Major(s): Physics w/ Specialization in Computational Physics
College: Seventh College
UC San Diego graduation year: 2025
URH Research Programs:
How did you hear about the Goldwater scholarship?
I participated in one of the URH Summer Research Programs (URS Ledell Family Research Scholarship for Science and Engineering) the summer after my first year and I was introduced to Goldwater during one of the sessions we had about applying to scholarships.
What interested you in applying for it?
I knew that the Goldwater scholarship was a good signifier of research potential and since I want to apply to a PhD program in the future, I thought getting the Goldwater scholarship would help with my PhD application. Also since the nature of the Goldwater application was writing a research proposal, I felt that applying would be good practice for writing a serious research proposal on a topic I was interested in, regardless of if I actually received the scholarship in the end.
How was the application process?
To be honest, the application process was stressful and a bit of a scramble for me. There were certain deadlines and tasks that I wasn't aware of until it was extremely close to the due date. But I think meeting with my mentor and having past experience in writing about my research helped me pull my application together in the end.
How has the scholarship benefited you?
Receiving the Goldwater scholarship has brought me into a whole network of other Goldwater scholars that are passionate, driven, and have similar goals of pursuing a PhD and research career in the future. I'm part of a community that I can go to for applying to grad school advice, general research discussions, and even organizing a meet up at a research conference. The scholarship will also help relieve some financial burden on me and my family.
What advice do you have for others interested in applying for this scholarship (or others)?
My biggest advice is to start early, and it's impossible to start too early. The scholarship requires three letters of recommendation, and obtaining three quality letters of recommendation requires long term planning. The application is also lengthy, so don't underestimate how much time goes into the sections besides the research proposal. My second tip is to ask for advice often! Keep your research mentor(s) in the loop about the application and they can provide invaluable help on writing the research proposal. Talk to people at the URH and your peers to get another perspective on your application.
What are you up to now (professionally, research, etc.)?
I'm currently wrapping up my third year and this summer, I will be doing research at Caltech, preparing for physics GRE, starting grad school applications, and getting some rest before the final stretch. My research focuses have generally been applying machine learning methods to particle physics problems and probe physics beyond the Standard Model.
What are your future plans?
I hope to obtain my PhD in physics and ultimately become a professor.
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