“I immigrated from Bangladesh at age two after my father won a work visa lottery. As the eldest child and first-generation college student, I adopted a “learn as I go” mindset from an early age. Navigating life and education has always been a journey of self-discovery and persistence. I found my passion for research after being overlooked for a high school internship. The rejection fueled my drive and I reached out to every lab I had interest in at UC Riverside and earned a position in Dr. Joel Sachs’ lab—my first step into the world of science. Since then, I’ve worked in reproductive medicine and biotech, including a role at Illumina. My proudest moment has been earning the Doris A. Howell Women’s Health Research Scholarship, which affirmed that the work I am doing is meaningful. I like to think that since there was no seat for me at the table, I built my own. At UC San Diego, I found purpose through community. From singing with the Tritones to leading as VP for The Women’s Network...