WP3 Brainstorming: Personal Questionnaire (The Who, What, and Why to me wanting to be an engineer)
A. What is your plan for your continuing education after high school, and describe how your interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) has shaped those plans?
Majoring in biomedical engineering is an aspiration of mine because I will be able to explore different world problems concerning the field and have a space where I can collaborate with my peers to find innovative solutions to such problems. Continuing on, taking a foundational set of social science classes revolving around sociology and cultural studies is another aspiration of mine because they would provide me with a setting where I can learn what it takes to engage in, and ultimately build up different communities by rejuvenating their values and social dynamic. Thus, engaging in the School of Engineering as well as the School of Arts and Sciences would give me the means to make a transformative impact in future communities.
Additionally there are several extracurricular opportunities that I want to take advantage of in college. Primarily, engaging in the Engineering without Borders chapter of my school is an abroad opportunity I plan to take advantage of because it allows me to put what I have learned within the classroom into practice to make a difference in communities around the world. Additionally, taking advantage of the great network of internship and job employers that my college has in order to do said internships and jobs is another opportunity I plan to cease in order for me to adapt to a professional setting and the demands that come with being an employed engineer.
B. What are the challenges affecting your community (neighborhood, school, city, etc.) that
you think your career in STEM could help address? How might you address those challenges?
In today’s society people with mental disabilities/diseases are discriminated against and left behind by the education system, the work world, and social norms. It is for this reason that I believe the challenge of reverse engineering the brain is very important. Because my mom is a PCA, I have met and bonded with many of her patients in the Greater Boston Area with these circumstances. One in particular, let’s call him Scott, I got very close to. Him and his wife showed so much love to our whole family, and that leaves them in an important spot in my heart. With this being said, Scott wasn’t born with any mental disability. He was very smart, loved science and that got him to MIT, he even became a professor there. However, one day he suffered a stroke, and all that conditioning he put his brain and character through had been compromised. Scott’s ability to play tennis, his ability to conduct scientific research, and his ability to go about his everyday life with family, all became a challenge. Finding solutions through reverse engineering the brain will no doubt make the quality of life within communities much better for a wide range of people who suffer from behavioral disorders, mechanical function impediments, and learning deficiencies. As a biomedical engineer, I aspire to work on making biocompatible electronics and produce forms of treatment which can be used to support these groups of people who aspire to live life to the fullest.
C. Describe a personal challenge you faced and what you did to overcome it. How has this challenge changed you and prepared you for the future
Haitian culture was something that used to be unknown to me. Coming here from Haiti with my family when I was just a baby meant I left a lot of my family behind, and the culture and traditions of Haiti with them. Not knowing much about this aspect of my identity for the largest portion of my life saw me feeling very lost and empty. And because one’s identity and values shape the type of aspirations one has, not having either led to me not setting any substantial goals for myself. However, prior to highschool, my aunt from Haiti came to visit. During the summer that she stayed with us, she took the time to enlighten me on my culture. She taught me that Haiti was the first slave country to gain independence because of our belief in a unified effort to elevate our circumstances, while pursuing liberty and prosperity. Haiti was a community fostering country where the belief for self-improvement was at a high and everyone lived to become platforms for each other. This enlightening exchange acted as the steppingstone for my growth in immersing in my heritage. And after discovering and gaining admiration for where I came from, I was able to produce a set of aspirations for myself, and in turn obtain an inextinguishable drive to take advantage of every opportunity that I could use to invest in my growth as a scholar and contributor of my community.
