Roque Sanchez

I am working under the guidance of Dr. Janet Braam, in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, on understanding how plants perceive and respond to environmental stress. To explore these plant responses, we use Arabidopsis thaliana, a quick-growing member of the mustard family. Under Dr. Elizabeth McCormack, I work on learning how calmodulin-like proteins affect the plants’ hydrotropic response, or the tendency of a plant’s roots to grow towards water. In the lab I help to design, run, and analyze tests we can use to measure hydrotropism. As part of my work I prepare specialized stains and agars, and run DNA gel electrophoresis, as well as having the opportunity to present my progress at lab meetings.

I am a freshman at Rice and a member of Wiess College. I graduated last year from Sandia Prep in Albuquerque, NM, where I graduated top of my class. I have also competed in men’s gymnastics for 13 years, although I am currently in retirement.

As of this moment I am a Civil Engineering and Hispanic Studies major, which may seem unusual for the type of lab work I enjoy. Although I took almost every science class I could in high school, I enjoy and am interested in almost any pursuit, be it scientific, academic, artistic, or in athletics. My freshman year has been a way for me to explore what way would be best for me to use my talents –and energy– in pursuit of a career. Being able to work in a lab as an undergraduate has allowed me to experience scientific research personally, and the job skills and connections I am forming are invaluable. Although I am not sure I want to pursue biochemistry, civil engineering, or any other of the multitudes of majors I’ve considered, my lab experience has helped me come closer to deciding what I want to get out of my undergraduate experience.

I’ve stayed just as busy and balanced at Rice as I was in high school. I am involved in college government, Engineers Without Borders, the Model UN team, and the Rice Community Garden. I have been in two Wiess productions, a drama and a musical, so far, and I am looking forward to racing on the Wiess Beer Bike team. I am also currently working to bring a new project, the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, to Rice.

When I decided to accept admission to Rice, the Century Scholars program stood out to me among all my other acceptance letters. While I could have gone to a state school for free, the opportunity to do research as an undergrad, as well as being able to be part of the incredible and challenging Rice community, was too lucrative to resist. The scholarship has made Rice more affordable, and the experiences I’ve had, including the Century Scholars events, have been more than worth it. I’m having the time of my life at Rice, and the Century Scholars program has allowed me to challenge myself in ways a normal undergrad experience would have never allowed me.