- 2016 Highlights
Personal Statement
I currently train 25 hours a week on an elite swimming squad in Nottinghamshire called Nova Centurion, the home of double Olympic Champion Rebecca Adlington. This has allowed me to compete on a national and international stage. My aspirations for this season are to represent Jamaica at the 2016 Olympics as I am duel nationality (British and Jamaican).
Dedication, commitment, drive, enthusiasm: all attributes which I feel are essential for success as a swimmer and that I have applied to all aspects of my life including my studies. This mind-set will follow me into your team and studying at your university. In recent years I have taken up job opportunities as a lifeguard at two of my local swimming pools. Due to the nature of the job, team work is crucial in ensuring the safety of pool users as well as the ability to act on initiative and remain composed in emergency situations. The job also entails the following of procedures specified in the Pool Safety Operating Procedures which I follow stringently. I feel this links aptly to the importance of following lab rules. My very busy lifestyle demands that I have impeccable time management skills in order to excel in all aspects of my life.
I believe the ability to question, challenge, and further understanding of the world around us is what makes the human race such a thriving and ever-developing species and ultimately, so dominant. What excites me most is our ability to use principles within science to understand how the chemical processes function in the human body. My interest in Chemistry and Biology has led me to develop an understanding of how some topics, such as the process of esterification in Chemistry and the formation of triglycerides in Biology can cross curricular lines. For example, recently I read an article from the New Scientist which discussed the potential use of artificial DNA base pairs, Z and P, to target cancerous cells. I found it intriguing how my current developing knowledge of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of cancer links to current research projects such as the one discussed in the article into selective binding of DNA as a treatment on a genetic basis. This type of research adds to my interest in the branch of biochemistry linked to medicine and genetics which aims to find alternative treatments for patients with long term illnesses. This proves how the study of these A-levels has helped to further draw out my innate inquisitive nature.
The past year studying AS levels has really helped me to develop my scientific skills. Practical work has allowed me to improve my accuracy in experimental techniques, which is of fundamental importance within the field of research. What I have found most challenging in biology is the answering of data analysis application questions within examinations. However, perseverance has enabled me to formulate a technique for answering these types of questions by breaking down the data to explain its significance and analyse the trends shown. I am certain that such data analysis skills will become invaluable to me on a course in biochemistry.
In March 2015 I attended a taster day for Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge which offered an exciting day of demonstrations and higher level scientific thinking. One particular fiery and explosive demonstration conducted by Dr. Ben Pilgrim captivated my senses when he set alight a large balloon of hydrogen gas, demonstrating the classroom pop test on a considerably larger scale. This day trip quite literally reignited my passion for physical sciences. Therefore, after achieving an A grade in AS level Chemistry and a copper award in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge in June of Year 12, I have now set my sights on entering the National Chemistry Olympiad in 2016. I am excited about the Olympiad as I know it will further challenge me and help me to remain competitive against fellow students.
I am excited to discover the challenges that degree in the US will offer me as well as the prospects a degree will give me when pursuing my future career. I am confident that my experience and characteristic work ethic will lead me to excel in your team!
