I believe that my purpose is connected to making the world a better place. I believe that my experiences thus far have prepared me to take the next steps in finding and pursuing my purpose. And I believe that a successful STEM career will be a key factor in my journey. I have attended 10 schools and lived in 5 different countries. In high school alone, I attended 3 schools in 3 different countries. With all the moving around, I had to become proficient in managing change. The key, for me, was balance. Sometimes I was genuinely excited about the changes, and other times I was petrified. I forced myself to see the positive aspects while keeping a grip on the reality that not all the changes would be pleasant for me. I leaned into opportunities to gain perspective from others’ points of view so that I could think about change in a balanced way. I watched as politicians, TV personalities, and social media influencers drove one-sided conversations designed to convince us that there was only one solution to every challenge. Anything mentioned on the contrary had to be completely flawed, as evidenced by efforts to quickly discount alternative viewpoints. One thing the world needs more of is balanced thinkers, people who appreciate various perspectives and incorporate them as key decisions are being made. That’s why I am excited about my future career in STEM. STEM fields offer a problem solving process that seeks opposing data points so that the solution offered can be strengthened. I plan to become a chemical engineer, concentrating in the energy field. I want to make significant headway with nuclear power. Through study and research, I hope to find ways for it to be more sustainable and safely executed as the world transitions its energy sources. I understand that there are both positives and negatives associated with all of the world’s options for energy sources. One “correct” solution cannot be our goal. The 7 years I spent living in developing countries have shown me that the loudest demands on energy policy are connected to how much access a nation has to energy resources and infrastructure. While energy-rich nations may desire to advance movement from fossil fuels to cleaner or renewable energy sources, energy-poor nations see access to reliable and affordable energy sources as the main goal. Based on their immediate needs, they are not as interested in the less-stable experimental stages of alternative energy. My learned ability to understand various perspectives and represent them in a way that turns opposing viewpoints into stronger solutions will be needed as society continues the discussion around energy transition. I look forward to being a necessary spark when our society is stuck with a hard problem, and my career in STEM will prepare me for this responsibility. The world is quickly evolving, and in 10 years, I want to be one of the reasons we’re not left behind.