When I close my eyes and imagine the moment that sparked my interest in science, the first thing that crosses my mind is the salty smell of the ocean. I picture the morning sky, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, and the beach behind my childhood home at low-tide. There you would find a younger me, knee-deep in the water, observing starfish, sea urchins and the schools of fish that would speed. Throughout elementary school and middle school, I always looked forward to my science classes and I actively participated in various science clubs. As I got older, I became familiar with the science of medicine through my mother, who was a registered nurse. She told me about her duties as a healthcare provider and that her passion for healthcare came from her desire to help others and save lives. Hearing her source of motivation propelled my eagerness to start my own journey in becoming a medical professional. High school gave me the opportunities I needed to expand on my knowledge about the medical field through a program called Health Academy, which familiarized me with concepts from the history of healthcare to the basics of anatomy and physiology. It allowed me to participate in volunteering opportunities at the local hospital where I gained first-hand experience in patient care. Now that I have spent close to two years diligently working towards my goal of transferring into university, I've been exposed to the components of science that are instrumental to biology, the major I've chosen to dedicate my college education to. It has helped deepened my passion for biology and intensified my enthusiasm to explore how biology is interconnected with other sciences. Becoming a biological researcher has now become a career goal of mine as I participated in various research projects. Through research, I hope to gain a better understanding of the natural world, as well as help find answers to the many problems that exist on our planet, ranging from environmental obstacles such as the climate change crisis, to more centralized issues like the medical disparities among certain demographics within American society. When it comes to the kind of research that I want to conduct, the possibilities are endless—and that is what inspires me to pursue this career. Some people have assumed, myself included, that we have already learned all there is to know about the world, as thousands of scientific discoveries have been made since the dawn of the Renaissance. Though the truth is that all the advancements we have made thus far make up such a small percentage of all there is to know, and new discoveries are being made everyday, some that go as far as to debunk previous theories. Learning this fact surprised me as I always believed that conducting my own research would have no significant impact in the science community. But, no matter how big or small, each and every research project does have a substantial impact on how we exist within this planet. I believe it is my duty and obligation as an inhabitant of this planet to participate in the research that would help create a meaningful impact on the world and make it a better place, not just for the prosperity of humans, but for the prosperity of the Earth as well.