Cohort Stories: Meet Charlton
vol. 5, no. 81 — guest post by Charlton Otieno
I view myself as more of an outsider in every aspect. As an immigrant, moving from Kenya four years ago to join my family was not a smooth transition as most can imagine. Trying to adapt to the way of life, the lack of understanding due to accent differences. In addition, it was only a month after starting high school in October, that I realized I had only one month to complete my college applications by the deadline. Despite all this, I did my best, and I was as one of the top students in my graduating class. After working very hard, during the summer before college, to earn tuition money, I faced a challenging obstacle when some of the financial aid I was offered had been redacted due to my not having lived in the United States for a full year. I was not able to attend the college I had originally intended due to tuition costs, so as an alternative, I was lucky to join Bunker Hill Community College, where I studied Biology. I really enjoyed my experience there. Working and attending school full-time was difficult, but I’m proud of myself because I finished my Associate’s degree and then transferred to Boston University to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a minor in Computer Science.
I became interested in technology while watching Formula 1 races on the TV while in primary school. Seeing that the battle for the top was a combination of a driver’s skill and the best strategy calls based on the data collected during the race left me in awe.
When I joined high school, I was lucky to be in the computer studies class. It instantly became one of my best classes. I remember doing a project where we had to create databases using MS Access and code using visual basic, and it was very exciting. When I came to the United States, the expectation was either to be a doctor, engineer or a disappointment, as the opportunities availed here are very hard to come by. This is partly why I chose the pre-medical track when entering college. Although I liked the pre-medical classes I was taking, I was still so curious about coding and computer science. During an internship experience at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, I was introduced into the world of bioinformatics, and I was very intrigued in seeing the applications of computer science in health sciences. This led me to take up a minor in Computer Science.
I try to do my best with all the opportunities presented to me. Knowing that not everyone has been given the same opportunities as me is motivating, and I will always aim to optimize them. While I still do not know for sure what I want to do, I am motivated knowing that I can still be contributing to saving lives, even in the non-conventional way. Seeing that computer programs can be used to accelerate search for cures of diseases like cancer continues to intrigue me. This was highlighted earlier on in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the sequence of the virus helped fast track the process of development of vaccines.
In addition, seeing how machine learning can be used to make quicker and precise diagnoses. Knowing that Hack.Diversity is an opportunity of a lifetime, I seek to use it to leverage all the resources it provides.
