Tell Us about Yourself
What AEOP program(s) did you participate in?
High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP)
Words of Advice?
AEOP provided an excellent opportunity to learn from enthusiastic professors and researchers in a world-class research facility. This experience allowed me to conduct meaningful research and discover the importance of persistence—a vital quality for success. Through AEOP, you will gain skills that will benefit you in the future.
Best Things about the Program?
HSAP exposed me to the advanced realm of optics and photonics, which are subjects I would not have otherwise explored in my high school classes. Based on the science of light, optics and photonics are specialized fields of physics and engineering which advance important technologies from telecommunications to medical imaging and cancer research. Just within a couple weeks, my mentor, Mr. Zhonghe Liu, taught me a variety of vital skills including running simulations, testing in the lab, processing data and designing with AutoCAD. I also enhanced my presentation skills in a real-world setting and got to participate as an observer during my colleagues’ laser projects in our weekly group meetings. Ultimately, my summer with Professor Weidong Zhou’s Nanotechnology Group at the University of Texas at Arlington was the most enriching, exciting and rewarding experience.
How Participating in AEOP Inspired You to Advance in the STEM Field?
Witnessing the power of nanotech on a daily basis revealed a world of technology unfamiliar to me. I researched and built a pressure chamber for testing optical sensors that can have a variety of realworld applications. I never imagined how fascinating real-world research could be, nor did I recognize the significant ways in which research contributes to society. Participating in AEOP has inspired me to continue employing STEM to better the greater community and to pursue nanotechnology research further in college.
