Greetings! My name is Emmanuel Ike, and I am a junior, Chemical Engineering major. Growing up in the DC Metropolitan area I have observed a lot of problems which I would like to help solve which include but are not limited to healthcare, poverty, homelessness and many more. Because of this I want to dedicate my life to service of others. I do this by being involved in community service whenever I can. For the past two years I have spent my spring break serving others and I plan to do the same this spring break. My research interests are very broad, but are all interconnected in the way that they can improve the lives of many. I aspire to be a philanthropic doctor who owns his own biotech firm.  

My hobbies include watching shows on Netflix, being involved on campus in various organizations that I am a member of and learning new things. Being Nigerian, traveling to Africa is nothing new to me. As Chief of Staff of the African Student Association I have befriended many Senegalese friends and I have heard a plethora of great things about this country. I am excited to visit Senegal as this will be the third African country that I have visited. I look forward to broadening my global perspective traveling with GEAR UP 2016.