“At Imperial, my two seemingly opposing passions in the arts and sciences are allowed to seamlessly intertwine”
Studying a biotechnology degree, people often think my days are spent in labs creating samples, writing extensive reports, and planning for experiments. But what if I tell you that I spend a lot of my time creating infographics, writing YouTube video scripts, and planning for Instagram reels?
At Imperial, my two seemingly opposing passions in the arts and sciences are allowed to seamlessly intertwine. The skills I gain as a scientist also prepare me to become a creative and detail-oriented person. I enjoy being able to transform complex concepts into easy-to-digest diagrams as an illustrator for Felix, the student newspaper, as well as sharing my personal experiences through “A Day in the Life” or “Why I chose Imperial” videos featured on the College’s official social media accounts as a Student Content Creator.
My other roles include being a Recruitment and Outreach Student Ambassador – this means I represent Imperial at open days, UCAS fairs, and international webinars. I sometimes conduct tours of the South Kensington Campus. Recently I had the chance to meet with Hugh Brady, the 17th president of Imperial, to discuss possible improvements for the Department of Life Sciences.
However, my favourite tasks are with the Wohl Reach Out Lab where I get to help year 7 school students make artificial lung models, assist year 12 students in designing their own scientific experiments, and teach year 13s how to count the pulses of daphnia, a transparent organism, under the microscope. It’s extremely fulfilling to see the students’ eyes flicker with either excitement or curiosity and knowing that I have successfully inspired them to become interested in STEM.
Juggling extracurricular and academic responsibilities has been quite a challenge, so it is one of my proudest achievements to have been awarded the Dean’s list at the end of my first year. I am incredibly thankful for all the experiences so far, and I hope to continue my story at Imperial with the same mindset of creativity, compassion, and dedication.