From MPC to Cambridge University: Scholarship Recipient Luisa Dell Advances Groundbreaking Research in the UK
When Luisa Dell first enrolled at MPC, she was just 14 years old. What began as an early introduction to college coursework soon became the foundation for an extraordinary academic journey that has taken her from MPC classrooms and laboratories to some of the world’s leading research institutions.
Today, Luisa is pursuing groundbreaking research in chemical engineering and biotechnology, helping develop sustainable methods for producing compounds with the potential to treat human disease. Along the way, she has earned some of the most prestigious awards available to young scientists, including the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the internationally renowned Gates Cambridge Scholarship.
But Luisa credits much of her success to the mentors and opportunities she found at MPC.
"Professor Rushia Turner is the reason I'm doing research," Luisa says. "She was my inspiration."
While studying at MPC, Luisa immersed herself in both academics and campus life. She excelled in the classroom, earning twelve associate degrees with highest honors and maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. Outside the classroom, she competed in track and field and cross country, served as a STEM Cohort Enhanced Learning (CEL) tutor, and worked as a teaching assistant in engineering courses.
Another influential mentor was engineering professor Tom Rebold, for whom she served as a teaching assistant. Through that experience, Luisa developed both technical skills and confidence, while building a mentoring relationship that continues to impact her career.
Support from the MPC Foundation also played an important role in her educational journey. Scholarship assistance helped make it possible for Luisa to pursue her academic goals and take advantage of opportunities that would ultimately shape her future.
After transferring to the University of California, Berkeley, Luisa earned a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry, graduating with high honors. Her passion for research led her to competitive summer programs at Johns Hopkins University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before returning to Berkeley to conduct advanced research in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
Her work has already contributed to published scientific research and focuses on developing sustainable biological processes to create compounds with applications in medicine and human health. She has presented her research at national conferences and has been recognized as one of the country's emerging leaders in chemical engineering.
Despite her impressive accomplishments, Luisa remains committed to helping others follow similar paths. She currently serves as a STEM mentor, supporting low-income, first-generation, and historically underrepresented students pursuing careers in science and engineering.
Looking back, Luisa sees MPC as the place where her passion for discovery truly began.
The MPC Foundation is proud to support students like Luisa whose talent, determination, and curiosity are transforming lives and advancing knowledge. Her story is a powerful reminder of the impact that scholarships, mentorship, and educational opportunity can have—not only on individual students, but on the communities and fields they go on to serve.