One day, doing research for an Honors biology project, I came across a study on tissue regeneration and stem cells. This instantly piqued my interest—a technology that had the potential to create entire organs? This led to my discovery of biomedical engineering, which seemingly combined everything I was passionate about. That year, I took every engineering class I could, alongside advanced chemistry. I attended a summer program that provided hands-on laboratory experience with stem and cancer cells. Our instructor was meticulous and exacting, and I worked closely with my teammates learning to properly handle cells. Although we were performing essentially simple experiments, such as mixing melatonin with breast cancer cells, I felt like I was doing something that really mattered. The potential stem cells held to help cure diseases in the future seemed unlimited. The next summer, I attended the Boston Leadership Institute, where I took classes and explored the connections between biomedical engineering and other fields like genetics. There, I discovered a keen interest in medical devices, after working to create an original prototype. My group focused on hand osteoarthritis, which has no cure, and the devices already in the market do not provide much help. Our design, a bionic hand, which would have finger extensions so that the patient would not have to bend their distal interphalangeal joints, would provide substantial help to patients in performing everyday tasks. Today, I am focused on making a difference in the medical devices side of the biomedical engineering field. In college, I hope to gain further laboratory experience as quickly as possible. More than ever, my continued research into medical devices has affirmed my commitment to improving peoples’ through biomedical engineering. Since many of my family members suffer from diabetes, I hope to be able to conduct research on diabetes treatments, in order to start working to design my own medical devices to help people with this condition. At heart, I’ve always wanted to make an impact in peoples’ lives, and I hope to do so as a biomedical engineer.