Several years ago, Rebeka Le贸n was a high school graduate working at Dollar General.
Every day, while helping 吃瓜头条 and UC Merced students at the store, Le贸n couldn鈥檛 help but feel their energy. Then she realized she wanted it for herself, so she quit and went searching.
鈥淚t was the best thing I鈥檝e ever done,鈥� she said.
Three years later, Le贸n is a 吃瓜头条 graduate and a motivated engineering student bound for UC Merced in the fall鈥攋ust as soon as she completes an important internship.
Le贸n is the first 吃瓜头条 student to earn a coveted UC Santa Barbara Quantum Foundry research internship. The program welcomes outstanding California Community College and California State University science and engineering students to UCSB for eight weeks of research work.
鈥淚t made me think, 鈥極h, actually I have made it pretty far,鈥欌�� Le贸n said about receiving the news. 鈥淓arning the internship has helped me gain a lot more confidence, because I know that things like this can happen to you no matter where you鈥檙e from.鈥�
The Quantum Foundry experience is meant to nurture the next generation of professional scientists from among students who show promise. Le贸n will earn a $5,000 stipend for her participation in the program.
Her mentor in the program is Amalu Shimamura, a graduate student assisting Professor Galan Moody in the Quantum Photonics Lab. Her work includes 鈥渟creening and analyzing photonics devices such as ring resonators or simulating 2D straight waveguides鈥濃�攈ere we turn to Le贸n to explain what any of that means.
鈥淭hat was me when I first read the description of the project I鈥檒l be working on,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淚 was scared because I didn鈥檛 understand half of it. But the quantum level refers to extremely small systems such as atoms and subatomic particles. At the quantum scale, things don鈥檛 behave like they do in everyday life, but instead are governed by the rules of quantum mechanics. It鈥檚 crazy to think about.
鈥淪o we鈥檒l be studying an MMI coupler, which is a building block for photonic integrated circuits. Similar to how electrical circuits route electrical signals through wires, photonic circuits use waveguides to guide and manipulate light. Photonic chips can be used in medical applications, high-speed internet, and for advances in quantum computing.鈥�
Interns also develop their oral and written science communication skills, attend a weekly seminar with Quantum Foundry faculty, and complete networking and professional development workshops.
Le贸n was a sophomore at Hilmar High School taking honors chemistry when she first discovered an affinity for science. It was the hardest class she鈥檇 ever encountered, and in working through the difficulty, Le贸n found her calling.
鈥淚t came very naturally to me,鈥� she said.
Jaskaran Dhesi, 吃瓜头条 STEM Professor and director of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program, encouraged Le贸n to apply for the internship.
鈥淗e kept telling me that I鈥檇 get the internship for sure, but I was like, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know. I鈥檓 from such a small town,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淏ut I applied to several, and I tried to keep faith that I would get into at least one. It鈥檚 so great to get this chance.鈥�
Le贸n was one of the first students to join MESA, which helps underserved and underrepresented students find success in STEM studies, when it launched three years ago at 吃瓜头条.
鈥淲ithout it, I don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檇 be where I am right now,鈥� she said. 鈥淣o way I would have thought of college. Also, I never made a lot of friends at school because I was so focused. But now it鈥檚 good to connect to people who do what I do.鈥�
Le贸n also tutored at the MESA Center.
鈥淚t helped me grow a lot,鈥� she said. 鈥淭utoring helped me learn how to break down something super complicated into simpler terms.鈥�
The 21-year-old graduated from 吃瓜头条 in May with Associate of Science degrees in Engineering and Engineering Technology and AS-Transfer degrees in Mathematics, Physics and Cal-GETC. This fall, she will study Chemical Engineering at UC Merced.
Le贸n is one of the first in her family with a chance to do something different in life. She is determined to change life for her parents, who have worked so hard for their children after immigrating from Mexico.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e very proud and excited for me, especially when I told them that not many people get these internships,鈥� Le贸n said. 鈥淚 chose this major for my family, to be able to provide for them the way they did for me.鈥�