Participation in First Robotics Competition (FRC), a dynamic international design challenge, stoked my insatiable desire to problem solve and create solutions that improve the lives of people worldwide. Combined with my avidity for the sciences, engineering quickly emerged as an exciting pursuit. As a mechanical engineering student, I thrive on dissecting multi-faceted problems and elucidating novel stratagems through a hands-on approach. When engaging in projects, I employ interdisciplinary skills throughout the design process, from facilitating interactions with clients, to optimizing solutions, all the way to relating key lessons learned to others. My past microbiology research experience has helped me develop a keen attention to detail and taught me the importance of interlaboratory collaboration. Similarly, my engineering classes continue to develop my innate intuition in determining viable approaches and the plausibility of solutions. Others have taught me to be thorough in my design, thinking of a product’s entire life cycle and designing its interfaces to be used by many, as opposed to a few. Additionally, numerous leadership experiences have helped me gain skills in leading teams, enabling me to better empathize with others and coach them to achieve their full potential. Ultimately, I strive to be an engineer who can anticipate failure and design appropriate tolerances, but also a constructive team member who can work at all stages of the design process.As a whole, I jump at every opportunity to gain new knowledge and channel my endless curiosity into learning about the mechanics of the natural world. Recent examples include coaching a rookie FRC team, managing a team to produce from the ground up a small prototype electric dragster, and collaborating with a large team to produce an amphibious robot. Even outside the labs and classrooms, I often find myself daydreaming of new permutations of current projects while out rock climbing or engaging in riveting philosophical debates with my peers.