In this list of 22 different work-related values, there is one that sticks out more than any of the rest, by far: I want to Work on the Frontiers of Knowledge. There is almost nothing more exciting to me than expanding the human knowledge base. Many of the application essays I have written include statements like this, with good reason. The excitement of discovery of something new is beyond thrilling. Even just a tiny breakthrough in the circle of knowledge, as seen in the illustrated guide to a PhD, is worth much celebration.
I am by nature very curious, and this has only increased over time, as I have discovered how much more that I have (get) to learn. I have many, many questions, and I want answers to them. I believe knowledge is intrinsically valuable; that is, I think knowledge has value for its own sake as opposed to only having instrumental value, or value as what one can do with that knowledge. Of course, knowledge also has a very high instrumental value, such as the ability to Help Society (another work value I am concerned about and will discuss shortly). The consideration of this one value, Work on the Frontiers of Knowledge, already has me directly cemented into a career path: research. I started carrying out ‘official’ research the first semester of my freshman year (though I had already presented some research at an ASME conference in Puerto Rico a few years prior). I have continued every semester and summer executing research projects within a total of 5 different research groups (including research internships), and I know I want to keep doing it for the rest of my life. Regarding Helping Society as a work value, my goals are much more long-term focused. I am not too worried about seeing the fruit of my labors within one or two decades, or even my lifetime. I aim to discover new physics, or materials with new physics, that will set the stage for technology decades down the road. I am quite interested in the advancement of solar technology, hence my interest in optical properties of materials. My work on nonlinear photocurrents can potentially be realized as shift current photovoltaics. If successful, these materials could lead the next generation of solar cells, which has substantial sustainability and environmental benefits as a renewable energy source, particularly in places where conventional electricity is difficult or possible to get. Outside of my research, I am also passionate about helping society, especially through sacrificial giving of my income towards those who need it for their necessities rather than my luxuries. I am an "effective altruist," and I have pledged to (and actually) donate at least 10% of my income to effective charities. I have personally committed to giving a (time-averaged) 50% of my income to effective charities. Overall, I want to Work on the Frontiers of Knowledge, using that new knowledge to Help Society. I am excited about making new discoveries and how those innovations can be used to make new technology, especially renewable energy.
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