Eashan Reddy Kotha
Class of 2020, Neurobiology
Why did you choose to major in biology?
I chose to major in Biology because I’ve always been drawn to understanding how the natural world works. It was a field I wanted to dig deeper into and specifically, I wanted to learn more about the biology of our brains. Neurobiology offered that path. I think an appreciation of biology goes a long way in terms of how we approach the world around us.
How did you celebrate UCI’s first ever remote graduation?
I attended the Neurobiology graduation ceremony. It was really great to see everyone on video call. The day after that was the School of Biological Sciences graduation and I celebrated that with my family as well.
What makes UCI special?
There were so many great faculty here that either helped nurture my existing academic interests, or in other cases, sparked new ones. There’s a wonderful community at UCI and there are people who care deeply about the issues affecting us today and will affect us in the future. These are my peers. I’m glad to have been impactful in their lives and for the connections we’ve made together. I’ll also miss my daily and nightly walks through Aldrich Park. It’s a refreshing, rejuvenating space.
How does your Bachelor of Science fit into your life’s plan?
I’d like to attend medical school one day. It’s a great honor to be able to serve our communities through caring for their wellness.
In my pursuit of this degree, I picked up a lot of skills and knowledge in the field of Neurobiology. I know the basis of neurodegenerative diseases, and I’ve worked in a research lab studying epigenetic mechanisms underlying addiction. I’ve also partaken in many other activities over the past few years that helped me realize what felt fulfilling to me. I want to help other people. I want to be skilled enough to help them effectively. I want to empower. Sometime last year I realized I wanted to not only pursue a career as a physician but also contribute to our understanding of illnesses through research work. I’m excited to embark on that journey now. As for my plans further out than that, there’s a lot of work to be done so I’ll take it a day at a time.
What’s one thing at UCI that no student should miss?
Actively seek out organizations that align with your interests and tag along with friends to support theirs. There’s so much value in hearing different perspectives!
Zotmeme.jpg is a great community for UCI students to gather and reminisce/meme about campus culture.
