Shankari Somasekar
Hi everyone! My name is Shankari Somasekar, and I am a junior majoring in Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience track) with a minor in Music. I graduated in 2020 from Winter Park High School. So far, my favorite class at UCF has been Neurobiology with Dr. Hawthorne. I love learning about the brain because its unimaginable complexity is very intriguing to me. Neuroscience is my passion, and my dream is to go to medical school and become a neurosurgeon!
As a student interested in pursuing a career in STEM, I want to take on the role of STEM Ambassador to encourage young students to become the next generation of doctors or engineers. It is important to give kids exposure to the types of jobs available within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, and to also teach them skills necessary for the workplace. I am excited to share my own story in hopes of inspiring students to go into a STEM field.
If I had one piece of advice for students who are thinking about going into STEM, it would be to not compare yourself to others. It is extremely easy to compare yourself to others in the same field as you, especially as a STEM student, which can sometimes be intimidating and discouraging. Be confident in yourself! Know that your strengths could be someone else’s weaknesses. Always have an unwavering belief in yourself and when the going gets tough, remind yourself what you are working towards. You can do anything!
Outside of school, I enjoy dancing, singing, catching up with friends/family, and traveling!