Siddarth Sharma

Name:  Siddarth Sharma

College: Cowell College

Department: Economics and a Comp. Sci Minor

What Award/ Scholarship did you receive? Undergraduate Economics Award

What year do you expect to graduate? 2021

Where do you call home? Los Angeles, CA

With all of the choices for college, what made UC Santa Cruz stand out? To be honest, Santa Cruz isn’t where I initially imagined myself but when I got in and visited the campus I became enamored by the school. I really began to imagine myself here when I sat in on a class. Not only is the school filled with amazing professors who produce volumes of interesting research, it is also a place of natural beauty that leads one to a more zen, introspective place.

What is your field of focus? General Economics, Environmental Economics, Behavioral Economics

What do you hope to do once you graduate from UC Santa Cruz? Economics PHD

What is one memorable moment that stands out for you as a student here? When I was in high school, I never showed much of an interest in learning. My academic life was mostly a rote procedure but when I finished my first quarter, I realized that I actually loved learning. I believe that moment sent me on a new path in my life.

What is your one piece of advice for incoming students about life at UC Santa Cruz? Avail yourself of any opportunity possible. Try things that put you out of your comfort zone.

How will this scholarship impact your academic life /research? It will help me purchase some of the datasets I need for a machine learning project I’m doing about fundamental analysis in investing. Also, it will help me pay for next year’s schooling.