Personal Statement

ESSAY QUESTION #1

How do the two disciplines you chose as your 1st and 2nd choices fit with your current and future interests?

My first choice discipline in the Teen Science Scholars Program is Earth Science. Since childhood I have been fascinated by the idea that the world, and the creatures living on it have not always looked the way they do today. I have spent a great deal of my life reading books about dinosaurs and doing science fair projects about the geological history of the planet. Since then my love for the history of the Earth - how geologic, atmospheric, and biological changes have altered the planet and the creatures living on it- has only grown, culminating last year in my participation in the Earth Science TSS program. Having

Currently, I am fascinated by how chemical changes in water and the atmosphere as well as changing weather has affected life on earth in the past as well as the very composition and formation of the planet we know today. This has been a major interest of my for a while now and because of this, I have read a great deal on how the chemistry of oceans -their oxygen content, for example- has influenced the evolution of marine and land dwelling organisms throughout geologic time. I have also studied a great deal of geology, specifically understanding how changing oceans -both their location and composition- has affected the geological formations all across the world. One of my favorites in the Western Interior Seaway which I have read extensively on. One of the most important aspects of my research, however, has been being able to talk to scientists who study these fields. Being a Teen Science Scholar last year allowed me to work with Dr. Sertich, and in doing so, use my current knowledge and learn a great deal more. Being a teen science scholar allows me to utilize all my research and to expand on my passions by interacting with, assisting, and learning from scientists in groundbreaking fields. The opportunity to

I hope I never lose this desire, a desire I have had since I dreamed of being a doctor when I was as young as five years old. While my aspirations now mostly involve pursuing a future in the biological and environmental chemistry field, I still am very interested in medicine. I believe these two fields are complementary because the composition of the natural world impacts all living creatures and humans are not exception. In the future I hope that I will be given an opportunity to do my own research into this relationship, however at the moment I believe that being a teen science scholar in the health sciences field might give me a unique opportunity to have a practical introduction into the medical science field, and perhaps even be able to discuss my interest in human health and its relationship to the natural world with some of the incredible researchers at the museum as well as others

I may have access to through the program. I believe that it is never to early to change the world and I believe that the TSS program might be the best possible start to both my research and my practical training. Now, more than ever, an understanding of ourselves and how we interact with the world is an extraordinary advantage for a young person to have when making decisions about their future and pursuing their current interests. Being a teen science