Me and Material Science: How I DIDN'T Become a Doctor

I guess both of my parents influenced me to study science. My mom has always encouraged me since I was very young to pursue a career in which I would be happy, and also be able to support myself financially. On the other hand, my dad always wished me to follow in his footsteps and become a chemical engineer. By accident, I made them both happy. I am choosing to pursue a B.S. in Materials Science here, which is as close to chemical engineering as you can get at Stony Brook. Plus, I chose to follow this path of my own free will, which makes me happy.

Why do I want to major in materials science? Well, thats by accident too. I originally applied to Stony Brook as a biochemistry major, hoping to become a doctor. But, over the summer before I began to attend Stony Brook, I decided that I didnt really want to do that. In the back of my mind, I had always loved drawing and building things, and was interested in architecture. The only problem was when I discovered that there was no engineering program that involved architecture here. The closest thing was materials science, which apparently provides a good foundation if you want to pursue architecture in grad school. So, thats how I became a materials science major. And the more I investigate the major, the more interesting it seems.

The thing I like most about science, or even just engineering, is that there's always creation. Someone is always building something new--scientists arent just satisfied with the way things are--they ask questions, and they try to find answers.

One hobby in particular that I have thats related to engineering is drawing. I love painting and sketching--both of which are very helpful tools in architecture and in any science discipline, since a grasp on visual concepts is essential. In a way, it goes back to my interest in creating and building new things. It's fun to express yourself in different ways, and art is one of my other ways.