The moment I looked into those crystal-clear blue eyes, I was spellbound. I had to have him. Warm, wet tears streamed down my cheeks when my parents would not buy me the object of my desire: a peacock-colored fledgling dragon sculpture. As an eleven year old, the sculpture’s defiant stance and glistening scales were the epitome of a dragon’s appearance. I later received it for my birthday and, once at home in my lair, often imagined the dragon was real and even prayed to God that He would give it life. When He did not, I decided to someday take ancient DNA from different animals and genetically configure the biological data to produce this majestic creature myself.

I have since enlarged my childhood ambitions to include much more than the creation of a personal playmate. I want to create a science called Dragonology that explores the connection between dragons and various fields of study. For me dragons represent a double metaphor: one being in relation to the future of Genetics and the other on how unity in diversity makes a powerful animal, a powerful science. This interest has been particularly meaningful to me and I hope to make it a reality.

On my own, I have gone and researched dragons and their anatomy as well as many other fields. In researching a field such as genetics, I can only barely begin to comprehend its dynamics with my current resources–library books and the Internet. This makes the prospect of college all the more exciting because there I’ll have no lack of resources!

Independently, though, these are the connections I’ve made and the theories I propose: Mythical stories portray dragons and their serpentine brethren as either good creatures or as ones who wreck havoc on humanity. Similarly, genetics is at a pivotal point in its development. The possibility of unknowingly genetically altering or even destroying life is very real. To prevent irreversible damage in pioneering genetic possibilities I would surround much of my genetic research with studies of Philosophy and Theology.

Dragonology brings together sciences, art forms, and writings that otherwise are kept separate. In addition to these fields, I plan on following the dragon’s trail through Archeology, History, the Classics, and Ancient Cultures. Interwoven into my discipline would be music, prose, and the Latin language, all innate to dragons. I will integrate these fields and more to give substance and credibility to a science represented by a creature that in the past has been no more than a mere foil to a hero’s valor. I have confidence in my ability to create this cohesive science because my own life is a combination of many different interests. Aided by my academic, athletic, artistic and leadership talents I intend to bring relevancy to ancient myth.

I believe a common thread can be found in these studies. In the same way that dragons combine multiple of animals to produce one majestic creature, Dragonology combines many fields to produce one whose components could complement and strengthen one another. I envision this science made up of a network of varied fields to be more balanced than the individual fields alone. My passion is to see Dragonology evolve. With a top university’s unparalleled resources at my disposal I would be empowered to run the race that my life’s course takes. As an Irish quote states, “genius is perseverance in disguise.” I will persevere!