Los Alamos High School graduating senior Nilesh Mukundan is heading to the University of California at San Diego where he will study either biology or political science. During his high school career Nilesh was active in dance clubs, speech and debate teams, and science fair. He was a two-time national qualifier for speech and debate. Nilesh took first place in the state science fair in the behavioral science category. His project was spurred by volunteer work he did in India in a school for children with special needs. Nilesh is a member of the National Honor Society and a LANL Bronze Scholar. He has been an intern at LANL. His team won first place in the Student Symposium in Mathematics last fall. Nilesh has also interned at the University of New Mexico and Harvard University which is where he first started enjoying biology. He also played varsity soccer and was part of the team that were state runners up two years in a row. Nilesh is grateful to his awesome mentors and teachers. He will miss his friends most of all. Nilesh is the son of Harshini and Mukund Mukundan. Photo by Elena E. Giorgi