“Having both American and Spanish parents and being able to speak four languages fluently, I have always thought of myself as a multicultural person. I came to YYGS thinking that the diversity of the program would be something interesting, but not significantly new.
However, as soon as I stepped into the college, I realised that I had been completely wrong. The number of different languages, faces, identities, and cultures totally struck me by surprise. Being able to speak to so many people from so many places around the world and to enjoy that passion for science that we all shared, is something that I am not only going to remember for the rest of my life, but an experience that I will continuously try to find.
This sharing of cultures is what made YYGS so special to me. Sharing my country and learning from all of the others helped me understand just how much there is left to do and how much we can gain from collaboration and togetherness. YYGS gave me a chance to find a unique sense to push myself and delve into all of the different opportunities the world holds for us.”
Last year, I began a program around Madrid, where I would go to schools and give lectures to students about the power of science and research. For someone coming from a country where research is common, this might not seem like something that neccessary. However, following the 2008 economic crisis, funding for research in Spain has tremendously decreased and thus, not many students think of studying pure sciences as a possible degree choice.
I have now spoken to hundreds of students all over Madrid, with topics ranging from how to get research opportunities, to how to manage high school and student life. However, what I have enjoyed most of this program has been to maintain contact with many of these students, to continue to advise them on how to find research internships and other opportunities from Spain, and finally to see the program succeed as some of them do find internships and opportunities where to expand their interest in the sciences.