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Heidi Cervantes

3,955

Bold Points

8x

Nominee

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

Hi! My name is Heidi and I am currently a Biology Research Scientist at New York University. My main research focus is on Diabetes and Obesity where we focus on harnessing the thermogenic capabilities of Brown Adipose Tissue to ameliorate insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. I was recently awarded a National Institute of Health (NIH) Innovative Programs to Enhance Research Training grant to present my work at the American Society for Cell Biology Cell Bio 2023 conference. Prior to my time here, I graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Biology accompanied by a minor in Forensic Science. I used my time at Purdue to gain hands-on experience in a research lab for four years at the Purdue Center for Cancer Research in conjunction with the coursework that I was pursuing. During this time, I also pursued freelance photography while gaining experience in Science Communication at the Purdue Davidson School of Chemical Engineering. More recently, I just began my MS in Molecular Biology at New York University concurrent with my employment. I am happy to say that in doing so I will completing a higher degree completely debt free allowing me to tackle the remaining student loan debt from my undergraduate studies.

Education

New York University

Master's degree program
2024 - 2025
  • Majors:
    • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

Purdue University-Main Campus

Bachelor's degree program
2017 - 2021
  • Majors:
    • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other

William Mason High School

High School
2013 - 2017

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
    • Human Biology
    • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Research

    • Dream career goals:

      Forensic Biologist

    • Photographer

      Freelance
      2018 – Present6 years
    • Communications Assistant

      Purdue University School of Chemical Engineering
      2019 – 20212 years
    • Junior Research Scientist

      New York University
      2021 – Present3 years
    • Research Technician

      Purdue Center for Cancer Research
      2017 – 20214 years

    Sports

    Soccer

    Junior Varsity
    2013 – 20141 year

    Soccer

    Club
    2006 – 201711 years

    Track & Field

    Junior Varsity
    2016 – 20171 year

    Mixed Martial Arts

    Club
    2009 – 20134 years

    Research

    • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

      New York University — Research Scientist
      2021 – Present
    • Oncology and Cancer Biology

      Purdue University — Research Assistant
      2017 – 2021

    Arts

    • Independent

      Photography
      Independent Projects
      2013 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Matthew 25 Ministries — Clothes Sorter, Food Packager, Paint mixer
      2013 – 2017
    • Volunteering

      Hands Against Hunger — Food packager
      2013 – 2017
    • Volunteering

      Christ Church at Mason — Class Counselor
      2012 – 2016

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Politics

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Charles Cheesman's Student Debt Reduction Scholarship
    Winner
    My name is Heidi Cervantes, and I am currently a full-time Research Scientist for the Department of Molecular Pathobiology at New York University (NYU). Before starting my current employment, I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Forensic Science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN in 2021. During my time there, I worked as a Research Technician for the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research (PCCR) for all four years where I worked on developing and performing multidisciplinary therapeutic cancer studies in mice. Working here allowed me to gain significant hands-on experience and insight into the complex topics of the coursework I was pursuing. Before the start of my junior year, I also started working for the Purdue Davidson School of Chemical Engineering as a Science Communication Assistant where I disseminated school related scientific news through photography, writing, video, and other multimedia assets. Upon graduating, I started my employment at NYU working in an academic research laboratory. Here, I research Slit3, a protein necessary for regulating the function of brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and its subsequent effects of ameliorating obesity-induced diabetes. I'm very proud of the work that I am doing as it has the ability to positively impact the 11.3% of US population that suffers from diabetes. Although I love my job and its potential to make a real impact in the scientific community, I don't want to stop here. I plan on pursuing a master’s degree in Recombinant DNA Technology through the NYU Graduate School of Arts and Sciences concurrently with my employment. Working for NYU allows me to obtain my master’s degree debt free as I continue working full time. Although pursuing this degree in two years while working full time is ambitious, I’m confident in my ability to do so as it brings me closer to my dream job working for the US Government through biological research where I will be able to make a difference in how our government works by influencing policy related to environmental and biological issues. Being debt free while pursuing higher education I will allow me to make this dream my reality. Working two jobs while being a full-time first-generation student was very challenging and required a lot of self-discipline, but doing so allowed me to pay off one of high interest private loans. However, even after paying off one of my loans, I’m still left with $40,000 of debt, both privately and federally held, which I continue to chip away at to combat compound interest. After rent, student loan repayment is my largest expense which prevents me from saving more money than I would like. Growing up in the lower class as an only child with a single mom, money was never a guarantee and was a constant stressor in my mom’s life. As an adult, I hope to actively pursue a better financial future for myself. It’s increasingly vital in today’s economy to have an emergency savings in case of unplanned expenses, by paying down my student loan debt, I would be able to save more rigorously to ensure I’m protected in the event I need it. I would also be able to reallocate that money to put more towards the rest of my student loans so that I can live a debt free future faster. Being debt free opens numerous doors and relieves a substantial amount of stress allowing myself the opportunity to start the next phase of my life and start planning for what is truly important.