My dad has always been my STEM superhero. Since I was young, he would spend time with me building different gadgets and explaining the science behind them. He would always encourage me to ask questions and would patiently explain everything to me until I understood.
When he was in Indonesia, he was studying to become an Electrical Engineer. However, after some time, he had to switch to an Accounting major. However, my dad's love for science and technology was still there and rubbed off on me. I became fascinated by the inner workings of machines and devices and started to take an interest in electrical engineering. My dad was thrilled to see me develop an interest in STEM and would often take me to science museums and exhibitions to nurture my curiosity.
After my dad immigrated to America, he would eventually work as a sushi chef in Ralphs. With his accounting degree, he eventually got a job in human resources and continued working in the company for almost 30 years.
Even though my dad is a human resource manager, he has always encouraged me to try fixing the problem myself. My dad taught me how to fix household appliances, such as washing machines, and the circuitry in our house. I remember one time when our washing machine broke down, and my dad decided to use it as an opportunity to teach me about how appliances work and how to troubleshoot and fix them. He started by showing me how to check the power source and the circuit breaker to see if that was the issue. Then he took apart the back of the washing machine to show me the different components inside and see which part was clearly burned. In the end, we found that the motor was faulty, and my dad showed me how to replace it. In addition, we would often fix more outlets or add new canned lights to brighten up a room. He showed me how to use a multimeter to test the electrical connections and how to read the results to determine the issue. My dad's patience, guidance, and encouragement made all the difference in helping me develop a passion for electrical engineering and problem-solving.
From then on, whenever something broke in our house, I would be in charge of fixing it. Whether it was a malfunctioning light switch, a broken vacuum cleaner, or a faulty circuit breaker, he would take the time to explain the problem and teach me how to solve it. Thanks to my dad's guidance and encouragement, I gained confidence in my ability to diagnose and fix electrical issues. Today, I'm grateful for the skills and knowledge he passed down to me and for the many hours we spent working on projects together. I know that without his mentorship, I wouldn't be where I am today, pursuing a career in electrical engineering and innovating new solutions to problems.
When it came time to choose a major in college, I knew that electrical engineering was the path for me. I was excited to learn more about how electricity and electronics work and how I could use that knowledge to create new things. My dad was incredibly supportive of my decision and helped me prepare for college by teaching me some of the fundamental concepts of electrical engineering. Throughout community college, my dad was always there to support me.His encouragement and guidance helped me to excel in my studies and eventually I would be accepted into my dream schools, UCLA and UC Berkeley.
