more adult films, she certainly has not reached any of the lows that other childhood stars have resorted to. She maintains her composure, and moral integrity. In addition to her integrity in the acting world, she is also a very irritable person. She has done work with PETA, the American heart association, and various other charities. She has such a loving and compassionate soul, and is a role model that any child should be able to look up to. I have enjoyed watching many of her films, and intend to continue following her career as she steps into the world of adults in the acting community.

My goal for my undergraduate degree is to earn my Bachelor’s Degree in Astrophysics. Astrophysics is a really wide realm, but I would like to specialize in exoplanets. Exoplanets are any planet that don’t orbit our sun, whether they be around distant stars, or orphan planets that have been cast out into space, or formed without a parent star at all. I would like to use Doppler shifts and the light differences in the stars as the planet orbits it, to detect exoplanets and determine their size and orbital velocity. After I get my bachelor’s degree, I am either going to get a masters in mechanical engineering and go straight into the field, or will them pursue my PHD in astrophysics. Through my current program at the University of Cincinnati, I can get my bachelors degree in four years, and start classes for my masters degree in mechanical engineering before graduating with my degree in astrophysics. That will shorten the additional time at the University, to only be a total of five years. This sounds like a very appealing option, as it would cost less than a traditional masters degree, provide me with all the same qualifications, and the application process is much less rigorous than it would be if I tried to attend a different universe for the degree. The advantages of having this degree, even if I don’t end up, going into the field of mechanical engineering, would be having a leg up on my peers, as I apply for PhD programs. With astrophysics, there are very few jobs that can be done without a PhD, so that would have to be the route. I would take if I did not do a job that combined both my astrophysics and my mechanical engineering. While this route would be cheaper than a traditional masters program, it still costs more than I was originally planning on spending for my four years. This scholarship would be a massive step toward paying for this additional year, and would take the financial stress off of me as I make this decision. In addition, I am currently living at home with my family, about half an hour of campus. I really love my family, and I love spending some, but living so far away from my study groups is very difficult for collaborative work. I would really like to live on campus, and have more time to dedicate to my homeworks.

I am the oldest of three, a twin sister, Molly, and younger brother Mark Brady. My mom was a school teacher, teaching in both English and Spanish, but decided to be a stay at home mom when my sister and I were born. My dad is in IT, and loves showing us kids his newest code or program. We spend a lot of time with my moms family, one sister, and a single mother. On the other hand, my dad is the youngest of 11 kids, and I am my paternal grandmother’s 34th grandchild. Family gettogether are never boring! My sister and I went to a traditional pre-school, and kindergarten, but when we started 1st grade, our mom decided to homeschool us. She was more than qualified, and I feel like we got a really good education. When Brady started 1st grade, he homeschooled too. Now, in 11th grade, he is getting ready for college and mom is looking forward to retirement! I played a lot of sports when I was younger, but basketball is what really drew me in. I played on a homeschool team, and had the privilege to be coached by my amazing mom, who had been a coach when she taught, 13 years before. I loved playing with Molly, and bonding with our mom over a common love of competition. Everybody said that going from homeschooling into college would be really hard, but I found it to be very similar, and easy to make the social transition. I am studying Astrophysics at the University of Cincinnati, and I plan on getting a master degree in mechanical engineering through the ACCEND and then maybe a PHD in Astro, specializing in exoplanets. Exoplanets are any planet outside of our solar system, and there are a few ways of detecting them involving spectra and the wobble of the host star. I would love to look closer at planet formation, and I am really interested in planets called Hot Jupiter's. They are a bit of a mystery that I want to solve! In addition to my studies, I am a rower for my college. Rowing was never something I was interested in, but in our last year of school, Molly and I read Boys In the Boat, and fell head first for the sport. It is the hardest thing I have ever done, with early training and grueling workouts, but I love every minute of it! I am also incredibly blessed to be able to row with my twin. We debut as a pair this fall, and Coach plans on racing us in more pair races in the spring. I plan on being a lifelong rower and athlete.

This past year has been a whorl wind. Starting college was a big change, but it doesn't feel all that different than high school. I think, out of all the changes I have gone through, my leadership and friend making skills have improved the most. I am a pretty shy person, and I never really approached anybody first to become friends. That changed this year. I work at a summer camp, in a barn. Over the summer, I worked with a young man who has very similar traits to me, and I saw how hard it was for him to make friends. He really wanted to be part of things, but nobody was reaching out to him, and he could not seem to do it by himself. I have felt that way before, and I really wanted somebody to include him. Then it occurred to my that I was a person, and I could include him! I reached out to him, and we have become really good friends! I am really glad that it turned out so well, and that we both have someone to talk to about our social problems. Now, I smile at strangers, I talk to people even when I am not forced to, and I sometimes even reach out to others that I see are struggling to make friends. I think that the biggest thing I learned from this, is that there are other people in the world that are a lot like my. They desperately want to be part of a friend group, or a study section, but they don't know how to ask. I was so worried that I would be rejected, that I did not stop to think about what other people might think. Maybe it is not that they do not want to study together, or hang out, but that they are just as afraid as I am. Having the confidence of knowing that I am the person that I used to look up to, the person that reaches out, has made a huge impact on my happiness and the way I present myself. I go in to new thing looking for friends, and looking for the people that are having a hard time. I try my hardest to be kind to everybody, and I am embracing these next few years of my life head on. It turns out, the quietest kids have the coolest stories, the boy with the sad eyes has a smile that will light up the room, and the girl in the corner just wants somebody to talk to her first. All of these people want a friend, we just need to reach out.