My journey in STEM has been one of transformation, shaping my career aspirations and instilling in me a passion for using technology to solve real-world problems. As a young woman navigating a traditionally male-dominated field, I have faced challenges that tested my resilience and strengthened my resolve to pursue my goals. From an early age, I was captivated by the potential of technology to address pressing societal issues. My father is a cybersecurity professional who first introduced me to the fascinating world of problem-solving and innovation that defines STEM. He encouraged me, and I started looking into fields like computer science and artificial intelligence. This interest in cybersecurity and ethical technology development soon grew into a passion as the feeling set in that these fields stand at the crossroads of important individual protection and equal access to technology. This interest led me to pursue an internship at a leading cybersecurity company, thereby providing me with hands-on experience with securing critical systems and analyzing their vulnerabilities. An opportunity that gave me the power to apply theoretical knowledge to a professional setting and work side by side with the best in industry standards, the practical competencies that defined my way into this area. Further, attending cybersecurity conferences broadened this perspective and kept me updated with the newest trends and challenges faced within the field. Besides, stereotypes and biases abound that would discourage girls from taking technical careers. I have experienced some as a young lady in STEM. This experience motivated me to work harder and show them my capability. Joining organizations like Girls Inc. aimed at young women's empowerment gave me a good opportunity to network with inspiring mentors who shared relevant information on how to navigate STEM careers. These contacts helped me to further develop my aspirations and highlight how vital diversity and representation are in the tech industry. STEM-focused extracurricular activities also provided multiple leadership skill development opportunities important to my growth. For instance, at one school's hackathon, I led a team in developing a prototype of an accessibility app for people with disabilities. As a team leader, I organized the work, developed a collaborative atmosphere, and made sure that everybody's ideas were heard. This experience taught me the importance of clear communication, adaptability, and inclusivity-skills I plan to carry into my career. What drives my passion for STEM is a firm belief that technology can serve as a force for good if developed thoughtfully and inclusively. This is the area where I am most interested: cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, to which I would like to contribute by developing secure, ethical systems that respect user privacy and reduce bias. I work on projects that drive innovation and move toward social justice and equity. In the future, I envision using my leadership skills to help promote diversity within STEM. This will be through mentoring young women and underrepresented minorities so that they become the next generation of innovators in this field and make it all the more inclusive. I look forward to engaging in interdisciplinary efforts to solve complex problems: from cybersecurity for critical infrastructure to technology accessibility. In all, these experiences in STEM have sculpted my aspirations and equipped me with the ability and determination to create change that makes a difference. The different obstacles I've been presented with strengthened my determination, while the seized leadership opportunities better prepared me for new challenges with poise. I look forward with excitement to utilizing my education and skills in the fields of STEM to create solutions for the betterment of society.

My inspiration for this new path into cybersecurity comes from two influences: my dad and a growing concern over the bias found in artificial intelligence. These influences have shaped my route into the cybersecurity profession and served as the driving force to get technology to a more secure, ethical, and inclusive level. My father has been instrumental throughout my life; he was a professional in the field of cybersecurity. Growing up, I watched him assume difficult challenges related to safeguarding critical systems against a forever-evolving range of threats and adversarial constructs imaginatively and very resiliently. How he did the work and led through pressure had a lasting impression on me. He designed secure networks and trained his team: how important the information is in this digitally enriched world was unveiled by this nature of work. He shared his experiences with me at home, not to boast but to teach. His stories were full of lessons in persistence, ethics, and relentless pursuit of knowledge, which stirred my curiosity about the field. He explained abstract ideas that I struggled with at school, using analogies related to his work; hence, he made the very intricate world of cybersecurity accessible and fascinating. Another important influence has been exposure to the issue of bias within AI. As I started to learn more about technology, one of the pivotal influences was the realization that flawed datasets combined with unchecked algorithms permit systematic injustices to be propagated. For example, AI systems used in hiring processes or law enforcement often reflect biases embedded in historical data, disproportionately disadvantaging minorities. These revelations further developed my interest in technology and simultaneously gave me a drive to offset its drawbacks. I felt that cybersecurity and ethical AI share commonalities in that both protect people and communities from harm caused by technology. The path of pursuing cybersecurity has not been without challenges. Entering a field primarily constituted with currents of change at almost every moment called on me to be out of my comfort zone. I had felt like an imposter early on, and I wondered whether I had what it took to make it in such a challenging discipline. But my dad's nudges and my determination kept me going, and so I began reaching out for resources, joining communities of coders, and working on projects where I could apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems. One of the memorable projects analyzed was the vulnerability in a mock network, which not only honed my technical skills but also further instilled confidence in my abilities. These experiences finally shaped my approach toward cybersecurity. For me, it is not just about being a technical discipline; rather, it enables building an equitable digital landscape. In these regards, I would like to develop systems that keep all data safe with ethical considerations around bias and privacy. I prefer working in groups that include the best minds carrying diverse perspectives toward making the solutions innovative yet not excluding any type. From a technical standpoint, I plan to contribute, though I hope someday to create greater awareness about cybersecurity and AI ethics to empower other people to advocate for technologies that are fair and accountable. In conclusion, my passion for cybersecurity finds its roots in my dad's inspiration and dedication to ridding technologies of their biases. The influences have shaped my journey, hardened my resolve, and defined my vision for the future. I look forward to contributing to a world wherein technology will be used for good, protecting the person and the values dear.

One of the most inspiring individuals to me is my dad, who happens to be a father figure. He possesses those attributes that make him a strong leader and an innovative thinker in his line of duty, cybersecurity. His persistence in solving complex problems and the passion with which he did so have deeply influenced me, guiding my choice of career path. I have grown up in awe of my dad's resilience and creativity in solving problems. His work in cybersecurity requires constant adaptation to ever-evolving threats, and he approaches this with an unwavering commitment to staying ahead of the curve. Whether designing systems to protect sensitive information or mentoring his team to excel under pressure, my dad's leadership blends technical expertise with a collaborative approach. He believes that nothing is too big in life if faced with the right attitude and a good amount of effort philosophy he has taught me. What makes my dad extra special is the motivation he gives to others. He often relates stories about his experiences in the professional world to impress others and to teach crucial life lessons on persistence, ethics, and lifelong learning. His stories about how he found creative solutions to securing critical systems or how he led complex projects with his team have influenced my curiosity and drive to make a difference in the world of technology. Apart from the examples that he has set in the professional field, my dad encourages critical thinking and solution-oriented approaches toward any problem within the comfort of our home. When I failed to understand abstract conceptions at school, he used analogies from his work to explain them patiently, and such tough ideas became a lot clearer. These moments not only helped in acquire further difficult subjects but also introduced me to the fascinating field of cybersecurity and technology. It was through these interactions that I came to develop an interest in computer science. My dad's passion for his field was contagious, and his encouragement gave me the confidence to explore my potential. He taught me to view every challenge as an opportunity for growth and to never shy away from pursuing ambitious goals. This mindset has been very instrumental in shaping my academic and career aspirations. Like surfing the sea of computer science, my dad is my leading star of innovating, leading, and dedicating. Keeping in mind that maybe a contribution to this field could bring more significant benefits considering contemporary essential problems: cybersecurity, ethical development, and just utilization of technology. Just as my dad has contributed some difference to his field, so can I, hopefully, make one towards change with my efforts. He is a very special father figure because, in the end, my dad guided me not just with wisdom and kindness but also in pursuing a path that keeps me in tune with my passions and values. He encourages me to work hard, think creatively, and lead with integrity. I am deeply grateful for his influence and look forward to carrying the lessons he has taught me into my future as I pursue a career in computer science.

Bias in artificial intelligence systems is an issue that has captured the world and directly impacts minorities so much. As technology keeps on improving day in and day out, AI has increasingly played a crucial role in decision-making at different levels, including healthcare, education, jobs, and law enforcement. While artificial intelligence has tremendous potential to create positive changes, its application also shows entrenched biases that extend into a perpetuation of discrimination and inequality. This is indeed an issue that needs attention if AI has to serve the purpose of bringing inclusivity and fairness, not as a tool that is going to further perpetuate inequality in society. One of the frequent sources of such bias in AIs is essentially the data from which these are trained-historical inequalities, and prejudices, all encoded in these datasets; this leads to algorithms reproducing these patterns and amplifying them. For instance, there are several examples of face recognition technologies doing a very poor job of identifying individuals with darker skin tones, which increases the rate of false positives or negatives more often for Blacks than for their white counterparts. In the same vein, AI systems used in hiring processes can be biased toward male candidates over female candidates if the training data reflect historical gender imbalances in certain industries. Such biases have disastrous consequences, including wrongful arrests, missing out on job opportunities, and denial of basic services. This imbalance is always felt by minorities and underprivileged groups. In health, AI algorithms supposed to optimize resource allocation or predict patient outcomes may undervalue the needs of minority populations because of insufficient data representation. For example, several algorithms have been said to rank white patients over Black patients presenting similar health conditions. Besides widening existing health gaps, the fact that such trends exist undermines confidence in AI-assisted healthcare intervention. Within criminal justice, prejudiced AI has been used in predictive policing targeting minority populations; this leads to over-policing, keeping these communities on a cycle of poverty and incarceration. Winning this scholarship would allow me to further develop the skills and education necessary to address this pressing issue. I imagine applying my knowledge to contribute to the development of ethical and equitable AI systems. My approach would include technical expertise, interdisciplinary collaboration, and advocacy. I want to work, technically, on the development of transparent algorithms and auditable-that is, AI decisions will be traceable and scrutinized. This may include the development of techniques for the de-biasing of data during collection and training. I also strongly believe that collaboration with experts in sociology, ethics, and law will help understand the wider ramifications of AI deployment. By integrating diverse perspectives, we can develop systems that are not only technically robust but also socially responsible. I would also support policies and regulations that demand fairness audits and accountability for AI systems, binding developers and organizations toward ethical considerations. Again, this objective aligns with education and community engagement: the more people are aware of AI bias and its consequences, the better-equipped individuals and communities will be to fight for fairness and inclusivity in technology. Other ways I want to contribute to this include workshops, accessible resources, and partnerships with advocacy organizations. Addressing AI bias is key to a future where technology will serve all people equitably. This scholarship would provide me with the tools and resources to take on this challenge and contribute to a world where AI becomes a force for justice, inclusivity, and positive change.

It is extremely important to have diverse representation in STEM careers because of how it affects society. Though we are all humans, people of each race are slightly different. By having diversity in the different stem fields, we can account for these differences and come up with solutions to problems that benefit everyone. An example of where diversity in Stem is necessary is through the technology world with the new advancements of AI. At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I hope to pursue a career in STEM because I believe the issue of bias within AI is a great concern of society's security and criminal justice system. It is unjust to wrongly convict one of a crime and punish them for another’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to help find a solution to biased AI. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are very common in today’s society to secure devices; however, faulty facial recognition reduces security, defeating the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be secure since they’d be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program would give me the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI bias. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals. I am confident that a STEM education will be instrumental in allowing me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI biases and their repercussions.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals. I am confident that a STEM education will be instrumental in allowing me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI biases and their repercussions.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. My connection to a veteran is through my grandfather. He is one of seven children and joined the military after high school. He and my grandmother were high school sweethearts and decided to travel from Pennsylvania to Texas together for the military. My grandfather is very brave and courageous due to his time served during the Vietnam War. When I was a child, he would tell me stories of his service there, carefully describing the scenery around the base. He would mention how tough it was to be away from my grandmother but knew he needed to support his family. I am inspired by his determination and strength through the war and time in the military and work to apply those qualities to myself and my life.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals. I am confident that a STEM education will be instrumental in allowing me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI biases and their repercussions.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Being a recipient of this scholarship would greatly help me to achieve my goal of finding a solution to create unbiased AI software because I would be able to attend a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum that aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals. I am confident that a STEM education will be instrumental in allowing me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI biases and their repercussions.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals. I am confident that a STEM education will be instrumental in allowing me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI biases and their repercussions.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals. I am confident that a STEM education will be instrumental in allowing me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI biases and their repercussions.

Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Being a recipient of this scholarship would greatly help me to achieve my goal of finding a solution to create unbiased AI software because I would be able to attend a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum that aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust.

At Villa Maria Academy, I have taken on the role of president of the school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, otherwise known as DEIB. Every year in October, members of the committee are invited to attend a social justice conference in Washington D.C., referred to as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Social Justice (IFTJ). At the conference, we have the opportunity to listen to different speakers and attend a plethora of breakout sessions. I have attended this conference all four years of high school. However, I was most impacted by this year’s topics, specifically the bias within AI. Biases within AI have occurred as a result of using non-inclusive data sets when creating code for facial recognition. This has numerous effects, but the most crucial is in the criminal justice system. AI has allowed police to identify suspects in crimes using pictures from surveillance cameras. However, this bias has caused many women and minorities to be falsely accused of crimes they did not commit. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of AI's role in areas like law enforcement and have fueled my desire to address this critical societal challenge. I would like to pursue a career in the STEM field because I believe the problem of bias within AI is a huge issue facing society, especially within the criminal justice system. It is extremely unjust to wrongly convict a person of a crime and punish them for someone else’s actions. Pursuing a computer science degree would allow me to contribute to finding a solution to this problem and create a more accurate AI system to be used. This would greatly benefit society because it would allow for stronger security. Cameras with facial recognition software are extremely common in today’s society, securing devices. However, faulty facial recognition reduces security and defeats the original purpose. Unbiased AI would allow devices to be completely secure because they would be able to correctly identify individuals. Furthermore, it would make society safer because criminals would be correctly convicted for their crimes, allowing for more peace and trust. Attending a school with a prestigious computer science program and challenging curriculum aligns perfectly with my goal of contributing to solutions in this field. I would have an abundant source of opportunities and potential connections necessary for gaining the skills and networks necessary to achieve my goals. I am confident that a STEM education will be instrumental in allowing me to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a positive impact in addressing AI biases and their repercussions.

A camera is one piece of technology that shows me how technology can make the world a better place. With the use of such a simple yet complex electronic device, one can grasp a lot in one photo or video, giving the camera a multitude of uses and benefits. Cameras allow us to express ourselves artistically by capturing images of portraits, landscapes, and other works of art. Furthermore, they open up a new avenue for storytelling because just one image can provide so much insight without the use of words. Photographs can tell stories through images rather than words because they can capture the emotions, memories, and ideas of an event. There is also room for much interpretation and thought as a result. This new way of storytelling has aided in the creation of a new job industry known as content creation, where influencers can engage their audience virtually. It allows them to tell their stories or present ideas to an online audience rather than in person. Cameras aid in creating a better world because people can easily share their ideas, which allows others to understand and relate to each other. This, in turn, brings different groups together and creates peace. Another way the camera has helped make the world a better place is through businesses. Cameras benefit many companies in two main ways: marketing and documenting. Companies use cameras to market a product or service by sharing enhanced images to attract consumers. Additionally, various professions such as journalism and research use cameras to document events, conduct studies, and present evidence on a topic. This serves as another benefit to the world because these images can reach a larger audience, giving the company a higher chance of success due to a high consumer rate. Cameras are a versatile innovation that has helped to enhance and improve the world in many different ways. With their continuous development and integration into society, the world will continue to become a better place.