From Poison to Roller Coasters: How I Fell in Love With Forensic Chemistry by Isabella

From Poison to Roller Coasters: How I Fell in Love With Forensic Chemistry by Isabella - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

Ever since I was a little kid, I've had a curiosity for creating, designing, problem-solving, and experimenting. This curiosity for science and design led me to join Science Olympiad in sixth grade. In Science Olympiad, I was exposed to events like Potions and Poisons and Roller Coaster. These events allowed my creative mind to take off and deepen my love for science.
In Potions and Poisons, I learned about balancing equations, endo vs. exothermic reactions, conducting experiments, and identification of poisonous plants and animals native to Michigan. From this event, I gained a better understanding of what I liked about science: chemistry. It was here that I truly fell in love with the idea of mixing reactants to see what products they’d produce or what crazy changes would happen along the way.
In Roller Coasters I learned about problem-solving, adjusting devices, running tests, and thinking outside the box. It is from this event that I fell in love with the problem-solving aspect of science. Combining my love for chemistry and problem-solving, I was led to forensic science.
I dug deeper into the idea of solving crimes in the lab, watching TV shows, reading books, and looking at forensic programs across the country. I set my sights on forensic science at Penn State following the chemistry track. At Penn State, I hope to build an understanding of microscopy, blood identification, chemical testing, ballistics, and testifying in court. At the end of this program, it is my goal to be able to properly collect evidence and test it to solve crimes. With these newfound skills, I hope to land a job working in a crime lab and eventually working for a higher government agency.