Carissa Samuel is a Health + Tech fellow studying Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) with a minor in Dance and Performance studies. Here, she shares more about her personal and professional interests and why she chose the Fung Fellowship.
I am a current junior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology, with an emphasis on Developmental Genetics. I first fell in love with genetics in the fifth grade when I saw the infinite possibilities that analyzing and understanding the human genome could have for medicine. With this interest in Biology, I took AP Biology in high school and further fell in love with the subject. I have since felt like I can see the world through the lens of my major. When I look around me, I can see life everywhere. When I talk to other people, I am especially fascinated by the ways in which I can see the impact of different biological processes in their daily lives. I hope to be able to continue my learning in these areas and to eventually become a physician, where I can apply this knowledge to improve the lives of women especially.
I am also currently minoring in Dance and Performance Studies. I chose to study dance as it has always been a passion of mine. I love the way in which I can express myself and my creative side in dance. It is also a medium that I have wanted to explore more in a professional setting. Being able to learn from amazing faculty and to critique both the ideas behind dance and dance itself has been an eye-opening experience for me so far. Since I have been dancing for the past ten years with an Indian classical dance form called Bharatnatyam, I have been able to stretch myself by learning Modern Dance at UC Berkeley.
Read more about Carissa and other Fung Fellows >
The Fung Fellowship at UC Berkeley is shaping the next generation of health, conservation, and technology leaders for a better world.