A few years ago, if you told me I’d be studying environmental science in college, it would have sounded like a joke. Throughout high school, I avoided taking any science or math classes that weren’t necessary, and I stuck to what felt familiar - humanities. Coming from a low-income background and attending an inner-city school with an understaffed and underfunded STEM department, I didn’t have the best experience. Most days were characterized by changing substitute teachers, no curriculum, and limited opportunities to participate in science-related labs, projects, or experiments. The lack of staffing made it especially hard to get help in subjects like biology and algebra, and I often had to seek tutoring outside of school to stay at grade level. I quickly decided that I hated science, and I would stay far away from anything remotely related. All of those feelings changed for me once I took a leap of faith during the winter quarter of my freshman year. I happened to come across an introductory seminar titled Life At Extremes: Deep Sea to Deep Space. Something about the title piqued my interest, so I registered for the class without a second thought. To say my experience in the class transformed my feelings about science would be an understatement. The class truly opened my eyes to what science is- a systematic application of knowledge to better understand the natural and social world. Science prompts us to think critically about the whys, hows, and whens. It challenges people to ask bold questions and find real-world explanations. Science calls for community, collaboration, and critical inquiry. Although the class covered topics about extremophiles and the possibility of extraterrestrial life, I couldn’t help but notice the ecstatic feeling that brewed within me during the oceanic topics! I instantly knew I wanted to learn more. I began taking courses on oceanography, marine ecology, climate change, and environmental justice. Before engaging in this curriculum, I held little knowledge about the significance of the ocean and its role in regulating our climate, fostering biodiversity, and providing a source of food and income to billions of people globally. Unfortunately, our oceans are facing the brunt of anthropogenically driven climate change. With rising sea levels, increasing plastic pollution, and glacial melting, humanity and wildlife face devastating consequences and irreversible damage. This scholarship can help me finish my undergraduate degree and continue my education! I plan to pursue a PhD in oceanography focusing on ocean circulation patterns and nutrient transport. Uncovering the implications of changing patterns can provide more insight into how complex oceanic systems are responding to rising global temperatures and increased carbon sequestration. My goal is to provide more information about global heat distribution and nutrient transport. This information can improve planning for Marine Protected Areas projects. Furthermore, I plan to emphasize the importance of science communication. Understanding the scientific mechanisms that go into preserving our oceans is important, but so is community outreach. Many people care about taking care of our oceans, but scientific discoveries and significant information about climate change are often filled with jargon that assumes a science background. This can discourage many from engaging with science and leave others without the tools and knowledge to take on a role in ocean conservation. Science must not be gatekept in elite academic space. It must be accessible to the general public. I am currently minoring in Notation in Science Communication to equip myself with the professional skills to communicate science to a wide range of audiences. The fight to mitigate climate change and conserve our oceans cannot happen without community involvement and digestible environmental education.

A few years ago, if you told me I’d be majoring in environmental science in college, it would have sounded like a joke. Throughout high school, I avoided taking any science or math classes that weren’t absolutely necessary, and I stuck to what felt familiar - humanities. Coming from a low-income background and attending an inner-city school with an understaffed and underfunded STEM department, I didn’t have the best experience. Most days were characterized by changing substitute teachers, no curriculum, and limited opportunities to participate in science-related labs, projects, or experiments. The lack of staffing made it especially hard to get help in subjects like biology and algebra, and I often had to seek tutoring outside of school to stay at grade level. I quickly decided that I didn’t like science, and I would stay far away from anything remotely related. All of those feelings changed for me once I took a leap of faith during the winter quarter of my freshman year. I happened to come across an introductory seminar titled Life At Extremes: Deep Sea to Deep Space. Something about the title piqued my interest, so I registered for the class without a second thought. To say my experience in the class transformed my feelings about science would be an understatement. The class truly opened my eyes to what science is- a systematic application of knowledge to better understand the natural and social world. Science prompts us to think critically about the whys, hows, and whens. It challenges people to ask bold questions and find real-world explanations. Science calls for community, collaboration, and critical inquiry. Although the class covered topics about extremophiles and the possibility of extraterrestrial life, I couldn’t help but notice the ecstatic feeling that brewed within me during the oceanic topics! I instantly knew I wanted to learn more. I began taking more courses on oceanography, marine ecology, climate change, and environmental justice. Before engaging in this curriculum, I held little knowledge about the significance of the ocean and its role in regulating our climate, fostering diverse ecosystems, and providing a source of food and income to billions of people globally. Unfortunately, our oceans are facing the brunt of anthropogenically driven climate change. With rising temperatures and sea levels, increasing plastic pollution, and glacial melting, both humanity and wildlife face devastating consequences and irreversible damage. I plan to continue my education and pursue a PhD in oceanography, focusing on ocean circulation patterns and nutrient transport. Uncovering the implications of changing patterns can provide more insight into how complex oceanic systems are responding to rising global temperatures and increased carbon sequestration. My goal is to provide more information about global heat distribution and nutrient transport. This information can improve planning for Marine Protected Areas projects. Furthermore, I plan to emphasize the importance of science communication. Understanding the scientific mechanisms that go into preserving our oceans is important, but so is community outreach. Many people care about taking care of our oceans, but scientific discoveries and significant information about climate change are often filled with jargon that assumes a science background. This can discourage many from engaging with science and leave others without the tools and knowledge to take on a role in ocean conservation. Science must not be gatekept in elite academic space. It must be accessible to the general public. I am currently minoring in Notation in Science Communication to equip myself with the professional skills to communicate science to a wide range of audiences. The fight to mitigate climate change and conserve our oceans cannot happen without community involvement and digestible environmental education.