González-Kosasky ’18 Finds the Magic in Science

 

“They give you this wonder about a world that doesn’t exist, which translates to this world you live in,” González-Kosasky said. “Science is a way of translating that wonder into something concrete that you can actually study, expanding the world from what is immediately obvious to something magical.”

 

González-Kosasky, who took the most rigorous science course load at St. Andrew’s and plans to study biochemistry when she attends the University of Chicago in the fall, said science was the first subject that truly intrigued her as a high schooler.

 

“It was a good feeling to be interested in a class not because you were good at it, but because it was interesting,” she said. “Especially in high school, with the pressure to be good at something or good in a class, that distinction gets lost sometimes. Biology was the first class where that really happened. After that it kept going.”

 

González-Kosasky sunk her teeth into the sciences, taking nearly every biology, physics, and chemistry class offered. She said her teachers, Phyllis Robinson, Kurt Sinclair, and Irene Walsh nurtured her enchantment by bringing science to life.

 

“With those three teachers, it wasn’t just learning out of the textbook – it was going in depth in class and learning what wasn’t necessarily in the textbook,” she said. “I think that’s what really guided me to this path. I think I would have realized it much later if it had been any other way.”

 

Biology teacher Phyllis Robinson taught González-Kosasky during her freshman and senior years and said her intellect, maturity and collaboration skills will benefit her as she pursues the sciences.

“She was reticent as a ninth grader and doubtful about her abilities, but she has grown into them and has become a confident learner,” Robinson said.

 

Last summer, González-Kosasky interned with the CRoCCo Laboratory at UMD, where she visualized data and learned Python code. The experience showed her what research looks like outside the classroom.

 

“What it really taught me is science is more a learning experience than shooting for one definitive answer. In my view you can’t make progress in science without multiple failures or stumbling blocks,” she said. “The internship made me feel more comfortable about not understanding everything in science (at first). It will be okay because at some point I will understand and it will make sense.”

 

As an aspiring researcher, her goal is to become a “trailblazer.”

 

“I feel like there are a lot of places in science where there still need to be some discoveries made,” she said. “If I can help or lead that discovery, that would be awesome.”

 

The sciences aren’t her only passion – González-Kosasky is a history buff and plays varsity volleyball and softball.

 

“Even if you’re full-fledged into science, don’t forget the other things you love, because they’ll help you in the long run,” she says to other aspiring scientists. “You’re not one-faceted, you’re multifaceted. It’s not finding one version of you – it’s multiple versions that form one cohesive self.”