I talked about something very personal that happened with me at home after I moved to US from India during my sophomore year of high school.

“Where are you from?” a girl inquired as I sat down at the cafeteria table. While having a spoonful of my Polish salatka spiced up with my Indian chaat masala, I answered, “I’m half Indian, and half Polish” – just like my name, [redacted]. She looked interested, and joined me at the table at my new American high school. My journey has taken me from India to Poland, and finally to America. Whenever anyone reads my printed name, they confusedly...

Extracurricular Activities: As I fill the ELISA wells with chemicals from the pipette, I can feel the brush I held last year at the Nirmal Arts academy to fill the penciled outlines of my Indian Madhubani painting. Each drop of the chemical that drips from the pipette as I pressed it with specific pressure reminds me of the ink that I dropped meticulously from my brush to create a masterpiece. This is how art informs my work as a scientist:...

Your favorite book and its author: Your favorite movie: Your favorite website: Two adjectives your friends would use to describe you: Your favorite recording: Your favorite keepsake or memento: Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown The Life of Pi nasa.gov Honest and perfectionist Une Ange Qui Passe by Annie Villeneuve (French Song) My Emerald ring- a gift from my grandmother. Your favorite source of inspiration: Your favorite word: Your favorite line from a movie or book and its title:...

Last two summers question: In the summer of 2015, I attended SMART (Science, Medical and Related Topics), at Rutgers Medical School, where we were prepared for the medical field and STEM studies, and visited Princeton University. Then, I spent two weeks at Nirmal Arts Academy, a residential program in Canajoharie, NY, where I learned Hindustani Vocal Music and Indian Miniature Painting. In the following summer of 2016, I attended an intensive seven-week residential program LEDA, Leadership Enterprise of Diverse America, at Princeton...

What is a community to which you belong? Reflect on the footprint that you have left. (You may define community and footprint in any way you like.) (limit 200 words) “I got into the Astronomy Club!” I exclaimed to my parents when I received my results from the competitive entrance exam. The Astronomy Club inspired me to admire each star through my own telescope, and I began wondering if others could see the same sky through such a remarkable instrument. Brimming...