From a young age, I have held a deep appreciation for people, how they think, and the ways they overcome the obstacles in their lives. This interest developed into an interest in medicine—and, since I am specifically interested by the manner in which people interact with the world physically, grew into a desire to study paralysis and the diseases that cause it. I now research Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease), a fatal paralyzing disease that strikes adults seemingly randomly and usually leads to death within a few years of onset. Working from the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, I seek to find a clinical marker for the disease, with the eventual hopes of more easily identifying it in patients, tracking its progress, and determining its response to various medications. Having previously researched the effects of hemorrhagic stroke, I have built up a wide and deep understanding of not only the science of brain disorders, but their real and severe consequences. Apart from my work in research, I am interested in science fiction, bouldering, and writing. Recognizing the emotional toll of losing access to one's body has left a deep impression upon me—keeping healthy has become a recent passion of mine.