Although it was invented in the 17th century with contributions from scientists such as Kepler and Newton, the telescope is a technology that inspires humankind and aids in the progress of science to this day. Through enhancing the applications of convex lenses in the realm of optics, humans obtained the resources to see far beyond what their eyes can do. By opening the doors to the universe, this device has permitted us to observe the stars, planets, galaxies, and asteroids in the heavens, leading us to better understand our race and planet’s past, present, and future. In addition, it has made observing the cosmos possible for all in the 20th and 21st centuries, thereby making astronomy and planetary science more accessible and creating an immense rise in the number of brilliant minds seeking to expand humanity’s understanding of the universe. As a result, many more discoveries have been made with the contributions of citizen scientists and many more astronomers and individuals in STEM have come to light through the influence of the telescope. Furthermore, the telescope has granted us the ability to better understand the planet we inhabit. Through by the observation of our atmosphere, rivers, oceans, forests, and unique biomes, we have become more aware of our impact on the environment and expanded our knowledge on the interdependent phenomena that move our planet. The telescope has also been a crucial tool in the identification of natural and man-made disasters, thus improving our mitigation and prevention capabilities in response to these catastrophes. In light of the invention’s history and its impact, I believe the telescope is a truly powerful tool in the expansion of human knowledge and technological advancement with the potential to change and save the lives of many.

When I lived in Brazil from 2010 to 2018, I could not fathom that the experience would lead me to discover my passion for environmental research, but that realization occurred due to a desolating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin. My emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help my community at the river's delta. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to purify the water and avoid the riverbanks' silting. Although I faced setbacks when accessing a laboratory facility and online research resources, I worked hard and confirmed my hypothesis. Shortly after, I presented the project at national and international science fairs in South America, such as the X FECITEC Girasoles and the Ciência Jovem, and won gold, silver, and bronze medals at those expositions. The experience helped me find my passion for scientific research and led me to pursue a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering. Even though my experience studying abroad gave me a wealth of unique background knowledge and educational opportunities, it did not prepare me for the American college application system. I had to overcome and understand the differences between college and financial aid applications in America and in Brazil. Nevertheless, I went to Massachusetts Bay Community College for a year and began readapting to the American educational system. During that time, I worked on research projects within my field of interest, improved my GPA to 3.96/4.0, and applied for need and merit-based financial aid through private and federal scholarships and grants. Upon completing the project and finishing my academic year, I was accepted into the Worcester Polytechnic Institute for Fall 2020. After enrolling at WPI, I continued dedicating myself to my craft and expanding my network so I could learn more about the resources available to me. I also took every research opportunity provided by my institution within and outside my major, which further corroborated my passion for wastewater treatment and space systems. Once I completed my bachelor's thesis regarding extracting water from subsurface Martian ice, I completed my classes and officially graduated as a first-generation student and as the first woman in my family to go into the engineering field. However, that is not the end of my academic career. I'm currently pursuing a master's/Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering at my alma mater while being a research assistant, and I take every chance I get to help other students who join WPI so they can make the most of their time here. My desire is to work in space exploration on the missions to Mars, but also to aid other students in pursuing their educational and professional aspirations and inspire them through my story to persist despite the challenges they may face along the way.

When the leaves begin to shed their green gleam and dress themselves in reds, oranges, and golds, nostalgia and comfort sweep over me. Although the chilly weather makes me want to stay under the covers longer during the days and nights, I know I cannot because when the transition from summer to autumn becomes noticeable, I know it's when my midterm and final exams are coming in. As I progressed in my academic career, I quickly learned that one of the best ways to keep myself motivated is to choose a time to relax and reward myself when I accomplish essential tasks or milestones during the term. I am continually learning how to do this, but I found it to be effective in helping me avoid fatigue during the fall semester. One of the ways that I found I could reward myself during the fall semester is by picking up my favorite fall-themed Starbucks drink: the Cinnamon Dolce Latte. Depending on how cold the air is that specific day, I buy it either hot or iced, but I enjoy the touch of cinnamon in the drink and how it evokes the sense of winter approaching. I first learned about that specific drink two years after returning to the United States, when I started studying at my alma mater. A friend visited me during the second half of the fall semester, and we went to Starbucks and Panera together. While inside the store, she asked if I had ever tried the drink, to which I said no. After trying it with her for the first time that night, it has become my go-to fall drink at Starbucks. Whenever I can, I try my best to be a supportive friend to my college friends and family when they go through heavier courseloads or intensive class projects by doing something similar to what this friend has done for me: going out with them for dinner or lunch so they can talk if they need it or if they need some time away from their work to refresh their minds. Even though I haven't been accompanying them as much to Starbucks recently, I believe there will be an uptick during the fall with the seasonal beverages returning. When that time comes, I will continue enjoying the drink with my friends and family and hopefully perfect my homemade iced and hot versions of the beverage.

Although I started learning Calculus independently during my senior year of high school, I truly began to grasp its purpose in STEM during my first and second years in college. During that time, I saw how engineers could use the Taylor Series in crucial approximations and how integrals using cylindrical and spherical coordinates can be vital when computing surface areas and volumes in complex physics problems. As I continued my undergraduate career, I also learned how vectors, partial derivatives, and gradients can be powerful tools when studying fluid flow and are even used in the Navier-Stokes equations and the Equation of Motion for Fluid Flow. The further I progressed in my degree, the more I observed the concrete relationship between the subjects I studied in class and the Calculus sustaining its equations and theoretical principles. Throughout my academic career, I have studied and experienced firsthand how Calculus is a powerful tool in all fields of STEM and can help us better understand the world around us through complex, multivariable equations and thorough mathematical observations of the forces at play in our universe. As I continue my graduate studies and join the workforce as a Mechanical Engineer, I am confident that I will continue using Calculus when studying fluid dynamics, heat transfer, stress analysis, electromagnetism, and the thermophysical behavior of materials in unique circumstances. When encountering physics problems with many factors at play, I know that Calculus will be instrumental when understanding how each of the problem's components interacts with, negates, or exacerbates each other. As a result, using Calculus can significantly benefit the observations and research of individuals working in STEM, whether they are working on the practical or theoretical side of the field, further increasing the quality of the work they will produce. In light of its many invaluable theoretical concepts, mathematical principles, and real-world applications, Calculus is undeniably a remarkable resource for STEM students, regardless of their field of study. I wholeheartedly believe that STEM would not be as versatile or advanced as it is today if it were not for the robust mathematical foundations and proofs upon which it was built. The more students recognize the power of Calculus during their studies and dedicate themselves to using it to the maximum of its capabilities, the better their estimates, observations, calculations, and discoveries will become, and the world will become a better place with the technological, ethical, scientific, and infrastructural advances that shall result from this occurrence.

My future self would dream of further pushing the boundaries of science while traveling the world to see the diverse environments, societies, and cultures I strive to protect and advance through my work.

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by the stars and the environment around me. Whenever I traveled to Maine or New Hampshire with my family, I was fascinated by the plants and animals that coexisted in these ecosystems, however big or small. Small waterfalls, enormous trees, and even tiny colorful butterflies flew past me in my backyard or outside a wooden cabin. Nevertheless, I still feared the immensity of nature and the unknown whenever I read about the ocean, gazed at the dark sky above, or stared at the large, wooded areas surrounding my yard. From that age, I understood that nature was an intricate tapestry of relationships between creatures and plants that evolved according to the temperature, abundance of nutrients, and the environments where they were located. But the more I read about how flora, fauna, and humans overcame their ecosystems’ pressures, the more fascinated I became by nature and wished to protect it. Since I was raised in suburban or fully urbanized areas, I grew to deeply enjoy my trips to rural towns and environmental reserves. Once I had become accustomed to the fauna in those locations, I breathed in the forest-scented air and glimpsed the brightly lit sky I couldn’t see at home. These visits, combined with my curiosity and passion for research, led me to continue learning more about maritime and land environments on Earth and in space, aspiring to pursue a career involving research about the Earth and space environments and beginning my studies at a four-year institution to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Later on, I had the opportunity to work on scientific research projects during secondary school and my years at university. The most recent example of how learning has helped me was while I was developing my undergraduate dissertation. During my research, I investigated potential water purification mechanisms that could be used to purify subsurface Martian ice for astronauts to acquire an initial water source while on a crewed mission to Mars. After an extensive literature review, I found that progressive freeze concentration was one of the most cost and energy-effective of the processes I studied for in situ resource utilization on Mars. With that information, I had to build a prototype and perform experiments to collect data that could verify the plausibility of my hypothesis. Despite being an arduous process, I can proudly say that my experiments confirmed my theory and that the experience confirmed my desire to pursue a career in environmental and space research while using my engineering skillset to my advantage. Throughout my life, learning has been a vital tool in my development. It has allowed me to understand the world around me and solve the problems I encountered inside and outside school. Learning has also helped me discover more about myself and dive deeper into my academic and professional passions while fueled by a thirst for knowledge. Although my undergraduate career will soon come to a close, I wish to continue learning about Earth and space environments as part of my graduate and professional careers so we can better understand the world around us and learn more about our planet and solar system’s origins and changes with the passing of millennia.

Ripples Skipping over the water's surface, A simple stone creates the change. The liquid rises and falls, A motion familiar to us all, Altering the courses of the creatures around it. We must marvel at the simplicity Of how the ripple's effect proves for all to see That the smallest of transient moments Can swiftly bring one to their feet or to their knees.

During the previous academic year, I had the opportunity to prepare my undergraduate dissertation in the engineering, planetary science, and aerospace fields. In my project, "Extracting Water from the Martian environment,” I aimed to develop a water treatment prototype that converts frozen perchlorate brine into potable water. After conducting thorough research and producing a literature review, I selected progressive freeze concentration as the water purification method to achieve this goal and designed a prototype capable of sustaining the process in Mars’s conditions. The experiments used a one-molal magnesium perchlorate starting solution, and all experiments successfully produced a treated product of reduced salt concentration along with a residual brine of elevated salt concentration. Once the major qualifying project was completed, I presented my research at my institution’s Project Presentation Day and was awarded the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Advisory Board Award for my innovative research during my undergraduate career. Although the experience was arduous and demanded a lot of time, effort, and energy, I learned a lot about the missions to Mars, water purification, and prototyping, and it confirmed my desire to work in the aerospace industry, specifically with planetary science research and building space habitations for the astronauts on the Moon or on Mars. Additionally, the laboratory experimentation, literature review, presentation, and prototyping processes granted me invaluable experience that shall benefit me significantly once I join the workforce. The process also taught me a lot about myself, my capabilities, and the importance of self-care to avoid burnout. I learned more about the specific physical and psychological needs I need to maintain to continue succeeding in my academic and professional endeavors, such as maintaining adequate sleep and exercise throughout the semesters, going outside for fresh air, communicating with friends and family, and practicing music as forms of self-regulation and maintaining my personal relationships. Moreover, by approaching this research as a solo project rather than a group project, I saw that I was much more capable of handling complex research tasks alongside heavy coursework than I had previously thought. Finally, the experience also taught me that properly managing my time and knowing who to connect with for assistance is crucial for any project's success. In light of all these changes and lessons, I believe that, in spite of the rigor of the major qualifying project, I experienced significant personal and professional growth that will follow me throughout my academic and professional career.

Despite growing up with a passion for science, the place where my passions solidified was where most of my family's heritage comes from: Brazil. When I lived there from 2010 to 2018, I couldn't imagine that the experience would allow me to grow as a person and reveal my professional aspirations. However, that realization occurred due to a devastating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin and a third of my community's water supply. Although I was thirteen years old during the occurrence, my emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help the Doce River's neighboring towns. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to remove heavy metals from the water and prevent the riverbanks' silting. Although I faced numerous setbacks when trying to access a laboratory facility and online research resources, I completed the prototype and confirmed my hypothesis through my samples' laboratory analysis results. Shortly after, I presented the water purification project in English, Portuguese, and Spanish at national and international science fairs in South America. With a lot of persistence and effort, I won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the X FECITEC Girasoles and Ciência Jovem exhibitions. The experience of developing and presenting the science project helped me find my passion for research in water resources and led me to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering after returning to the United States. After enrolling in my university, I gained laboratory experience, learned how to use online research databases, and wrote a research paper about the Deepwater Horizon explosion in my Freshman English II Honors class about preventing and remedying similar oil spills efficiently. However, I still haven't found the opportunity to publish the research article in a peer-reviewed journal. I also spent my time in community college becoming reacquainted with the American educational system, which differs drastically from the education I undertook in my formative years. These unique insights led me to become a mentor later in my academic career and gave me the knowledge and experience to help other international or non-traditional students pursuing higher education. Thus, even though the adaptation wasn't easy and the COVID-19 pandemic began during my first year of undergraduate studies, I persisted and overcame the barrier in front of me, attaining good grades and successfully transferring to a four-year institution. My undergraduate studies also led me to discover my professional aspiration to work at NASA, thus inspiring my undergraduate dissertation involving Martian space exploration and water. In my project called “Extracting Water from the Martian environment,” I aimed to develop a water treatment prototype that converts frozen perchlorate brine into potable water. After conducting thorough research, I selected progressive freeze concentration as the water purification method to achieve this goal and designed a prototype capable of sustaining the process in Mars’s conditions. The experiments used a one-molal magnesium perchlorate starting solution, and all experiments successfully produced a treated product of reduced salt concentration along with a residual brine of elevated salt concentration. Once the major qualifying project was completed, I presented my research at my institution’s Project Presentation Day and was awarded the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Advisory Board Award for my innovative research during my undergraduate career. Although the experience was arduous, I learned a lot about the missions to Mars, water purification, and prototyping, and it confirmed my desire to work in the aerospace industry. Despite the adverse circumstances and numerous changes that permeated my undergraduate studies, I profoundly cherish the possibilities and resources my college education has offered me thus far. Therefore, I plan to complete my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, which will expand my knowledge and allow me to work with engineering, research involving maritime and land environments on Earth and in space, work on the missions to Mars as a planetary science researcher and engineer to help improve space habitations, Mars rovers, and investigative satellites studying our planet, the moon, and the red planet. I am passionate about science and engineering because I believe that the tools we possess from years of studies and experiments can help us better understand the world around us. Moreover, once I graduate and become the first female Mechanical Engineer in my family, I also hope to be able to encourage and assist other first-generation students, women in STEM, and other individuals pursuing higher education so they can achieve their academic and professional goals and make a positive impact on their communities through their curious minds, unique life experiences and insights, and innovative research.

When I lived in Brazil from 2010 to 2018, I couldn’t fathom that the experience would lead me to discover my academic and professional passion for engineering and research. However, that realization occurred due to a desolating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin. My emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help my community. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to purify the water and avoid the riverbanks’ silting. Although I faced setbacks when trying to access a laboratory facility and online research resources, I worked hard and confirmed my hypothesis. Shortly after, I presented the project at national and international science fairs in South America and won gold, silver, and bronze medals. The experience helped me find my passion for research in water resources and led me to pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree. During the previous academic year, I had the opportunity to prepare my undergraduate dissertation in the engineering, planetary science, and aerospace fields. In my project called “Extracting Water from the Martian environment,” I aimed to develop a water treatment prototype that converts frozen perchlorate brine into potable water. After conducting thorough research, I selected progressive freeze concentration as the water purification method to achieve this goal and designed a prototype capable of sustaining the process in Mars’s conditions. The experiments used a one-molal magnesium perchlorate starting solution, and all experiments successfully produced a treated product of reduced salt concentration along with a residual brine of elevated salt concentration. Once the major qualifying project was completed, I presented my research at my institution’s Project Presentation Day and was awarded the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Advisory Board Award for my innovative research during my undergraduate career. Although the experience was arduous, I learned a lot about the missions to Mars, water resources, and prototyping, and it ignited my desire to work in the aerospace industry. These experiences, combined with my curiosity and passion for research, led me to continue learning more about maritime and land environments on Earth and in space, and aspire to work on the missions to Mars as a planetary science researcher and engineer to help improve space habitations, Mars rovers, and investigative satellites studying our planet, the moon, and the red planet. I am passionate about science and engineering because I believe that the tools we possess from years of studies and experiments can help us better understand the world around us. Thus, I wish to use my knowledge and practical skills to contribute to humanity's understanding of our planet's history and the history of Mars and foster a greater appreciation for our ecosystems and their unique biodiversity. Moreover, I hope to encourage more women to participate in the STEM field and bring innovative research into academia.

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by the stars and the environment around me. Whenever I traveled to Maine or New Hampshire with my family, I was fascinated by the plants and animals that coexisted in these ecosystems, however big or small. Small waterfalls, enormous trees, and even tiny colorful butterflies flew past me in my backyard or outside a wooden cabin. Nevertheless, I still feared the immensity of nature and the unknown whenever I read about the ocean, gazed at the dark sky above, or stared at the large, wooded areas surrounding my yard. From that age, I understood that nature was an intricate tapestry of relationships between creatures and plants that evolved according to the temperature, abundance of nutrients, and the environments where they were located. But the more I studied how flora, fauna, and humans overcame their ecosystems’ pressures, the more fascinated I became by nature and wished to protect it. When I lived in Brazil from 2010 to 2018, I couldn’t fathom that the experience would lead me to discover my academic and professional passion for engineering and research. However, that realization occurred due to a desolating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin. My emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help my community. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to purify the water and avoid the riverbanks’ silting. Although I faced setbacks when trying to access a laboratory facility and online research resources, I worked hard and confirmed my hypothesis. Shortly after, I presented the project at national and international science fairs in South America and won gold, silver, and bronze medals. The experience helped me find my passion for research in water resources and led me to pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree. Although it is a well-known fact that science has been responsible for society's technological progress, it is also much more. Science is the tool humanity uses to understand natural, social, and space phenomena. Without it, we wouldn't have been able to comprehend and accomplish all we have in history, learn as much about our past, or invented the technology that propels our communities today. I believe science is a powerful tool that must be studied and used thoughtfully, for it can change the course of human history and save the lives of many if utilized properly.

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by the stars and the environment around me. Whenever I traveled to Maine or New Hampshire with my family, I was fascinated by the plants and animals that coexisted in these ecosystems, however big or small. Small waterfalls, enormous trees, and even tiny colorful butterflies flew past me in my backyard or outside a wooden cabin. Nevertheless, I still feared the immensity of nature and the unknown whenever I read about the ocean, gazed at the dark sky above, or stared at the large, wooded areas surrounding my yard. From that age, I understood that nature was an intricate tapestry of relationships between creatures and plants that evolved according to the temperature, abundance of nutrients, and the environments where they were located. But the more I read about how flora, fauna, and humans overcame their ecosystems’ pressures, the more fascinated I became by nature and wished to study and protect it. Since I was raised in suburban or fully urbanized areas, I grew to deeply enjoy my trips to rural towns and environmental reserves. Once I had become accustomed to the fauna in those locations, I breathed in the forest-scented air and glimpsed the brightly lit sky I couldn’t see at home. These visits, combined with my curiosity and passion for research, led me to continue learning more about maritime and land environments on Earth and in space and aspire to become an engineer capable of bringing innovation in Earth and space research to better understand how Earth's ecosystems and other planets' environments behave.

Despite growing up with a passion for science, the place where my passions solidified was where most of my family's heritage comes from: Brazil. When I lived there from 2010 to 2018, I couldn't imagine that the experience would allow me to grow as a person and reveal my professional aspirations. However, that realization occurred due to a devastating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin and a third of my community's water supply. Although I was thirteen years old during the occurrence, my emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help the Doce River's neighboring towns. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to remove heavy metals from the water and prevent the riverbanks' silting. Even though I faced numerous setbacks when trying to access a laboratory facility and online research resources, I completed the prototype and confirmed my hypothesis through my samples' laboratory analysis results. Shortly after, I presented the water purification project in English, Portuguese, and Spanish at national and international science fairs in South America. With a lot of persistence and effort, I won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the X FECITEC Girasoles and Ciência Jovem exhibitions. The experience of developing and presenting the science project helped me find my passion for research in water resources and led me to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering after returning to the United States. After enrolling in my university, I gained laboratory experience, learned how to use online research databases, and wrote a research paper about the Deepwater Horizon explosion in my Freshman English II Honors class about preventing and remedying similar oil spills more efficiently. However, I still haven't found the opportunity to publish the research article in a peer-reviewed journal. Nevertheless, my undergraduate studies also led me to discover my professional aspiration to work on missions to Mars and help build lunar and Martian habitations for astronauts, thus inspiring my undergraduate dissertation to investigate how to extract water from the Martian subsurface. Despite the adverse circumstances and numerous changes that permeated my undergraduate studies, I profoundly cherish the possibilities and resources that my college education has offered me thus far. But I still strive to complete a Ph.D. in Planetary Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Space Engineering to open doors for me in the space research field. Although acquiring fellowship funding, satisfying my doctoral application requirements, and completing my studies and research may be arduous tasks, I believe that I can address them adequately if I make use of the university resources available, keep an open mind, and continue to do research about the field I'm entering. Using these strategies, I know that, in time, I'll fulfill my career goals and become the first fully certified female Mechanical Engineer and doctor in my family.

Despite growing up with a passion for science, the place where my passions solidified was where most of my family's heritage comes from: Brazil. When I lived there from 2010 to 2018, I couldn't imagine that the experience would allow me to grow as a person and reveal my professional aspirations. However, that realization occurred due to a devastating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin and a third of my community's water supply. Although I was thirteen years old during the occurrence, my emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help the Doce River's neighboring towns. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to remove heavy metals from the water and prevent the riverbanks' silting. Although I faced numerous setbacks when trying to access a laboratory facility and online research resources, I completed the prototype and confirmed my hypothesis through my samples' laboratory analysis results. Shortly after, I presented the water purification project in English, Portuguese, and Spanish at national and international science fairs in South America. With a lot of persistence and effort, I won gold, silver, and bronze medals at the X FECITEC Girasoles and Ciência Jovem exhibitions. The experience of developing and presenting the science project helped me find my passion for research in water resources and led me to pursue a dual major in Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering after returning to the United States. After enrolling in my university, I gained laboratory experience, learned how to use online research databases, and wrote a research paper about the Deepwater Horizon explosion in my Freshman English II Honors class about preventing and remedying similar oil spills more efficiently. However, I still haven't found the opportunity to publish the research article in a peer-reviewed journal. Nevertheless, my undergraduate studies also led me to discover my professional aspiration to work on missions to Mars and help build lunar and Martian habitations for astronauts, thus inspiring my undergraduate dissertation to investigate how to extract water from the Martian subsurface. Despite the adverse circumstances and numerous changes that permeated my undergraduate studies, I profoundly cherish the possibilities and resources that my college education has offered me thus far. But I still strive to complete a Ph.D. in Planetary Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Space Engineering to open unique doors for me in space research fields. Although acquiring fellowship funding, satisfying my doctoral application requirements, and completing my arduous studies and research may be arduous tasks, I believe that I can address them adequately if I make use of the university resources available to me, keep an open mind, and continue to do research about the field I'm entering. Using these strategies, I know that, in time, I'll fulfill my career goals and become the first fully certified female Mechanical Engineer and doctor in my family.

1. I deserve this scholarship because my credit card statement came in, I used every last cent in my account to pay off my bill, and now I need money to pay off some pending tuition dues. 2. I want to graduate, be important, be rich, and retire early. 3. I walked to school in 100-degree weather because the van that took me to school broke down. I was 10 years-old at the time, and the neighborhood where this happened had not been paved yet. Instead, the roads were made of either dirt or sand. I was exhausted when I arrived at school, but I was also grateful that there were functioning fans in my classroom.

My short story submission is attached as a PDF file.

Despite growing up with a passion for science, the place where my passions solidified was where most of my family’s heritage comes from: Brazil. When I lived abroad from 2010 to 2018, I could not fathom that the experience would lead me to discover my academic goals in aerospace studies and water resources. However, that realization occurred due to a desolating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin. My emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help my community. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to purify the water and avoid the riverbanks’ silting. Although I faced setbacks when trying to access a laboratory facility and online research resources, I worked hard and confirmed my hypothesis. Shortly after, I presented the project at national and international science fairs in South America and won gold, silver, and bronze medals. The experience helped me find my passion for research, engineering, and water resources and led me to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical and Environmental Engineering. After enrolling in college, I expanded my knowledge and took part in research opportunities despite the adverse circumstances I faced. Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects, I participated in an Interactive Qualifying Project in Worcester, MA, that developed a long-term plan for a Thrive Food Pantry that assists the city’s ASD, ID, and DD population and fight food insecurity. I’m also currently working on a Major Qualifying Project that investigates how progressive freeze concentration can be used to extract water from the Martian environment, and a Humanities and Arts Inquiry Seminar that explores how the intersectional identities of the women in The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas affected their social roles in Imperial Brazil. Outside WPI’s classrooms, I work as a part-time Environmental Technician, where I work with site inspections and environmental monitoring within the field of water resources. I profoundly cherish the possibilities and resources my education has offered me thus far. I plan to continue my academic career through a Ph.D. degree once I have started my Engineering certification process and have furthered my professional experience within my fields of interest. My utmost desire is to use the knowledge and experience I have acquired to conduct groundbreaking scientific research and optimize manufacturing and water treatment processes using renewable energy and other innovative methods to improve my community’s quality of life. I also wish to collaborate with other scientists in the aerospace and aeronautics fields to enhance astronaut habitations with in situ resource utilization and planetary research satellites.

Despite growing up with a passion for science, the place where my passions solidified was where most of my family’s heritage comes from: Brazil. When I lived abroad from 2010 to 2018, I could not fathom that the experience would lead me to discover my academic goals in aerospace studies and water resources. However, that realization occurred due to a desolating tragedy. On November 5th, 2015, a mining dam in Mariana collapsed, releasing more than 50 million cubic meters of toxic waste. After destroying three towns, the flash flood contaminated the Doce River Basin. My emotions and thirst for knowledge drove me to comprehend the situation and help my community. With my research, I aimed to find an alternative purification process to purify the water and avoid the riverbanks’ silting. Although I faced setbacks when trying to access a laboratory facility and online research resources, I worked hard and confirmed my hypothesis. Shortly after, I presented the project at national and international science fairs in South America and won gold, silver, and bronze medals. The experience helped me find my passion for research, engineering, and water resources and led me to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical and Environmental Engineering at WPI. After enrolling in college, I expanded my knowledge and took part in research opportunities despite the adverse circumstances I faced. Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects, I participated in an Interactive Qualifying Project in Worcester, MA, that developed a long-term plan for a Thrive Food Pantry that assists the city’s ASD, ID, and DD population and fight food insecurity. I’m also currently working on a Major Qualifying Project that investigates how progressive freeze concentration can be used to extract water from the Martian environment, and a Humanities and Arts Inquiry Seminar that explores how the intersectional identities of the women in The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas affected their social roles in Imperial Brazil. Outside WPI’s classrooms, I work as a part-time Environmental Technician at ERM, Inc., which I profoundly cherish the possibilities and resources my education at WPI has offered me thus far. I plan to continue my academic career through a Ph.D. degree once I have started my Engineering certification process and have furthered my professional experience within my fields of interest. My utmost desire is to use the knowledge and experience I have acquired throughout my educational journey to conduct groundbreaking scientific research and optimize manufacturing and water treatment processes using renewable energy and other innovative methods to improve my community’s quality of life.

My favorite scientific discovery is that of Polish-French scientist Marie Curie's discovery of polonium and radium, using isotope isolation techniques that she developed herself. Even though she had to overcome numerous adversities to access education and practical scientific training because of her gender, Curie's curiosity and determination led her to continue her research and academic career. Madame Curie's discovery not only earned her a Nobel Prize opened the door to numerous scientific developments, such as radiography, radiation therapy, nuclear energy, and Rutherford's postulation of the nuclear atom. However, I admire her scientific breakthrough because she used her knowledge to assist others and further academic research. For example, Marie Curie built a mobile radiography unit and served as a radiologist during World War I to help injured soldiers in field hospitals. Curie also refused to patent her radium-isolation process so scientists could use it freely in their research, founded research institutes, and donated the monetary proceeds from the awards she earned to the research institutions to which she was affiliated. Therefore, Madame Curie's discovery of radium and polonium is my favorite scientific breakthrough because it created numerous opportunities for technological advancement, and the brilliant chemist ensured that other researchers could build upon her work and further scientific progress.

The female STEM leader that has inspired me the most in my academic pursuits is Katherine Johnson. Although she was not considered a leader in terms of the employment hierarchy, Johnson made numerous groundbreaking contributions to space exploration throughout her years working with NASA. The African American mathematician started analyzing flight data two weeks after being hired by the space administration and soon conducted trajectory analysis for America's first human spaceflight. In addition, Johnson worked on a research report with the engineer Ted Skopinski that outlined the orbital spaceflight equations that determine the spacecraft's landing position upon returning to Earth, becoming the first woman in the Flight Research Division to receive credit as one of the report's authors. Katherine Johnson authored or coauthored 26 research papers during her 33 years of employment at NASA, but her contributions to space exploration did not stop there. The mathematician also worked on calculations for John Glenn's orbital mission, the Project Apollo's Lunar Module, and the Space Shuttle and Earth Resources Technology Satellite. Despite facing personal adversity and the many challenges that women of color within STEM endured in an era where they were often sidelined, the space scientist advocated strongly for racial equality and STEM education and continued to be an avid learner and researcher throughout her career. Johnson's genuine passion for mathematics, her work at the space administration, and her desire to make a difference with her skills and knowledge inspired me to pursue a dual major in Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering as a career pathway to work in the field of aerospace studies. I aspire to work on the missions to Mars and on space research that addresses environmental phenomena on Earth and the red planet. However, I also wish to inspire others through my story and work to chase their educational and professional goals because I believe that when passionate, intelligent individuals work together, they can change the course of history and accelerate scientific progress exponentially.

Ever since I was in elementary school, I've always been fascinated by languages and how they can be essential tools when communicating with, collaborating with, and teaching other individuals. However, as I progressed through my studies and gained a deeper understanding of physics, biology, chemistry, materials science, static systems, and calculus, I became captivated with how the world worked and the fact that mathematics is the language chosen by science to explain and understand the powerful and yet intricate phenomena occurring in the universe and shaping our perception of the world. This thirst for knowledge and my passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics led me to pursue a dual major in Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering during my undergraduate studies and use what I learned to help improve my community's quality of life. Now, while I'm advancing through my college courses, I have seen more of the infinite possible applications that math has in our daily lives. Some of the situations that I've encountered throughout my educational journey that could be approached through mathematics include calculating the measurements of a processing plant, the magnitude of the gravitational force acting on a celestial body, the populational density in a specific region, the mass of the oceanic lithosphere covering our planet, and how much interest can be accrued over time when requesting a loan. Studying these and other scenarios have taught me to observe my surroundings more attentively and think critically and logically. Furthermore, math can also prepare individuals to identify the numerous cycles, oscillations, constants, variables, and steady slopes that we can encounter throughout our lives and, depending on the circumstances at hand, help us find the most beneficial solution for what we are facing. Although the subject is often oversimplified, the mathematic language is a versatile and effective mechanism to study the world around us because it can convey complex concepts through variables, constants, trigonometry, graphs, and other numerical and geometric resources. Throughout history, humans have used scientific reasoning and established mathematical clauses to make observations and hypotheses that have fueled humanity's technological advancements and scientific discoveries over the past millennia and helped us thrive regardless of the environment and situations we encountered. Moreover, the diverse plethora of natural, economic, and populational phenomena that can be explained and represented through math led me to live with a different view of the world around me: one full of curiosity and wonder.

One of the people that I admire from history is the Byzantine princess Anna Komnene. She is known as the world's first female historian because of her book the Alexiad, which recounted the reign of her father: the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos. The first reason why I admire Anna Komnene is that I understand her desire to learn more about the world around her. Ever since Anna was a young girl, she demonstrated an insatiable thirst for knowledge, which led her to learn Ancient Greek so she could study classical philosophy, literature, rhetoric, astronomy, and medicine. This part of her story inspires me to continue my educational journey and conducting my research to comprehend the phenomena happening around me. The other reason why I appreciate Anna Komnene and her work is because she was a literary pioneer in her time. She combined the invaluable information from the Byzantine Empire with the genre of epic poetry when writing the Alexiad, creating one of the most reliable primary sources regarding her era. Her ability to illustrate history in a meaningful and compelling way is one of the reasons I'm inspired to write fantasy while vigorously conducting research to maintain historical accuracy.

My favorite book is Cress from the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. Although the novel's plot is inspired by the fairytale called Rapunzel, Cress's story begins in a fictional future when humans have made colonies on the moon - referred to in the story as Luna. The story's protagonist is a talented programmer used by the Lunar government to create surveillance mechanisms to spy on the Earth's population and governments. Despite the adversities that she faced throughout her life and the heavy restrictions imposed upon her, Cress meets the series' heroes during the plot and helps them in their efforts to protect Earth from the Lunars' war threats and attempts at biological warfare. The reason why I believe that Cress is a great book is that the novel addresses numerous socially relevant topics using futuristic tropes pertinent to the science fiction genre. Through the use of social dynamics between cyborgs, humans, and lunars, the book illustrates how prejudice and racism affect people in different ways. The novel also portrays why ethical considerations are necessary during research by revealing how Cress was mistreated during her childhood for not having the Lunar gift of creating illusions. Both occurrences in the book highlight how preconceived assumptions are harmful to a society's equity, the well-being of specific social groups, and how they can influence how research is conducted and interpreted. The final reason why Cress is my favorite book is that I identify myself with the protagonist due to her interest and knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Being able to relate to a character that has similar intellectual passions and watch the character's development throughout the plot significantly enhanced my experience while reading this book.

One of the most valuable pieces of financial advice I have received is to start establishing means of passive income at an early age. This advice opened my eyes to considering forms of income beyond what I receive when actively working and starting to financially prepare myself for what the future has in store for me. Although people usually think of stock investments as the most common way to acquire passive income over time, there are many other ways to accomplish that. As a writer, I know book royalties are another form of passive income that I can keep in mind while writing my novels and pursuing my college degrees.

As someone who has struggled with mental health on multiple occasions, I believe that one of the most practical ways to help is to create a safe space for individuals to openly talk about their plights. This solution not only allows people to be heard but it also validates their emotions and thoughts. However, it can also be an opportunity where they could discover the next steps in their journey, such as seeking therapy and finding healthy and effective coping skills when dealing with distressing situations.

My favorite scientist is Katherine Johnson, one of the mathematicians that worked on NASA’s crewed spaceflight program during the 1960s. She primarily studied how to use analytical geometry to calculate spacecraft trajectories and landing positions. Johnson’s legacy in the field of space travel was one of the greatest inspirations that led me to pursue a career in the Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering fields and contribute to the missions to Mars.

German pianist and composer Ludwig van Beethoven said, "[d]on't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine." As a Mechanical and Environmental Engineering student, musician, and writer, I believe that knowledge and art are intricately connected. Art's core purpose is to express one's inner-most thoughts and emotions through an external medium; thus, music is the art of expressing oneself through sound, while writing expresses emotions and imaginative realities through words and stories. However, I also believe that the ability to build devices that can improve the quality of life of your community is a pragmatic form of art in which one can bring their thoughts and designs into reality. Regardless of your art form of choice, knowledge about your craft is crucial when producing artwork. However, dedicating yourself to learn your art form's secrets and techniques is essential if you want to benefit your community with your art or encourage individuals to reflect on their reality and worldview. Therefore, Beethoven's quote is an inspirational and important reminder of why I chose to be a musician and what I strive to do with my music: showing people a unique reality and perspective through my work.