UCS grad earns fellowship to conduct memory research at Johns Hopkins

Utica Community Schools graduate Daniel Esquivel will lead a research project on memory as part of a fellowship program awarded through Johns Hopkins University.

Esquivel is one of approximately 10 students to be accepted into the Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program as part of his enrollment in Johns Hopkins.

The Utica High School-Utica Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology senior will lead a research project on how the brain processes memories.

"If we can understand how the brain stores memory, maybe we can find a way to protect it as we grow older so we don't lose what is important," he said.

The Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program provides funding to a select group of Arts & Sciences undergraduates, enabling them to pursue independent research of their own design.

Working closely with Hopkins faculty members, these students pursue their own research throughout the course of their undergraduate experience. The fellowship provides up to $10,000 to support the research.

Esquivel said his interest in scientific research goes back to his Wiley Elementary preschool days when he was challenged to find out how many gumballs were in a glass.

"The sense of discovery really resonates with me," he said. "There are so many different things in science that have yet to be discovered, and I feel like I can put my mark on history that way."

His research at Johns Hopkins will allow him to focus on the biological aspects of how the brain stores memory.

Esquivel said Utica Community Schools background has “given me the confidence” to pursue the research opportunity.

“I have had the pleasure to have very involved teachers,” he said. “It is important to have teachers who believe in your abilities.”

He has been named a National Merit Commended Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, and Utica High School’s outstanding Advanced Placement US History student. He has also participated in theatre, National Honor Society, American Youth Soccer program and the St. Therese youth group.

He plans to study neuroscience at Johns Hopkins next year. He has received an approximately $30,000 annual scholarship in addition to the Wilson fellowship.