Hello! My name is Kelly Garcia-Ramos and I'm a student in the College of Arts and Sciences. I've always known that I've wanted to study STEM, but I wasn't quite sure what I could do (or even if I had the potential for it). Being a person of color and growing up in Philadelphia, I've experienced unique set backs that, in theory, should've hindered my perseverance. However, these experiences helped me fortify my ambitions. Before I was accepted to be in PURM 2021, I was undecided on what I should study. After PURM 2021, I had a vision for what I wanted to strive for. Working in Professor Charlie Johnson's lab enabled me to see the potential that nanotechnology has to change how we diagnose diseases, and this correlated with my goal of helping others. 

I was undoubtedly inspired to continue my work in his lab, and I came to the conclusion of declaring my major in Physics! PURM helped me discover something that I never thought could be possible, and my hope for my presentation is that I can inspire others to take a chance on something they're curious about.

Thank you.