Adrian.
THE QUESTIONS I KEEP COMING BACK TO

Curiosity comes first.

I haven’t figured out exactly what I want to study yet. I’m drawn to questions about how living things work, why people think the way they do, and how small decisions can lead to very different outcomes.

01 / SUSTAINABILITY & SOIL

What happens below ground?

Comparing Tillage and Mulching in Respect to Brix Values of Lactuca sativa

Can the way we prepare soil affect the quality of lettuce?

Working in Baylor’s organic garden led me to that question. As part of the Research Scholars curriculum, I compared organic mulching with conventional tillage, using a refractometer to measure Brix values in lettuce and monitoring plant growth.

I collected and recorded measurements from 48 plant samples over 4 weeks. The preliminary results didn’t establish a clear relationship between soil preparation and Brix values, and didn’t show improved nutritional quality. Understanding the limitations mattered as much as taking the measurements.

I presented the findings at Baylor’s Research Symposium. Now I’m continuing the investigation through Honors Advanced Research: Sustainability in my senior year.

Baylor School

From the garden to the poster board.

Presenting my lettuce research at Baylor’s Research Symposium with Dr. Robin Fazio.

In the garden

The part you can’t see from above.

A view of the garden beds from above. My research looks at what happens in the soil beneath them.

02 / NEUROSCIENCE & PSYCHOLOGY

The science of people.

At Stanford University’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) in summer 2024, I explored neuroscience, psychology, and psychiatry.

For my capstone project, I designed and presented a concept for a helmet that could monitor head impacts, inspired by what I learned about concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The idea was to help reduce concussion risk; it wasn’t a working or tested device.

I also enjoy philosophy, especially questions about how people make decisions, what shapes our beliefs, and why we see the world differently.

Stanford University · CNI-X

Presenting my idea at CNI-X.

Presenting my helmet concept at Stanford’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X), summer 2024.

03 / CHESS

Always another move to consider.

I play at Baylor, online, and at public chess tables when I get the chance. My rating is approximately 1700 on Chess.com. I like looking for patterns, anticipating the next move, and seeing how one decision can change a game.

At the library · age 9

Before the chessboards in New York.

Playing checkers with my dad at the library when I was nine. These days, it’s usually chess.

New York City

A new board. A new opponent.

On a family trip to New York, I joined a game in the park. I love that a chessboard can give two strangers something to think about together.