Going Further

Candice Ionescu '19

Candice Ionescu ’19

From studying abroad in Málaga, Spain, to conducting original research in Washington, D.C., to tapping Career Center resources to build connections with alumni, to her performance on the track, Candice Ionesco ’19 is making the most of her Dickinson experience. Below, she discusses the coursework that inspired her to pursue an international studies degree, the class that took her further than she’d imagined she could go, the people who inspire her and her research as awardee of a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), where she studies and helps develop standards for nanotechnologies, working alongside Dickinson alumna Jennifer Marshall '01.

Hometown:

Maple Glen, Pennsylvania.

Major: 

International studies.

Clubs and organizations:  

Varsity cross country, varsity track and field, Portuguese Club and Dickinson Christian Fellowship.

Honors/scholarships/awards:

Dean’s List and National Institute of Standards and Technology /Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Why I decided to attend Dickinson:    

I loved the campus, the class sizes, the track and cross country teams, the study abroad opportunities and Dickinson’s commitment to global engagement and sustainability.

Favorite place on campus:

The Biblio.

Favorite Dining Hall food:

Jen’s Apple Cake.

On choosing a major:  

I used to be on a biochemistry & molecular biology track as a first-year student. However, my advisor and first-year seminar professor, Carolina Castellanos, encouraged me to try other classes and expand my horizons. I took Professor [of Political Science Russell] Bova’s International Relations class that I really enjoyed, and I realized that international studies was the major for me.

Favorite class/learning experience so far:

Portuguese for Romance Language Speakers. Though it was difficult at first, I had so much fun with the four other students in my class, and with our TA Mariana Leivas and Professor Castellanos, who brought excitement and encouragement in learning a new language. I felt like I made huge strides in that class. By the end of the semester, I could speak Portuguese at a much higher level than I ever thought I could. The best part is that I have retained much of the language I learned then.

Biggest influence:

My parents have taught me to work hard, be respectful, be passionate and never give up. Their encouragement, excitement and love follows me everywhere I go, whether it is on the track, in the classroom, abroad or at my internship.

About my internship:

I am currently interning in the Standards Coordination Office (SCO) at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). My office works in standards development, which entails the writing of standards for technologies that provides industries a common language that facilitates trade. They identify areas where standards are needed, convene stakeholders, and provide technical and scientific expertise to help stakeholder groups reach a consensus. The NIST consensus on a standard is then brought to a national committee, where another consensus is decided as the U.S. position, and this consensus for this standard is brought to international standards committee, where an international standard is determined.

Favorite book:

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. (Although a controversial choice nowadays, this book brought out every emotion in me as I was reading it. It also teaches lessons about mistakes made in the past and gives an accurate snapshot of what life in the South was like back then.)

About my research projects:

My research right now centers on comparing China’s enormous investments in developing national nanotechnology standards to the U.S.’s investments and standards development in nanotechnology. I am looking at how these investments affect each of the countries’ roles in internationally developing nanotechnology standards on the ISO/TC 229 committee. My questions are: Does China’s huge investment in nanotechnology standards impede U.S. influence on standards development on the international stage? What does this mean about Chinese power and influence on a global scale?

Most important thing I’ve learned so far:  

Balance is key. I try to enjoy everything I do, and in order for that to happen, I have to make sure that I do not overdo anything.

Post-Dickinson plans:

I’m currently filling out the application for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Fellowship in Brazil for the 2019-2020 year.

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Published August 24, 2018