Hi Kirkland Rotary! I hope you are all safe and well. I am now a second-year student at the University of Washington, and I recently was accepted into my first-choice major, Chemical Engineering. Although I’ve been taking some stressful classes, I have also had some incredible experiences.First, I have continued to stay with the Nance Lab in the department of Chemical Engineering, where I conduct research on super tiny nanoparticles that can act as a therapeutic treatment to severe brain injury in newborns. I am currently trying to optimize a formulation method that will be the most effective. In addition, I also taught a class of 25 first-year engineering students this past fall quarter as an Engineering Peer Educator (EPE), helping them transition into UW and introducing them to all the different engineering majors. It has been super rewarding to be able to support students directly and learn how to teach a class, and I have been so grateful for the opportunity.
Further, I recently was awarded the Lead Engineering Peer Educator position, which means I will be teaching and mentoring 50 new EPEs this coming spring to help them teach their own classes effectively in Fall 2022. I am also still a part of UW Solar, a student group dedicated to improving solar infrastructure on campus. I have been an outreach and administrative lead for the club and have led recruitment efforts for the Resiliency Tunnel project. Lastly, I am accepting a summer internship offer with Merck & Co in New Jersey, where I will be working with their Clinical Supply Chain division.
Without the support of Kirkland Rotary, it would have been impossible for me to have the privilege to participate in these opportunities to help others. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all so much for believing in me and my goals. I will continue to work on projects that will support the communities around me, and I am looking forward to meeting you all in the future!