Looking out at the slums of Manila from our rental car, I understood my dad’s need to leave his home as a teenager. The worn-down communities were no place to build a comfortable and fulfilling life. He ventured to the United States to build a new life and seek out the American Dream. I want to pursue a career in civil engineering so that my work will go toward bettering communities at home and abroad through infrastructure development. I’ve noticed areas in my own Los Angeles community with weak infrastructure that can be susceptible to damage in the event of earthquakes. Us Californians know that "The Big One" could happen any second. With all of the outdated infrastructure, communities like mine could suffer in the event that a massive earthquake might tear down our cities. We are more at risk given that some of the oldest buildings are the houses we call home. With knowledge of structural engineering concepts, I want to work toward ensuring maximum stability of buildings, bridges, and homes in earthquake-prone areas. I want to learn how to use the strongest building materials to design and build infrastructure that is sustainable and eco-friendly. I need to make sure areas like mine are as prepared as possible in the face of disaster. My passion for sustainability developed in my AP Environmental Science class, when I was introduced to hydropower as an alternative method to fossil fuel energy generation. To explore the field of civil engineering, I decided to research hydropower and its efficiency, sustainability, and environmental impacts. Because I spent my childhood fishing with my grandpa in Iowa, I wanted to focus on the survival rates of fish that pass through hydroelectric turbines. I was paired with a mentor who had received her PhD in civil engineering from Stanford, and she guided me through the research process. To compare various turbine designs, I put my energy into focusing on distinct characteristics of each: the efficiency, maximum power output, cost, and the survival rates of the fish that crossed the turbines. After months of researching, analyzing data, and writing, my paper was published in the late October issue of the Curieux Academic Journal, titled, “A Review on Hydroelectric Turbine Performance with Emphasis on Fish Survival Rates.” I am proud of the fact that my work can be seen by other researchers, and I can share knowledge about hydropower while promoting sustainability. My grandfather’s generation of engineers focused on innovation and the creation of technology that would improve standard of living. My parents’ generation improved those designs while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. My generation must build on those advances, while making them environmentally friendly with dependable longevity. I want to be part of solutions that lead to greener and stronger communities at home and abroad.

Looking out at the slums of Manila from our rental car, I understood my dad’s need to leave his home as a teenager. The worn-down communities were no place to build a comfortable and fulfilling life. He ventured to the United States to build a new life and seek out the American Dream. I want to pursue a career in civil engineering so that my work will go toward bettering communities at home and abroad through infrastructure development. I’ve noticed areas in my own Los Angeles community with weak infrastructure that can be susceptible to damage in the event of earthquakes. With knowledge of structural engineering concepts, I want to work toward ensuring maximum stability of buildings, bridges, and homes in earthquake-prone areas. I want to learn how to use the strongest building materials to design and build infrastructure that is sustainable and eco-friendly. My passion for sustainability developed in my AP Environmental Science class, when I was introduced to hydropower as an alternative method to fossil fuel energy generation. To explore the field of civil engineering, I decided to research hydropower and its efficiency, sustainability, and environmental impacts. Because I spent my childhood fishing with my grandpa in Iowa, I wanted to focus on the survival rates of fish that pass through hydroelectric turbines. I was paired with a mentor who had received her PhD in civil engineering from Stanford, and she guided me through the research process. To compare various turbine designs, I put my energy into focusing on distinct characteristics of each: the efficiency, maximum power output, cost, and the survival rates of the fish that crossed the turbines. After months of researching, analyzing data, and writing, my paper was published in the late October issue of the Curieux Academic Journal, titled, “A Review on Hydroelectric Turbine Performance with Emphasis on Fish Survival Rates.” I am proud of the fact that my work can be seen by other researchers, and I can share knowledge about hydropower while promoting sustainability. My grandfather’s generation of engineers focused on innovation and the creation of technology that would improve standard of living. My parents’ generation improved those designs while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. My generation must build on those advances, while making them environmentally friendly with dependable longevity. I want to be part of solutions that lead to greener and stronger communities at home and abroad. I have big, ambitious dreams. It's the little girl in me. It's what I'll take to college with me and beyond. As women, it is our jobs to not only fulfill our own dreams, but show younger generations of girls that they can do it too. My generation of women needs to close the gender gap. I want to contribute to that. I don't want younger girls to be warned, the way I've been, that they're going into a field dominated by men. I don't want them to feel how isolating it is to have to walk into a classroom and feel like an imposter. Women need to make change in this world. For the world, for the history books, and for the little girls all around looking up to us. And of course, the little girl in each and every one of us young women.

Looking out at the slums of Manila from our rental car, I understood my dad’s need to leave his home as a teenager. The worn-down communities were no place to build a comfortable and fulfilling life. He ventured to the United States to build a new life and seek out the American Dream. I want to pursue a career in civil engineering so that my work will go toward bettering communities at home and abroad through infrastructure development. I’ve noticed areas in my own Los Angeles community with weak infrastructure that can be susceptible to damage in the event of earthquakes. With knowledge of structural engineering concepts, I want to work toward ensuring maximum stability of buildings, bridges, and homes in earthquake-prone areas. I want to learn how to use the strongest building materials to design and build infrastructure that is sustainable and eco-friendly. My passion for sustainability developed in my AP Environmental Science class, when I was introduced to hydropower as an alternative method to fossil fuel energy generation. To explore the field of civil engineering, I decided to research hydropower and its efficiency, sustainability, and environmental impacts. Because I spent my childhood fishing with my grandpa in Iowa, I wanted to focus on the survival rates of fish that pass through hydroelectric turbines. I was paired with a mentor who had received her PhD in civil engineering from Stanford, and she guided me through the research process. In order to compare various turbine designs, I put my energy into focusing on distinct characteristics of each: the efficiency, maximum power output, cost, and the survival rates of the fish that crossed the turbines. After months of researching, analyzing data, and writing, my paper was published in the late October issue of the Curieux Academic Journal, titled, “A Review on Hydroelectric Turbine Performance with Emphasis on Fish Survival Rates.” I am proud of the fact that my work can be seen by other researchers, and I can share knowledge about hydropower while promoting sustainability. My grandfather’s generation of engineers focused on innovation and the creation of technology that would improve standard of living. My parents’ generation improved those designs while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. My generation must build on those advances, while making them environmentally friendly with dependable longevity. I want to be a part of the solutions that lead to greener and stronger communities at home and abroad.

Growing up in south Los Angeles County, I participated in monthly earthquake drills at school. It became routine to get under my desk and protect my head from potential dangers such as falling ceiling tiles or portable classroom walls. I’ve lived through multiple earthquakes feeling the floor of my house shake and the windows rattle. The cracks in the walls and ceilings and uneven stairs and door frames are reminders of the quakes and the looming possibility of “The Big One.” In addition, water is always a concern for residents of southern California, and my family has always been focused on conservation due to the shortages. I know first hand the importance of civil engineering and how vital it is for communities to build sustainable buildings, transportation systems, and clean water solutions; my path to a civil engineering career has been forged by my experiences living in California. Although I live in California, my heart is in Iowa. I’ve spent every summer there visiting my grandparents and fishing the Mississippi River and its tributaries with my grandpa. It was easy to visualize Lock and Dam 14 when my AP Environmental Science teacher taught a unit on man-made river structures. I dove into learning all I could about hydroelectric power with a female mentor who holds a PhD from Stanford University in civil engineering. She guided me through a research project focused on the design, cost, and environmental impact of various hydroelectric turbines. I’m so proud of the fact that my research paper titled “A Review on Hydroelectric Turbine Performance With Emphasis on Fish Survival Rates ” was published in the October edition of the Curieux Academic Journal. A major career focus for me will be to design solutions that improve the lives of humans while limiting the impact on wildlife and the environment. Perhaps my greatest contribution to the field of engineering will be to mentor young women and get them excited about their futures in a STEM career. I was the recipient of mentorship by my research mentor and through the outreach program, Women In Science and Engineering (WiSE). I participated in the WiSE summer program at Iowa State University, and the experience gave me confidence in my decision to pursue civil engineering and close the gender gap in the field. As a woman of color from southern California (but a heart for Iowa!), I bring a diversity of thought to solving both urban and rural problems. I would LOVE to share my experiences with girls who also see the importance of sustainability and a green future!

Because of the success that past generations of innovators have had, society has thrived on innovations without thinking forward about the effects they could have on the future of resources and the environment. Sustainability is a practice and a choice, one that needs to be focused on in efforts of energy generation, manufacturing, and construction in order to ensure that human civilization is maximizing productivity while ensuring environmental security for years to come. Civil engineering is a field in which sustainability is imperative because having resilient infrastructure with clean and affordable energy will create the foundation for efficient and long lasting communities for generations. Additionally, finding alternatives to traditional energy generation methods will lower fossil fuel use and damage to natural resources and environments. My passion for sustainability developed in my AP Environmental Science class, when I was introduced to hydropower as an alternative method to fossil fuel energy generation. To deepen my knowledge on the subject and explore the field of civil engineering, I decided to research hydropower and its efficiency, sustainability, and environmental impacts. I was paired with a mentor who had received her PhD from Stanford in civil engineering, and she guided me through the researching process and introduced me to technical writing. I wanted to focus on the different types of hydroelectric turbines, from huge Pelton turbines to the sustainable Archimedes Screw turbine. To compare the various designs, I put my energy into focusing on distinct characteristics of each: the efficiency, maximum power output, cost, and the survival rates of the fish that crossed the turbines. I aimed to narrow down turbine designs that would have the greatest fish survival rates while excelling in power generation, highlighting the significance of sustainability throughout my paper. The data collection process was tedious work, but I learned how to research and I was able to deepen my knowledge on hydroelectric power. After months of researching, analyzing and writing, my paper was published in the late October issue of the Curieux Academic Journal, titled, “A Review on Hydroelectric Turbine Performance with Emphasis on Fish Survival Rates.” Throughout my research, I learned that the innovations in hydropower can be used more widely in the world in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels in areas where hydroelectric dams can be implemented. It is a step toward a world less reliant on energy sources that require mining, burning, and extraction processes, all of which tear up the natural world that houses human civilization. I am proud of the fact that my work can be seen by other researchers and I can spread knowledge about hydropower while promoting sustainability. Following my research, I began searching for careers in engineering in which I could focus on sustainable practices and implementation, while being able to serve the communities around me. I was inspired by my father’s experiences to pursue a career in civil engineering that focuses on infrastructure development. I had heard stories of my father’s home country, the Philippines, as I grew up, but I didn’t fully understand the standard of living there until I visited there myself. Looking out at the slums of Manila from our rental car, I understood my dad’s need to leave his home as a teenager. The worn-down communities were no place to build a comfortable and fulfilling life. He ventured to the United States to build a new life and seek out the American Dream. As a future engineer, I want to pursue a career in civil engineering so that my work will go toward community and infrastructure development. I want my work to benefit cities like Manila, and be able to see the results of my work in the communities that I serve. Not only will a focus in infrastructure development modernize and strengthen cities, but it will ensure that the buildings are resilient enough to withstand generations of use. Sustainability is more than preserving the environment and raw materials; it is creating infrastructure that will serve the people with dependable longevity. During my education at Iowa State University, I want to take advantage of overseas opportunities, in hopes to help underserved communities gain access to more dependable and efficient infrastructure. Additionally, I’ve noticed areas in my own Los Angeles community, dated and weak buildings that are susceptible to damage in the event of earthquakes. With an education in civil engineering, I want to work toward creating methods to ensure maximum stability of buildings and homes in earthquake-prone areas. With these efforts, I hope to minimize the damage on communities and preserve them. I want to learn how to maximize the strongest building materials to ensure structurally sound infrastructure. In doing so, it would ensure that communities would be prepared for natural disasters and would be resilient. Also, utilizing energy efficient designs would reduce the emissions in the LA area, which would contribute to lowering the damage in air quality. Finally, assessing the life cycle of building designs ensures that we are looking forward to seeing when renovations would have to be done and making alterations to the design if there are ways to increase longevity of the infrastructure. Therefore, my passion for sustainability has deepened throughout my research and my dedication to serving my community led me to pursue a career in which I could help both the people around me and the world around me. Receiving this scholarship would help my efforts to fund my education and the expenses that come with it. I’d be able to assist my family more and relieve some of the stress of having to help fund two children in college. This scholarship would be an investment in my education at Iowa State University, where I will gain theoretical, hands-on, and work experience in the field of civil engineering. It would contribute to my education and the innovations I hope to make toward more sustainability engineering methods.

Because of the success that past generations of innovators have had, society has thrived on innovations without thinking forward about the effects they could have on the future of resources and the environment. Sustainability is a practice and a choice, one that needs to be focused on in efforts of energy generation, manufacturing, and construction in order to ensure that human civilization is maximizing productivity while ensuring environmental security for years to come. Civil engineering is a field in which sustainability is imperative because having resilient infrastructure with clean and affordable energy will create the foundation for efficient and long lasting communities for generations. Additionally, finding alternatives to traditional energy generation methods will lower fossil fuel use and damage to natural resources and environments. My passion for sustainability developed in my AP Environmental Science class, when I was introduced to hydropower as an alternative method to fossil fuel energy generation. To deepen my knowledge on the subject and explore the field of civil engineering, I decided to research hydropower and its efficiency, sustainability, and environmental impacts. I was paired with a mentor who had received her PhD from Stanford in civil engineering, and she guided me through the researching process and introduced me to technical writing. I wanted to focus on the different types of hydroelectric turbines, from huge Pelton turbines to the sustainable Archimedes Screw turbine. To compare the various designs, I put my energy into focusing on distinct characteristics of each: the efficiency, maximum power output, cost, and the survival rates of the fish that crossed the turbines. I aimed to narrow down turbine designs that would have the greatest fish survival rates while excelling in power generation, highlighting the significance of sustainability throughout my paper. The data collection process was tedious work, but I learned how to research and I was able to deepen my knowledge on hydroelectric power. After months of researching, analyzing and writing, my paper was published in the late October issue of the Curieux Academic Journal, titled, “A Review on Hydroelectric Turbine Performance with Emphasis on Fish Survival Rates.” Throughout my research, I learned that the innovations in hydropower can be used more widely in the world in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels in areas where hydroelectric dams can be implemented. It is a step toward a world less reliant on energy sources that require mining, burning, and extraction processes, all of which tear up the natural world that houses human civilization. I am proud of the fact that my work can be seen by other researchers and I can spread knowledge about hydropower while promoting sustainability. Following my research, I began searching for careers in engineering in which I could focus on sustainable practices and implementation, while being able to serve the communities around me. I was inspired by my father’s experiences to pursue a career in civil engineering that focuses on infrastructure development. I had heard stories of my father’s home country, the Philippines, as I grew up, but I didn’t fully understand the standard of living there until I visited there myself. Looking out at the slums of Manila from our rental car, I understood my dad’s need to leave his home as a teenager. The worn-down communities were no place to build a comfortable and fulfilling life. He ventured to the United States to build a new life and seek out the American Dream. As a future engineer, I want to pursue a career in civil engineering so that my work will go toward community and infrastructure development. I want my work to benefit cities like Manila, and be able to see the results of my work in the communities that I serve. Not only will a focus in infrastructure development modernize and strengthen cities, but it will ensure that the buildings are resilient enough to withstand generations of use. Sustainability is more than preserving the environment and raw materials; it is creating infrastructure that will serve the people with dependable longevity. During my education at Iowa State University, I want to take advantage of overseas opportunities, in hopes to help underserved communities gain access to more dependable and efficient infrastructure. Additionally, I’ve noticed areas in my own Los Angeles community, dated and weak buildings that are susceptible to damage in the event of earthquakes. With an education in civil engineering, I want to work toward creating methods to ensure maximum stability of buildings and homes in earthquake-prone areas. With these efforts, I hope to minimize the damage on communities and preserve them. I want to learn how to maximize the strongest building materials to ensure structurally sound infrastructure. In doing so, it would ensure that communities would be prepared for natural disasters and would be resilient. Also, utilizing energy efficient designs would reduce the emissions in the LA area, which would contribute to lowering the damage in air quality. Finally, assessing the life cycle of building designs ensures that we are looking forward to seeing when renovations would have to be done and making alterations to the design if there are ways to increase longevity of the infrastructure. Therefore, my passion for sustainability has deepened throughout my research and my dedication to serving my community led me to pursue a career in which I could help both the people around me and the world around me. Receiving this scholarship would help my efforts to fund my education and the expenses that come with it. I’d be able to assist my family more and relieve some of the stress of having to help fund two children in college. This scholarship would be an investment in my education at Iowa State University, where I will gain theoretical, hands-on, and work experience in the field of civil engineering. It would contribute to my education and the innovations I hope to make toward more sustainability engineering methods.

Looking out at the slums of Manila from our rental car, I understood my dad’s need to leave his home as a teenager. The worn-down communities were no place to build a comfortable and fulfilling life. He ventured to the United States to build a new life and seek out the American Dream. I want to pursue a career in civil engineering so that my work will go toward bettering communities at home and abroad through infrastructure development. I want my work to benefit cities like Manila. I’ve noticed areas in my own Los Angeles community with weak infrastructure that can be susceptible to damage in the event of earthquakes. With knowledge of structural engineering concepts, I want to work toward ensuring maximum stability of buildings, bridges, and homes in earthquake-prone areas. I want to learn how to use the strongest building materials to design and build infrastructure that is sustainable and eco-friendly. My passion for sustainability developed in my AP Environmental Science class, when I was introduced to hydropower as an alternative method to fossil fuel energy generation. To explore the field of civil engineering, I decided to research hydropower and its efficiency, sustainability, and environmental impacts. Because I spent my childhood fishing with my grandpa in Iowa, I wanted to focus on the survival rates of fish that pass through hydroelectric turbines. I was paired with a mentor who had received her PhD in civil engineering from Stanford, and she guided me through the research process. To compare various turbine designs, I put my energy into focusing on distinct characteristics of each: the efficiency, maximum power output, cost, and the survival rates of the fish that crossed the turbines. After months of researching, analyzing data, and writing, my paper was published in the late October issue of the Curieux Academic Journal, titled, “A Review on Hydroelectric Turbine Performance with Emphasis on Fish Survival Rates.” I am proud of the fact that my work can be seen by other researchers, and I can share knowledge about hydropower while promoting sustainability. My grandfather’s generation of engineers focused on innovation and the creation of technology that would improve standard of living. My parents’ generation improved those designs while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. My generation must build on those advances, while making them environmentally friendly with dependable longevity. I want to be part of solutions that lead to greener and stronger communities at home and abroad.

My future self will create a lasting impact in the field of civil engineering and inspire the next generation of female STEM pursuers to strive and follow their passion.