I've chosen to pursue a degree in STEM because biotechnology is something I'm extremely passionate about and love. Taking Living Earth as a freshman ignited my interest in biological sciences as I learned more and more about how the world works. I was amazed at how I could apply topics from class to things in my daily life. Sophomore year, I took chemistry honors. I was disappointed when it was announced that a long-term sub would teach us. I did not want to let that stop my pursuit of knowledge, so I fueled my curiosity through research, watching scientific documentaries in my spare time, reading, and utilizing the internet to help me understand scientific terms. When I took biotechnology in my junior year, I found it to be a rewarding class in terms of my pursuit of knowledge and my interactions with my peers. One of my fondest memories is constructing an amino acid model with my classmates, easily communicating with them through our curiosity, and learning from the mistakes made during construction. In the future, I plan to utilize my love for science with communication and my creative side. In a sense, the world of biology is full of puzzles. I resonate with biotechnology and biology as a whole. The system of puzzles only allows for one answer, while in biology, there is no definitive. This subject will enable me to make use of my creative side by problem-solving and thinking innovatively. Biotechnology fuels my creative side, allowing me to use my creative insight to further contribute to the field and look for new ways to make the world efficient and positive. I plan to major as an undergraduate in biotechnology at a university in California. I also plan to apply to biotech internships, such as Genentech. If I’m accepted into UC Berkeley, I will take advantage of their Master of Biotechnology program and prepare myself to enter the biotech field and workforce. My interest in biotech primarily lies in DNA sequencing and gene editing. Having done CRISPR tests during my junior year, I’m particularly fascinated by gene editing and modification. My main ambition is to use CRISPR and apply it to the genetics and diagnostic field. I want to enhance the diagnostic tools the world has, allowing medical personnel to prevent diseases, viruses, and bacteria from spreading and allowing treatment to be registered early on. In the long term, I will place attention on diagnostics and labs. Though I originally wanted to become an OB/GYN, I fell in love with biotechnology when I took it junior year. The class heavily influenced me positively. We ran labs and did testing, such as CRISPR and PCR. I intend to work in the biotech field, developing and enhancing diagnostic tools, and allowing medical personnel to detect and diagnose diseases and disorders earlier. I want to focus on reproductive health disorders. While the main procedure used to diagnose is only minimally invasive, I want to make it non-invasive. I know invasive surgeries scare off many patients, so minimizing invasiveness and risk for patients is my main ambition. This scholarship will allow me to make strides in my education and eventually pay back to the world through my ambition of developing new medical diagnostic innovations. This scholarship will also let me become an advocate for persons of color in the scientific field. As an Asian/Iranian woman, I know representation is important. Having diversity in STEM will encourage youth to pursue the field and show that there's countless possibilities. Seeing other Asian women in STEM, for example, motivated me to delve deeper into science.

Coming from a single-parent and low-income household, I've been taught the importance of resilience and education. With no one else in my family having a college degree, I grew up determined to go to college and get a degree. I learned the importance of community as a result of my background. My community would often help my mother and me when we were struggling. Being exposed to this kindness, I wanted to reciprocate. I try and make a positive impact on my community as a whole by volunteering at my local food bank. To be an active member at my school, I volunteer as a math tutor and help fellow students. While I faced judgment for my familial situation, I didn't let it bother me. My parents were divorced as a result of domestic violence. The judgment I received only reminded me that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover. With this mentality, I was able to prosper in multiple subject areas as I kept an open mind. This was integral for science-related courses, as I ended up disliking it during middle school to now wanting to pursue a biotechnological career. Actively, I'm using resources offered at my school to help me prosper. I am in the Upward Bound program which helps me become prepared for college. I've taken biotechnology as a class during my junior year. Biotechnology is my intended major and taking it as a class has helped me gain more experience and become more confident in my goal of improving and designing diagnostic tools. I've also taken 8 AP exams. I know that I have to ask for help from my community regarding financing my education, but I know that I can pay back the help I receive by contributing to humanity and medicine.

If a friend or a loved one came to me for guidance on a major life decision, I would try to handle the situation while considering their perspective and viewpoint. My friend came to me for advice on whether or not she should switch schools. While she was looking to transfer to my school, I decided to advise her against the transfer. I wanted her to be at the same school as me so we could socialize more, of course. However, when I looked at the situation from her perspective, I knew the best guidance I could offer her was to stay at the school she was at. While my school has a few biology classes, her school has academies dedicated to healthcare, which was her intended career. I advised her to stay and utilize the opportunities she has at her school's campus, which worked out in the end as she joined the academy and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In regards to challenges, I've faced a major one in my pursuit of STEM. That challenge is my biology. Since the tenth grade, I've dealt with constant, often debilitating pain in my wrists, elbows, and neck as a result of carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome. The pain I experience is persistent and there is no way to plan my activities around it. As a result, the quantity of work I produced decreased, having repercussions in regards to my grades. Taking advanced classes and receiving piles of homework per week, I realized that my diagnosis proved to be a challenge in my academic life. When I noticed my grades slipping, I knew I had to take action. At the time, I was worried about the extent to which my disability would impact my future. I contacted my counselor. With her support, I was able to formulate a 504 plan to receive accommodations that would help me work around the barrier my disability created and succeed academically. I was hesitant to ask for support, fearing that I'd be perceived as lazy. However, I realized that I had a disadvantage and these accommodations would propel me onto the same level as my peers and allow me to thrive. With the support of my community, I am now able to manage my schoolwork alongside my disability. My accommodations allowed me to not sacrifice quality over quantity and now I can put effort and care into every one of my assignments. My grades have improved and I felt a great increase in the quality of my work. Since receiving the help I needed, I have become confident in advocating not only for my rights but also for my peers. The endless encouragement from my peers and school faculty has inspired me to reciprocate by establishing strong bonds and offering help to students in similar situations. This experience has taught me the value of support and advocacy when overcoming challenges and impacted my academic achievement. I have gone from someone afraid to ask for help to someone who helps others. Having faced this challenge, I was able to help navigate other students almost immediately after my experience. I met an underclassmen who shared a similar condition. I was able to offer her advice and was able to let her share her frustrations with someone who understood the impact of physical limitations. In addition, I shared the resources I used to form my 504 and encouraged her to talk with her counselors and teachers to help her excel. I recommend that any student facing a handicap or limitation engage with their community for support and formulate a 504 plan to receive accommodations. With this adversity, I learned that to accomplish my goals, I have to ask for help and engage with my community. To thrive means to make a positive influence, not only on your own life but on others. When I asked for help regarding making an accommodation plan, I had a positive influence on my life. When I encouraged a fellow student with a disability to make an accommodation plan, I like to think I positively influenced her life. Coming from a low-income family with a single mother, I know that I have to ask for help from my community regarding financing my education. This is why I'm applying for this scholarship. I've always wanted to go to college but wasn't sure if my family had the resources for it. I want to pursue biotechnology. I plan to major as an undergraduate in biotechnology at UC Davis/Irvine or genetics & plant biology at UC Berkeley. If I’m accepted into UC Berkeley, I will take advantage of their Master of Biotechnology program and prepare myself to enter the biotech field and workforce. My interest in biotech primarily lies in DNA sequencing and gene editing, so I want to make innovations in those fields. Having done CRISPR tests during my junior year, I’m particularly fascinated by gene editing and modification. My main ambition is to use CRISPR and apply it to the genetics and diagnostic field. I want to enhance the diagnostic tools the world has, allowing medical personnel to prevent diseases, viruses, and disorders from spreading and allowing treatment to be registered early on. Earlier discovery and treatment means higher recovery and mortality rates. My original goal in life was to be an OB/GYN, and while I still think it is an amazing field, I found my place in biotech. However, this change has influenced my goals. Using other methods than CRISPR, I want the diagnostic tools I work on to focus primarily on reproductive health. Endometriosis runs in my family and while the main procedure used to diagnose is only minimally invasive, I want to make it non-invasive. I know invasive surgeries scare off many patients, so minimizing invasiveness and risk for patients is one of my ambitions. This scholarship will allow me to make strides in my education and eventually pay back to the world through my ambition of developing new medical diagnostic innovations.

Since the tenth grade, I've dealt with constant, often debilitating pain in my wrists, elbows, and neck as a result of carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome. The pain I experience is persistent and there is no way to plan my activities around it. As a result, the quantity of work I produced decreased, having repercussions in regards to my grades. Taking advanced classes and receiving piles of homework per week, I realized that my diagnosis proved to be a challenge in my academic life. When I noticed my grades slipping, I knew I had to take action. At the time, I was worried about the extent to which my disability would impact my future. I contacted my counselor. With her support, I was able to formulate a 504 plan to receive accommodations that would help me work around the barrier my disability created and succeed academically. I was hesitant to ask for support, fearing that I'd be perceived as lazy. However, I realized that I had a disadvantage and these accommodations would propel me onto the same level as my peers and allow me to thrive. With the support of my community, I am now able to manage my schoolwork alongside my disability. My accommodations allowed me to not sacrifice quality over quantity and now I can put effort and care into every one of my assignments. My grades have improved and I felt a great increase in the quality of my work. Since receiving the help I needed, I have become confident in advocating not only for my rights but also for my peers. The endless encouragement from my peers and school faculty has inspired me to reciprocate by establishing strong bonds and offering help to students in similar situations. This experience has taught me the value of support and advocacy when overcoming challenges and impacted my academic achievement. I have gone from someone afraid to ask for help to someone who helps others, showing personal development and adaptability. I was able to give back to my community when I met a student with a disability like me. Although we didn't have the same condition, we both had ailments in our wrists. I was able to guide her and encourage her to advocate for herself. I also was able to share my experience and provide resources! I was glad I was able to make a difference and was inspired to do more community service. Through a club at my school called CSF, I was able to volunteer at my local food bank. I've been involved in the math tutoring program throughout my senior year of high school. I primarily tutor students who are concerned about algebra and trigonometry. Though I've only been part of the program briefly, I've come to enjoy it. Through my participation in the tutoring program, I’ve demonstrated leadership, positively influencing other students at my school through my experience as a math tutor, all while contributing to my community and garnering 12+ service hours. Being from a low-income family, I know that I have to ask for help from my community regarding financing my education. I know that I have to ask for help and I know that I can pay back the help I receive through contributing to humanity and medicine. I want to enhance the diagnostic tools the world has, allowing medical personnel to prevent diseases, viruses, and disorders from spreading and allowing treatment to be registered early on. Earlier discovery and treatment means higher recovery and mortality rates. I will major in biotechnology or genetics & plant biology and apply for biotech internships.