Rawr

As a child, I was fascinated by the possibility of transforming objects into art. Even now, I am awed as each artists’ unique perspective flows into distinctive masterpieces from almost identicalinitial canvases.

During elementary school, I enrolled in local pottery classes and experimented at home with clay from nearby streams. We visited exhibits in NYC frequently; the Museum of NaturalHistory was my favorite. I was drawn to nature’s artistry, especially in the Hall of Minerals and Gems where I wondered how pressure and temperature differences could morph seemingly similar objects intosuch an array of shapes and colors. My interest in art and science grew intertwined as I became older.

At fourteen, I moved to Panama into an academic system with little focus on art. Upongraduating, I began medical school and for three semesters studied the beauty of the human body. I marveled at its efficiency while sketching anatomy, yet my inner artist began to demand greater stimulationand I took a chance to study art in Florence for a semester. I returned determined to complete my medical endeavors, yet realized that the best way to have a positive impact on my surroundings is tobe passionate about what I do.

I decided to leave medicine and refocus on art and biology, specifically neuroscience as inspired by my work with Autistic children in art classes. Through UCLA'sHammer Museum, focused on artistic expression and the psychology behind it, as well as the Fowler Museum, whose exhibitions contrast different cultures, I hope to delve into galleries that will spur arefreshed creativity with a global outlook and understanding of the influence of art on society. Furthermore, UCLA was one of the first institutions to combine Art and Science through the Art|Sci Centerwhere I would relish the opportunity to become actively involved.

The XVII century defined a Renaissance man as someone skilled in both science and art. I hope to become a renaissance women by...