At the end of high school, I faced the question of what I wanted to do with my life. I had to decide what I wanted to study in college and pursue professionally, so I chose what interested me more than anything else: outer space. The immensity and mystery of the cosmos baffles me to no end. I want my contribution to society to be the furthering of humanity’s understanding and navigability of the universe. However, while I’ve focused on space engineering, my interests in other fields of study compelled me to apply and join the Interdisciplinary Honors Program at the University of Washington. This program let me include classes ranging from hip-hop to homelessness to human behavior into my curriculum and rounded out the knowledge I accrued over the past four years. The essence of my college experience is summarized in this portfolio. Here, you can see the most impactful sights I’ve seen, and the most interesting work I’ve produced as a student, reflecting my overall experience as an undergraduate.
My first two years were social and exploratory. I took the first two years to enjoy the other aspects of life that I love aside from engineering. An artifact from my freshman year that I’m proud of is the Magnolia Bluff walking tour that I made for a favorite class of mine, Natural History of the Puget Sound. This class emboldened the love I have for the Puget Sound Region, my birthplace and . During my sophomore year I lived in a group of ten rock climbers in a house off campus. I feel that this year, I came to value the importance of local community and friendship, especially once I began working at farmers’ markets. The markets are a place of intimate, genuine interaction with people that understand that life is better when neighbors appreciate each other and collaborate, as it creates a community where friendship and culture flourish.
These final years have been studious and productive. Myjunior year courseload was demanding, but built a solid foundation of engineering knowledge. I began working in research labs on campus that brought me into the world of professional engineering. These included a plasma physics lab called the Fusion Z-Pinch Experiment and the Space Propulsion and Advanced Concepts Engineering Laboratory. The academic year culminated in the Hall Thruster Magnetic Circuit project that introduced me to the field of space propulsion in which I hope to specialize. The following summer and fall I interned at the Electrostatics and Surface Physics Laboratory at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center where I got a true taste of the excitement of space engineering. For my senior year I’m continuing to learn about space propulsion so that I’m ready to progress the field by the time I leave the university. This year I’ve also been able to drive across the country and encounter so many different cultures and landscapes that have reformed my image of the United States.
Amongst the artifacts of the years incorporated into this portfolio, I hope my passion for science and living a life full of diverse experiences pervades. Looking back at my time at UW, I’m frankly surprised by what I’ve accomplished and proud of the work and experiences that make me who I am today.
My first two years were social and exploratory. I took the first two years to enjoy the other aspects of life that I love aside from engineering. An artifact from my freshman year that I’m proud of is the Magnolia Bluff walking tour that I made for a favorite class of mine, Natural History of the Puget Sound. This class emboldened the love I have for the Puget Sound Region, my birthplace and . During my sophomore year I lived in a group of ten rock climbers in a house off campus. I feel that this year, I came to value the importance of local community and friendship, especially once I began working at farmers’ markets. The markets are a place of intimate, genuine interaction with people that understand that life is better when neighbors appreciate each other and collaborate, as it creates a community where friendship and culture flourish.
These final years have been studious and productive. Myjunior year courseload was demanding, but built a solid foundation of engineering knowledge. I began working in research labs on campus that brought me into the world of professional engineering. These included a plasma physics lab called the Fusion Z-Pinch Experiment and the Space Propulsion and Advanced Concepts Engineering Laboratory. The academic year culminated in the Hall Thruster Magnetic Circuit project that introduced me to the field of space propulsion in which I hope to specialize. The following summer and fall I interned at the Electrostatics and Surface Physics Laboratory at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center where I got a true taste of the excitement of space engineering. For my senior year I’m continuing to learn about space propulsion so that I’m ready to progress the field by the time I leave the university. This year I’ve also been able to drive across the country and encounter so many different cultures and landscapes that have reformed my image of the United States.
Amongst the artifacts of the years incorporated into this portfolio, I hope my passion for science and living a life full of diverse experiences pervades. Looking back at my time at UW, I’m frankly surprised by what I’ve accomplished and proud of the work and experiences that make me who I am today.