Mentors: Emily Nagamoto, Dr. Katherine Siegel

Bio:Samuel Sandoval is a current student at Aims Community College majoring in Mathematics. He is inspired by the effects that biological, environmental, and social systems have on one another and is interested in using mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis to better understand the relationships between them.

The pursuit of higher education has been truly transformative for him. After becoming increasingly involved with his community through mentorship, leading supplemental instruction groups in STEM, and joining the Aims Review Magazine editorial board, he hopes to continue building a welcoming environment for those around him by leading through learning and uplifting underrepresented voices.

Since taking a human anatomy and physiology course last spring, science has unexpectedly become a growing passion for him. Most recently, he has been fascinated by learning how to model natural phenomena, such as using integration and sinusoidal functions to represent the cyclical rhythm of the heart. Learning to connect ideas across disciplines through mathematics has made him eager to continue exploring the deeper meaning behind the numbers.

Samuel’s participation in the 2026 RECCS cohort connects his passions for building community, mathematics, and environmental science. By gaining experience as a scientific researcher, Samuel represents the first in his family to have ever stepped foot in a professional lab—a milestone he's incredibly proud to have reached and one he hopes will carry on in both current and future generations.