Elizabeth Stone
Hometown:
Miami, FL
M&TSI Year:
2018
WHY DID YOU APPLY TO TAKE PART IN M&TSI?
Recently, businesses focused on technological innovation have been the most significant drivers of change in our society. Therefore, I felt it was imperative to gain a basic understanding of engineering fundamentals as well as how to propel a product to the consumer: lessons unavailable in my high school curriculum. M&TSI not only teaches the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and engineering, it allows us to put these ideas into practice in the form of a final product and an executive business summary. It was this hands-on application paired with the core curriculum that attracted me to M&TSI.
HOW DID M&TSI HELP YOU IDENTIFY FUTURE ACADEMIC OR CAREER GOALS?
Throughout my academic career, I knew I had a passion for math, even pursuing independent math research for the past two years. However, I was unsure whether this passion would translate into an affinity for engineering, business or both. Through lectures and mentorship, M&TSI engaged me in both engineering and business, offering me the foundation necessary to establish my future academic and career goals. Most significantly, this program confirmed that my interests lie more in the business field, especially how math can be used to influence executive decisions.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE M&TSI EXPERIENCE?
M&TSI allowed me to listen and learn from world-renowned professors and industry experts—a privilege few get to enjoy. I value the RTA mentorship, extraordinary students, and friendships I was able to form throughout my experience most. Collaborating with such an accomplished and intellectually curious group of high schoolers encouraged me to learn from my peers while forming lifelong connections. Additionally, the RTAs helped foster these connections while offering key insights into student life at Penn.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY UP TO?
I am home in Miami preparing for my senior year of high school. In addition, I am writing a research paper summarizing the independent mathematics research I conducted last year for submission to Regeneron Science Talent Search. Most importantly, I plan to continue exploring my interest in the implications of applied mathematics in business piqued at M&TSI. Reading about data-driven decisions including the research about Consumer Based Corporate Valuations by Professor Fader and Big Data by Professor Preciado revealed the potential of algorithms to guide an array of business decisions.