Name : Sharifah Syed Omar

PUID : 0027474878\

1. What are the roles of Agricultural & Biological Engineers in meeting the grand
challenges: water, energy, food, environment and health?
Grand challenges of the world as proposed by the U.S National Academy of Engineering
(NAE) on 2008. It was proposed generally for engineers but in my opinion that
Agricultural & Biological Engineers have the most responsibility in overcoming that
challenges. Out of 14 challenges proposed, at least seven can be addressed using tools
and method of Agricultural & Biological Engineering. First in providing clean water. The
best way for removal of bacteria and pathogens in water to prevent widespread disease is
yet to be discovered and these will benefit greatly if we fully integrate biological
components in making engineering decision. Apart from that, Biological Engineers also
play role in overcoming grand challenge on health. Focusing specifically on genetic
science, it is known that there are a lot more ways to utilize human DNA and genetics
field. This is specifically the field I am most interested in, and in the future to overcome
challenges on human health, technology like personalized medicine can be made to
improve humans health better.

2. What are your life plans and aspirations, how do you plan to make and impact on
your world?
I wanted to become a doctor. I want to cure people, help people to have a long healthy
life. However, when I realized that I have a serious blood phobia, I knew the dream
would stay as a dream. But then I saw an opportunity in making the dream comes true, by
becoming a biological engineer. I want to work in cancer research center. I want to make
effective medicines. I want to spend hours in lab figuring answers to problems that are
yet to be solved. That is how I imagine myself in the future. Right now, pursuing
undergraduate in Biological Engineering with minor Biotechnology, I wish to gain as
much experience in work field as possible. Then, I want to continue my graduate and
doctorate in John Hopkins University, working on some research on cancer cells. My life
goal will be a Nobel Prize, even though I am still very far for it, I guess one can always
dream. However, impacts that I want to make are not just from solving problems and
challenges of the world. At the same time, I am inspired to teach. I want to educate as
many people as possible of values that I stand for. I want to help generating more
engineers particularly in Agricultural and Biological Engineers
.