Simmons and
Simmons Group
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Emma Simmons . . . About Me
In this photo, I am working on designing and soldering the circuitry for one of the prototyping boards used in our project this year.
Growing up in a small town in southern Pennsylvania, I’ve always been surrounded by a close‑knit community of family, friends, my twin sister, and our church—plus a lively collection of pets, including two big dogs, three cats, twenty fish, and three aquatic frogs. I’m currently in 12th grade and have been homeschooled throughout high school. My parents, both PhDs, designed a rigorous academic program that blends traditional coursework with opportunities to explore the subjects I’m most passionate about: science and engineering.
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I’ve pursued these interests through hands‑on learning experiences (such as working in a veterinary office and spending time with horses), challenging classes (including university‑level STEM courses), independent and collaborative research, STEM competitions, and conference presentations. These experiences have taught me that complex problems are best approached from multiple angles. By combining science and engineering with creativity, community, and artistic design, I’ve learned to look at challenges differently and develop innovative solutions.
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This path has naturally led me toward veterinary medicine, my long‑term career goal. The field brings together my love of animals and science with research, problem‑solving, compassion, and service. Through veterinary shadowing and part‑time work in a veterinary practice, I’ve gained firsthand experience with animal care and the responsibilities of the profession. My interest in animal health has also drawn me into biomedical research and engineering, including developing prototypes focused on equine respiratory care and monitoring. These projects have shown me how biology, engineering, technology, and veterinary medicine can intersect to solve real‑world challenges in animal health.
In the future, I hope to combine clinical veterinary medicine with research and innovation. I want to help develop better approaches to animal care and make veterinary services more accessible, potentially through a mobile veterinary clinic. Ultimately, I hope to build a career centered on science while drawing from multiple disciplines to keep asking questions, solving problems, and improving the lives of animals and the people who care for them.
Growing up in a small town in southern Pennsylvania, I’ve always been surrounded by a close‑knit community of family, friends, my twin sister, and our church—plus a lively collection of pets, including two big dogs, three cats, twenty fish, and three aquatic frogs. I’m currently in 12th grade and have been homeschooled throughout high school. My parents, both PhDs, designed a rigorous academic program that blends traditional coursework with opportunities to explore the subjects I’m most passionate about: science and engineering.
​
I’ve pursued these interests through hands‑on learning experiences (such as working in a veterinary office and spending time with horses), challenging classes (including university‑level STEM courses), independent and collaborative research, STEM competitions, and conference presentations. These experiences have taught me that complex problems are best approached from multiple angles. By combining science and engineering with creativity, community, and artistic design, I’ve learned to look at challenges differently and develop innovative solutions.
​
This path has naturally led me toward veterinary medicine, my long‑term career goal. The field brings together my love of animals and science with research, problem‑solving, compassion, and service. Through veterinary shadowing and part‑time work in a veterinary practice, I’ve gained firsthand experience with animal care and the responsibilities of the profession. My interest in animal health has also drawn me into biomedical research and engineering, including developing prototypes focused on equine respiratory care and monitoring. These projects have shown me how biology, engineering, technology, and veterinary medicine can intersect to solve real‑world challenges in animal health.
In the future, I hope to combine clinical veterinary medicine with research and innovation. I want to help develop better approaches to animal care and make veterinary services more accessible, potentially through a mobile veterinary clinic. Ultimately, I hope to build a career centered on science while drawing from multiple disciplines to keep asking questions, solving problems, and improving the lives of animals and the people who care for them.
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For more information about me, please review my extended biography and goals, my resume, and my academic performance reports.
Other Things I Like
Outside of academics, I enjoy swimming in the summer—especially when my family visits the beach—and sledding in the winter. Music is also a big part of my life, and my sister and I sing together in a local community chorus. I love creative activities like drawing and strategic ones like playing chess. But what I love most is spending time with my twin and our animals. Whether we’re taking the dogs on long walks, caring for our cats, or just hanging out with our ever‑growing collection of fish and frogs, those moments are the ones that make me feel most at home.
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Above is a video of me explaining the development of a prototype that measures vital signs using conductive fabric. Directly below is a photo of me working in a lab at Mount St. Mary's University. But I enjoy other things as well, such as Chess (left), singing (right), and my twin and our dogs (bottom right)
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