My name is Zachariah Jones, and I stand before you today not only as a freshman at Case Western Reserve University but as someone profoundly changed by the experiences of my first semester. The dreams and aspirations I once held have evolved, and I now see my academic and career goals through a more emotional and mature lens. Throughout my life, my path has ricocheted back and forth between the realms of biology and engineering, each captivating me in its own unique way. However, it was during my junior year of high school that I discovered the awe-inspiring world of biomedical engineering. At that moment, my passion ignited, and I found a true purpose: to alleviate the limitations of the human body through groundbreaking engineering innovations. It was an idealistic vision, driven by the belief that the 20th century still had boundless potential for medical advancements. My motto, "If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body," was etched firmly in my heart. In the pursuit of personal growth in Christ and career development, I embarked on a soul-searching endeavor, asking myself the toughest question: "Why am I doing this?" The answer I found was profound and enlightening. To claim a relationship with an unseen God requires truly knowing Him. This knowledge can be attained by observing the Earth and witnessing the evidence of His Majesty and His influence. It can also be discovered in the intricacies and "laws" of the universe that govern our world. By understanding the universe, I believe I come closer to understanding a portion of what God has created. Science, in essence, is not a tool to disprove God; rather, it is humanity's humble attempt to fathom the wonders He has bestowed upon us. That is why, alongside biomedical engineering, I have chosen to study engineering physics, as it epitomizes my desire to unravel the mysteries of the world God has crafted. My academic and research interests, driven by both idealism and intellectual curiosity, continue to encompass prosthetics and the brain-machine interface, seeking innovative ways to facilitate rehabilitation. But my path has now expanded, and I am drawn to explore the realms of experimental physics, delving into quantum sensing and particle physics. This dual pursuit, though unconventional, is a reflection of my emotional and mature understanding that both science and faith can coexist harmoniously and propel me closer to my purpose. In conclusion, my name is Zachariah Jones, and I am not just a freshman at Case Western Reserve University; I am an individual transformed by the fusion of faith and science. My journey has been one of growth, spiritual enlightenment, and a burning passion to make my mark in the fields of engineering and physics. With a heart full of purpose, I walk this path, determined to inspire change, break barriers, and leave an enduring legacy that transcends the limitations of expectations and stereotypes.

If I was asked what my career and academic goals would be last year, I would have an entirely different answer with a very different perspective. However, after completing my first semester of college and learning more about myself I have not only grown spiritually but also mentally. For my entire life, my career path has oscillated between biology and engineering, going back and forth until I discovered the wonderful world of biomedical engineering. It was in my junior year of high school that I was wholly set on biomedical engineering. At this point, in time I was dedicated to helping the human race through engineering innovations. My motto at the time was “If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body.” It's very idealistic I know, but I truly believe that in the 20th century, we are not at peak medical innovations have decades until we can say medical technology is good enough. Admittedly in addition to being somewhat idealistic, I was still childish and had never experienced real worship of Christ and it showed in my faith. I was raised and still am a devout Christian and I was raised in a non-denominational household. I had never been in an environment that challenged my faith or even inspired it to grow. Essentially, I did not know what real faith in God was. After my first semester, and being near other Christians I learned that faith in God was more than knowledge of God, it was having a relationship with God that can only be accomplished through prayer, continuous worship, reading of the scriptures, and reflection on the lives of the saints. These are lessons that I was also able to learn from Orthodoxy. My first semester of college also exposed me to the multitude of fields within physics beyond the rudimentary cars driving in straight lines or baseballs falling in a vacuum. At the same time, however, I also wanted to keep pursuing an education in Biomedical engineering. Fortunately, CWRU offers a study in engineering physics with a focus on biomedical engineering which checked all of my boxes and at this point I was satisfied. In order to satisfy my growth in Christ as well as my career development I had to ask myself the hardest question, “Why am I doing this?”. Fortunately, I have an answer, to claim to have a relationship with an unseen God one must know Him. In order to know Him we can look at the Earth and evidence of His majesty and influence, but we can also look to the “laws” of the universe and the details of the world. To know and understand the universe is to understand a portion of what God has created bringing me a step closer to Him. Science doesn't disprove God but it's merely man’s attempt to understand what God has created. That is why in addition to biomedical engineering I am also studying engineering physic because it is a manifestation of my desire to understand the world God has created. My academic & research interests still include prosthetics and leveraging the brain-machine interface for rehabilitation for idealistic reasons. But I cannot deny my curiosity and dedication to understanding the world through pursuing a possible career as an experimental physicist to develop innovations in quantum sensing and particle physics. Fortunately, for me to succeed all I need is for someone to take a chance on me and I know any financial support will be beneficial.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. The anatomy and complexity of the human body make it one of the most captivating and tantalizing engineering puzzles known to man. Now, the question remains how can one make something that’s already so complex even better? The answer is through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For centuries humans have sought to prevent ailments and conditions that plague the human race through the development of chemical marvels such as medications and revolutionary surgical procedures. For example, in the 18th century contracting the common cold would’ve been seen as a death sentence with almost no hope for survival. At this point, it's simply seen as a minor inconvenience that can be solved with a $7 box of Tylenol from your local Target. Scientists have even found a way to increase human resiliency to sickness. As early as 1796, a researcher by the name of Edward Jenner developed the first “vaccine”. He was able to discover that infection with cowpox could protect a person from smallpox infection a crude but effective way of preventing such a lethal condition. Essentially, the human body is a machine, and every day that passes scientists improve it more and more. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

For my entire life, my career path has oscillated between biology and engineering, going back and forth until I discovered the wonderful world of biomedical engineering. It was in my junior year of high school that I was wholly set on biomedical engineering. At this point in time I was dedicated to helping the human race through engineering innovations. My motto at the time was “If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body.” It's very idealistic I know, but I truly believe that we in the 20th century are not at peak medical innovations have decades until we can say medical technology is near perfect. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally, electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far-away possibilities. To accomplish these goals the best avenue to take is to acquire the necessary academic credential from a university. Not only this but an efficient and structured education is also necessary to me to attain these goals.

If I was asked what my career and academic goals would be last year, I would have an entirely different answer with a very different perspective. However, after completing my first semester of college and learning more about myself I have not only grown spiritually but also mentally. For my entire life, my career path has oscillated between biology and engineering, going back and forth until I discovered the wonderful world of biomedical engineering. It was in my junior year of high school that I was wholly set on biomedical engineering. At this point, in time I was dedicated to helping the human race through engineering innovations. My motto at the time was “If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body.” Admittedly in addition to being somewhat idealistic, I was still childish and had never experienced real worship of Christ and it showed in my faith. I was raised and still am a devout Christian and I was raised in a non-denominational household. I had never been in an environment that challenged my faith or even inspired it to grow. Essentially, I did not know what real faith in God was. After my first semester, and being near other Christians I learned that faith in God was more than knowledge of God, it was having a relationship with God that can only be accomplished through prayer, continuous worship, reading of the scriptures, and reflection on the lives of the saints. These are lessons that I was also able to learn from Orthodoxy. Now for the question of the day "How do I see this changing my life trajectory?" As a devout Black (Zimbabwean-American) Christian pursuing an education in engineering and physics, I am the odd man in both areas of my life. Especially, since I attend a Greek Orthodox church in Cleveland Ohio, making me stand out even more. Despite this, I strive to bridge the gap between science and faith and convey that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, scientific advancements have rarely been credited to people of African descent, especially in the field of physics and chemistry. In order to satisfy my growth in Christ as well as my career development I had to ask myself the hardest question, “Why am I doing this?”. Fortunately, I have an answer, to claim to have a relationship with an unseen God one must know Him. In order to know Him we can look at the Earth and evidence of His majesty and influence, but we can also look to the “laws” of the universe and the details of the world. To know and understand the universe is to understand a portion of what God has created bringing me a step closer to Him. Science doesn't disprove God but it's merely man’s attempt to understand what God has created. That is why in addition to biomedical engineering I am also studying engineering physic because it is a manifestation of my desire to understand the world God has created. My academic & research interests still include prosthetics and leveraging the brain-machine interface for rehabilitation for idealistic reasons. But I cannot deny my curiosity and dedication to understanding the world through pursuing a possible career as an experimental physicist to develop innovations in quantum sensing and particle physics.

If I was asked what my career and academic goals would be last year, I would have an entirely different answer with a very different perspective. However, after completing my first semester of college and learning more about myself I have not only grown spiritually but also mentally. For my entire life, my career path has oscillated between biology and engineering, going back and forth until I discovered the wonderful world of biomedical engineering. It was in my junior year of high school that I was wholly set on biomedical engineering. At this point, in time I was dedicated to helping the human race through engineering innovations. My motto at the time was “If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body.” Admittedly in addition to being somewhat idealistic, I was still childish and had never experienced real worship of Christ and it showed in my faith. I was raised and still am a devout Christian and I was raised in a non-denominational household. I had never been in an environment that challenged my faith or even inspired it to grow. Essentially, I did not know what real faith in God was. After my first semester, and being near other Christians I learned that faith in God was more than knowledge of God, it was having a relationship with God that can only be accomplished through prayer, continuous worship, reading of the scriptures, and reflection on the lives of the saints. These are lessons that I was also able to learn from Orthodoxy. Now for the question of the day "How do I see this changing my life trajectory?" As a devout Black (Zimbabwean-American) Christian pursuing an education in engineering and physics, I am the odd man in both areas of my life. Especially, since I attend a Greek Orthodox church in Cleveland Ohio, making me stand out even more. Despite this, I strive to bridge the gap between science and faith and convey that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, scientific advancements have rarely been credited to people of African descent, especially in the field of physics and chemistry. In order to satisfy my growth in Christ as well as my career development I had to ask myself the hardest question, “Why am I doing this?”. Fortunately, I have an answer, to claim to have a relationship with an unseen God one must know Him. In order to know Him we can look at the Earth and evidence of His majesty and influence, but we can also look to the “laws” of the universe and the details of the world. To know and understand the universe is to understand a portion of what God has created bringing me a step closer to Him. Science doesn't disprove God but it's merely man’s attempt to understand what God has created. That is why in addition to biomedical engineering I am also studying engineering physic because it is a manifestation of my desire to understand the world God has created. My academic & research interests still include prosthetics and leveraging the brain-machine interface for rehabilitation for idealistic reasons. But I cannot deny my curiosity and dedication to understanding the world through pursuing a possible career as an experimental physicist to develop innovations in quantum sensing and particle physics.

As a devout Black (Zimbabwean-American) Christian believer pursuing an education in Engineering and Physics, I am the odd man in both areas of my life. I strive to bridge the gap between science and faith and convey that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Scientific advancements are rarely credited to African descent people and research driven by faith is rarely considered. Even more, daring is the great divide between the Church members of the science community. As such this path is not without its failures. Failure is a truly amorphous term that can be defined in various ways depending on the perspective. Failure to me is defined as any result that deviates from the initial goal. This is not to say failure is bad, because failure can lead to learning experiences that can enlighten or enhance any project. As a result of this, I always strive to learn from any experience be it a success or failure. For example, in the spring of 2021, I entered a STEM competition in which I was tasked with creating a miniature Cybertruck with whatever control scheme, electrical design, or system that I desired. I knew that I wanted a remote-controlled Cybertruck, I just had to decide how it would be done. After some contemplating, I decided on a wireless car controlled by an infrared (IR) remote. In the end, this project had three main versions each having its own failure and lessons learned. Something else that was interesting is that the battery cell I was planning on using couldn’t power the entire car, so I had to acquire another battery. Interestingly enough I had a portable battery for a drink mixer that possessed a USB connection. To remedy this first problem, I utilized the blue cord that comes with the Arduino and the drink mixer battery to power the battery. This ended “Version 1” of my build. In “Version 2” I had to remedy the fact that there were now two batteries that weren’t in the initial design. Fortunately, at this time I also learned 3D printing, so I was able to overcome this problem in my 3D models. The key part of that build was the trunk. An important consideration to make was finding the perfect balance between the length and weight to ensure that the weight would not disrupt the car while in motion and that the length would allow for carrying a second battery. A problem I had with v2 was that the PLA case was blocking the IR sensor which led to sporadic control over the car. This led me to Autodesk to remove portions of the case which simultaneously reduced the amount of material needed to print, provided a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, and provided more direct access from the IR remote to the IR receiver.

For my entire life, my career path has oscillated between biology and engineering, going back and forth until I discovered the wonderful world of biomedical engineering. It was in my junior year of high school I was completely set on biomedical engineering and this later for about 2 years until I completed my first semester at Case Western Reserve University. The exposure to the multitude of fields within physics beyond the rudimentary cars driving in straight lines or baseballs falling in a vacuum rocked my world. At this same time, however, I also wanted to keep pursuing an education in Biomedical engineering. Fortunately, CWRU offers a study in engineering physics with a focus on biomedical engineering which checked all of my boxes and at this point I was satisfied. Now for the question of the day "how do I see this changing my life trajectory?". As a devout Black (Zimbabwean-American) Christian believer pursuing an education in Engineering and Physics, I am the odd man in both areas of my life. I strive to bridge the gap between science and faith and convey that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Scientific advancements are rarely credited to African descent people and research driven by faith is rarely considered. Even more, daring is the great divide between the Church members of the science community If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Simultaneously, I am almost obligated to enjoy and recognize the importance of God and the perfection of his crafts. As such the idea of "fixing" the human body can be somewhat blasphemous. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body and as such God's creation. As a result, I must reframe my goal from "fixing" to "maintaining" Gods creation.

For my entire life, my career path has oscillated between biology and engineering, going back and forth until I discovered the wonderful world of biomedical engineering. It was in my junior year of high school I was completely set on biomedical engineering and this later for about 2 years until I completed my first semester at Case Western Reserve University. The exposure to the multitude of fields within physics beyond the rudimentary cars driving in straight lines or baseballs falling in a vacuum rocked my world. At this same time, however, I also wanted to keep pursuing an education in Biomedical engineering. Fortunately, CWRU offers a study in engineering physics with a focus on biomedical engineering which checked all of my boxes and at this point I was satisfied. Now for the question of the day "how do I see this changing my life trajectory?". As a devout Black (Zimbabwean-American) Christian believer pursuing an education in Engineering and Physics, I am the odd man in both areas of my life. I strive to bridge the gap between science and faith and convey that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Scientific advancements are rarely credited to African descent people and research driven by faith is rarely considered. Even more, daring is the great divide between the Church members of the science community If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Simultaneously, I am almost obligated to enjoy and recognize the importance of God and the perfection of his crafts. As such the idea of "fixing" the human body can be somewhat blasphemous. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body and as such God's creation. As a result, I must reframe my goal from "fixing" to "maintaining" Gods creation.

The most important lessons I’ve learned in my life are being productive and taking initiative. Ever since I was a boy my mother always told me “get off the game” or “make yourself useful”. Initially, I always met these phrases with resentment and anger, this was because I did not yet understand the meaning it had. As a child, we often fantasize about our future expecting it to just fall in our laps if we get good grades, or stay on the right path. Fortunately, I was lucky to learn at an early age there is much more to the story than this. At a certain point, we must all realize that every child thinks somewhat the same and the idea of getting good grades and following a preset path is not the monumental accomplishment it's chalked up to be. This scenario perfectly encapsulates one of the policies my mother hammered into my head, "If you dwell in an environment in which everyone thinks identically, the challenge then becomes how to conform not how to grow". In middle school and even ninth grade, I saw myself as a hotshot in the classroom but whenever I got home my mother never failed to push me even more. At the time I didn't realize why she did this and the thought even crossed my mind that I wasn't ever going to be enough. It wasn't until she sat me down and showed me students at a private school near her job and the accomplishments of high school ivy league students that I began to understand my situation. That realization lit a fire under me and I began looking for any ways to gain some hands-on experience in the work field but especially with engineering or anything health-related. It was here that I landed an internship at MITRE in which I have completed extensive research into the public health field. I also used this as a great way to gain some insight into the college and career process. It also opened my eyes to some real overachievers: the competition. The other interns there seemed to have been studying and reading since they came out of the womb. I decided to use this as an opportunity to gain some idea of what I could do better. Once I hit the summer of the 10th grade going into the 11th grade, I realized that I needed something new, something more. I needed evidence of my studies as well as an application of it. This is when I decided to start a website that would function as my living resume and timeline. Since then, I have not only written personal papers on my passions such as polymers, transradial prosthetics, but I have also begun to teach myself coding in Arduino and Python as a way to get a head start on life and my career. At that time, I had also taken advantage of STEM competitions to gain even more skills such as 3D modeling, 3D printing, and application of my coding skills through the use of Arduinos. When I look back to ninth grade I realize how different my life would've been without my mother. Chances are I would've been complacent and probably playing some new game right about now. In the end, the success I will have in the future will be accredited to my mother.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. The anatomy and complexity of the human body make it one of the most captivating and tantalizing engineering puzzles known to man. Now, the question remains how can one make something that’s already so complex even better. The answer is through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For centuries humans have sought to prevent ailments and conditions that plague the human race through the development of chemical marvels such as medications and revolutionary surgical procedures. For example, in the 18th century contracting the common cold would’ve been seen as a death sentence with almost no hope for survival. At this point, it's simply seen as a minor inconvenience that can be solved with a $7 box of Tylenol from your local Target. Scientists have even found a way to increase human resiliency to sickness. As early as 1796, a researcher by the name of Edward Jenner developed the first “vaccine”. He was able to discover that infection with cowpox could protect a person from smallpox infection a crude but effective way of preventing such a lethal condition. Essentially, the human body is a machine, and every day that passes scientists improve it more and more. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. The anatomy and complexity of the human body make it one of the most captivating and tantalizing engineering puzzles known to man. Now, the question remains how can one make something that’s already so complex even better. The answer is through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For centuries humans have sought to prevent ailments and conditions that plague the human race through the development of chemical marvels such as medications and revolutionary surgical procedures. For example, in the 18th century contracting the common cold would’ve been seen as a death sentence with almost no hope for survival. At this point, it's simply seen as a minor inconvenience that can be solved with a $7 box of Tylenol from your local Target. Scientists have even found a way to increase human resiliency to sickness. As early as 1796, a researcher by the name of Edward Jenner developed the first “vaccine”. He was able to discover that infection with cowpox could protect a person from smallpox infection a crude but effective way of preventing such a lethal condition. Essentially, the human body is a machine, and every day that passes scientists improve it more and more. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

Failure is a truly amorphous term that can be defined in various ways depending on the perspective. Failure to me is defined as any result that deviates from the initial goal. This is not to say failure is bad, because failure can lead to learned experiences that can enlighten or enhance any project. As a result of this, I always strive to learn from any experience be it a success or failure. For example, in the spring of 2021, I entered a STEM competition in which I was tasked with creating a miniature Cybertruck with whatever control scheme, electrical design, or system that I desired. In the second iteration of my project, I had to remedy the fact that there were two batteries that weren’t in the initial design. Fortunately, at this time I also learned 3D printing, so I was able to overcome this problem in my 3D models. My favorite part of that failure was that I was able to learn a new skill based on my past failure. The fact that I initially failed pushed me to find a new way to solve this problem by learning a new skill. In the end, my philosophy is don’t view failure as a negative thing but instead view it as something to learn from, any experience can be good if you’ve learned something

From what I can remember I have always been interested in a career in the biology and engineering field. I have changed my path a few times but my end goal has remained constant. Originally, I wanted to be an engineer, then a surgeon, then finally a biomedical engineer. I aspire to use my experience and knowledge to be an entrepreneur and run a company centered around prosthetics, artificial organs, and biomedical devices. Due to the variety of fields involved in the construction, production, and distribution of prosthetics, there are multiple academic paths I can take. This had caused me to be open to many different fields as I have tried to gain knowledge in many different and diverse fields. ​ If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. Despite concepts like cybernetics being seen as a fantasy, I ultimately aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating conditions such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of “regeneration” another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities, ones that I seek to bring to fruition. To accomplish this I am seeking a formal education in biomedical engineering and business to properly prepare myself.

Failure is a truly amorphous term that can be defined in various ways depending on the perspective. Failure to me is defined as any result that deviates from the initial goal. This is not to say failure is bad, because failure can lead to learned experiences that can enlighten or enhance any project. As a result of this, I always strive to learn from any experience be it a success or failure. For example, in the spring of 2021, I entered a STEM competition in which I was tasked with creating a miniature Cybertruck with whatever control scheme, electrical design, or system that I desired. In the second iteration of my project, I had to remedy the fact that there were two batteries that weren’t in the initial design. Fortunately, at this time I also learned 3D printing, so I was able to overcome this problem in my 3D models. My favorite part of that failure was that I was able to learn a new skill based on my past failure. The fact that I initially failed pushed me to find a new way to solve this problem by learning a new skill. In the end, my philosophy is don’t view failure as a negative thing but instead view it as something to learn from, any experience can be good if you’ve learned something

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. Although chemists work to treat and remedy infections and diseases this overlooks the improvements that can be made to the mechanical and physical aspects of the human body. This fear has been around for centuries and can be traced back to the first prosthesis ever made in 950 to 710 B.C.E in Egypt for the foot. Ever since there have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humans as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. The anatomy and complexity of the human body make it one of the most captivating and tantalizing engineering puzzles known to man. Now, the question remains how can one make something that’s already so complex even better. The answer is through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For centuries humans have sought to prevent ailments and conditions that plague the human race through the development of chemical marvels such as medications and revolutionary surgical procedures. For example, in the 18th century contracting the common cold would’ve been seen as a death sentence with almost no hope for survival. At this point, it's simply seen as a minor inconvenience that can be solved with a $7 box of Tylenol from your local Target. Scientists have even found a way to increase human resiliency to sickness. As early as 1796, a researcher by the name of Edward Jenner developed the first “vaccine”. He was able to discover that infection with cowpox could protect a person from smallpox infection a crude but effective way of preventing such a lethal condition. Essentially, the human body is a machine, and every day that passes scientists improve it more and more. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities. To accomplish these goals the best avenue to take is to acquire the necessary academic credential from a university. Not only this but an efficient and structured education is also necessary to me to attain these goals.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. Although chemists work to treat and remedy infections and diseases this overlooks the improvements that can be made to the mechanical and physical aspects of the human body. This fear has been around for centuries and can be traced back to the first prosthesis ever made in 950 to 710 B.C.E in Egypt for the foot. Ever since there have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humans as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. Although chemists work to treat and remedy infections and diseases this overlooks the improvements that can be made to the mechanical and physical aspects of the human body. This fear has been around for centuries and can be traced back to the first prosthesis ever made in 950 to 710 B.C.E in Egypt for the foot. Ever since there have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humans as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. https://kudzaijones.wixsite.com/imagin

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. Although chemists work to treat and remedy infections and diseases this overlooks the improvements that can be made to the mechanical and physical aspects of the human body. This fear has been around for centuries and can be traced back to the first prosthesis ever made in 950 to 710 B.C.E in Egypt for the foot. Ever since there have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humans as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

One technology I am excited about is prosthetics and robotic limbs. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. The anatomy and complexity of the human body make it one of the most captivating and tantalizing engineering puzzles known to man. Now, the question remains how can one make something that’s already so complex even better. The answer is through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For centuries humans have sought to prevent ailments and conditions that plague the human race through the development of chemical marvels such as medications and revolutionary surgical procedures. Scientists have even found a way to increase human resiliency to sickness. As early as 1796, a researcher by the name of Edward Jenner developed the first “vaccine”. He was able to discover that infection with cowpox could protect a person from smallpox infection a crude but effective way of preventing such a lethal condition. Essentially, the human body is a machine, and every day that passes scientists improve it more and more. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

My favorite scientist/engineer is Easton LaChappelle. He is more commonly known as the founder of "Unlimited Tomorrow". I am especially drawn to him because of his story in which he found a little girl, with a problem that can be fixed with technology but was out of her reach due to finances. The fact that he was able to provide a service to her with such revolutionary technology inspires me.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be the fear associated with the limitations of the human body. Currently, humans are consistently held back by the possibility of losing the function of their forms. Track athletes fear the loss of their legs, and soldiers fear the loss of their arms or even their life. The mere idea of losing the ability to walk is considered a life not living for some, and a reality for others. This fear has resulted in amputees and those with congenital disorders being seen as lost causes or an unlucky few, with no hope of their quality of life returning. There have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humanity as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. Although chemists work to treat and remedy infections and diseases this overlooks the improvements that can be made to the mechanical and physical aspects of the human body. This fear has been around for centuries and can be traced back to the first prosthesis ever made in 950 to 710 B.C.E in Egypt for the foot. Ever since there have been multiple advancements from cosmetic prostheses, to task-oriented prosthetics, and finally electronically powered arms controlled by the thoughts of the individual. Despite these innovations, they have not come close to mimicking the engineering marvel of the human body. This challenge remains a barrier to scientists and humans as a whole. The inability to truly fix the body will always remain a looming fear and threat to all. The anatomy and complexity of the human body make it one of the most captivating and tantalizing engineering puzzles known to man. Now, the question remains how can one make something that’s already so complex even better. The answer is through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For centuries humans have sought to prevent ailments and conditions that plague the human race through the development of chemical marvels such as medications and revolutionary surgical procedures. For example, in the 18th century contracting the common cold would’ve been seen as a death sentence with almost no hope for survival. At this point, it's simply seen as a minor inconvenience that can be solved with a $7 box of Tylenol from your local Target. Scientists have even found a way to increase human resiliency to sickness. As early as 1796, a researcher by the name of Edward Jenner developed the first “vaccine”. He was able to discover that infection with cowpox could protect a person from smallpox infection a crude but effective way of preventing such a lethal condition. Essentially, the human body is a machine, and every day that passes scientists improve it more and more. If you take a look into pop culture, all science fiction has one concept in common fusing the human body with technology to create a bionic man or a “cyborg”. A being capable of surpassing human limitations to become stronger, faster, and more resilient. Despite being seen as a fantasy these reasons have led me to my “dream”, I aspire to combine concepts and knowledge from all STEM fields to revolutionize the world of medicine and the limitations of the human body. This not only includes prosthetics but also biomedical devices to remedy debilitating curses such as blindness, deafness, and even materials to support the concept of regeneration another sci-fi term that’s often considered to be a fantasy. This field is actually a reality and is known as tissue engineering and features growing skin and organs in labs. These fictional ideas should not be seen as impossibilities only far away possibilities.

Every year MITRE selects students to take part in research tasks, innovations, and data analytics as research assistants’ or technical aides. When I discovered I was selected to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I immediately began to figure out what my task was so I would be able to get ahead of the curve. Eventually, I thought that I was well prepared so in my first week I began to showcase all of my preparations and took initiative in every task and meeting. I made sure that each of my mentors knew that I was putting forth maximum effort and working assiduously. Then I realized this was not enough, working for someone else wasn't the end goal I wanted to be one to lead my career. To ensure this goal would come to fruition I first began with taking advantage of the best free source of knowledge “Google”. All I knew was that I wanted to create prosthetic limbs and artificial hearts. I went into Google Scholar and searched for any paper that could potentially help me. As I did this, I was met with my second-best friend.... the dictionary. Since then, I have not only completed personal projects on my passions such as polymers, and prosthetics, but I have also begun to teach myself coding in Arduino and Python as a way to get a head start on life and my career. At this time, I have also taken advantage of STEM competitions to gain even more skills such as 3D modeling, 3D printing. Something to remember about fish is that eventually they outgrow their pond and need to move to the ocean