Katherine Olson

Katherine is a rising senior at Holy Names Academy in Seattle, Washington, and she is an intern at the Shmulevich Lab.

Katherine’s passion for STEM began at a very young age. Even in elementary school, her favorite classes were always math and science. Her interest in computer science, however, began during her sophomore year of high school when she took her first computer science class. This first exposure to computer science led to Katherine to become interested in pursuing a career in this field.

Outside of the classroom, Katherine is involved in many activities. She is a member of her school’s robotics team, FIRST Robotics team 5588, where she applies her passions for computer science and mathematics. In addition to robotics, Katherine is interested in history. She is the co-captain of the Holy Names History Bowl Team, and she is the 2016 Washington State Varsity History Bee Champion. Katherine is also a member of her school’s National Honor Society.

Katherine is very passionate about social justice. She is a member of Holy Name’s Social Justice Committee where she helps promote school-wide awareness of local and global social justice issues. During the summer between her sophomore and junior year, Katherine went on a two-week long service program with Education Across Borders in the Dominican Republic where she helped to build homes. During the same summer, Katherine was invited to attend Girl’s Leadership Worldwide at the Eleanor Roosevelt Center. In her local community, she frequently volunteers at Food Lifeline, an organization devoted to helping end hunger in Western Washington.

In her free time, Katherine enjoys a variety of activities. She is has a love for cooking and baking. She also likes to spend time outdoors doing activities like hiking, swimming, and walking her dog, Kealey. Katherine also loves spending time with her friends and family.

In the future, Katherine would like to obtain a bachelor’s degree in either Computer Science or Applied Mathematics, and she would like to earn a doctoral degree in her chosen field. Katherine hopes to pursue a career working at the intersection of medicine, Computer Science, and Mathematics.