Through the bioengineering program, I gained my first programming experience and learned how to be innovative, adaptable, and learn efficiently. In Cambodia, I work in a project-based school where we are expected to teach things that we might not be even familiar with, so being able to pick up new skills easily and then communicate them to students is something that I find very useful.
There have been many experiences at NYUAD that got me to where I am today but one that I keep coming back to is my J-Term with Professor Dina Siddiqi. During the trip to Dhaka, we worked with different NGOs that supported female garment workers. Being part of this class showed me the impact of community-driven change and grassroots organization. In some way it made me want to be part of such initiatives and let me apply to Princeton in Asia.
Home Region: Krakow, Poland
Current: STEM Learning Facilitator at AUPP Liger Leadership Academy, Princeton in Asia Fellow
Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Major: Bioengineering
In my freshman year, I saw an announcement on the student portal about the Princeton in Africa (PiAf) program and knew I would want to apply. During my four years at NYUAD, I took part in a lot of classes and social impact projects in Southeast Asia and wanted to continue that after graduation. Princeton in Asia (PiA) seemed like a natural next step. I took part in the Career Development Center sessions about the program organized by Doug Cutchins and worked with him on my application. I also connected with NYUAD alumni who did those programs before to get more insights into their application process and experiences.
Being part of the PiA program and working in Liger has been very immersive and allowed me to see Cambodia through different eyes. The best part of my job is hearing positive feedback from my students, witnessing their excitement and progress, and seeing girls enjoy coding.
I am still unsure what my long-term goals are but I hope to work in MedTech or in the public health sector.