My name is Maria Costea, and I am a senior at Mark Twain International School where I have taken every opportunity available to me to grow as a learner and achieve my highest most unattainable goals. Among my proudest accomplishments is securing an offer at the University of Pennsylvania, a private Ivy League institute in Philadelphia, where I am going to pursue a major in psychology.

The journey was far from easy - having to balance a rigorous academic load, one that accompanies the International Baccalaureate, as well as pursuing various extracurriculars and leadership roles pushed me to my limits, however they ultimately had a positive outcome. I’ve grown and developed into an individual dedicated to aiding my community, as well as pursuing meaningful education. My early acceptance from this prestigious institution is a reflection of both the hard work I have dedicated my life to, as well as the unwavering support of my teachers, family, and friends.

My school, especially, managed to support me in ways that truly made a difference. Mark Twain International School provided flexibility and time for independent contributions, both in the school and the community surrounding us, allowing me to pursue meaningful endeavors. Even with the rigorous academic demands of taking the IB, my school allows its students to craft their own ideas and create their own opportunities, while also offering significant support from teachers and mentors. Therefore, I am grateful that I find myself in such a supportive community, one in which I can further develop into a balanced individual.

Mainly, I am most passionate about the intersection between psychology and technology, among other things. Ever since joining the National Robotics Team of Romania 3 years ago following in my brother's footsteps, I grew an interest in technology and AI. I believe that individuals who do not fully grasp the human nature of communication and perception will not be able to keep up with the ever-evolving technology that is taking over all areas of life. The exception in this case is that the human element cannot be taken away from psychology. Technology can simply be used as a means of furthering and improving interactions, not replacing them, and this is specifically what I had in mind upon creating PsyBot.

As soon as I started IB psychology classes in high school, I immediately knew that I would be able to explore interesting possibilities in this discipline. Shortly after my revelation, my mom and I started debating various topics, as she is a psychologist herself, and the idea of me following in her footsteps was not an ideal situation, as parents tend to prefer their children to follow their own path. The most remarkable conversation we’ve had so far, one that I vividly remember, even a year later, took place after I told her I’d like to build a humanoid robot to integrate into psychological assessment and counseling. Granted, she was initially taken aback by my idea, because, “Technology has no place in psychology,” and “Humans are a critical component to psychology, and there is no way of doing it without them!” I explained to her how a robot would increase a child’s receptiveness to therapy, facilitating the therapeutic relationship, and most importantly how my research aims to expand human interaction, not replace it.

I am working on a humanoid robot (PsyBot) to integrate into psychological assessment and counseling for young people. After an initial pilot project in which I tested the robot as a supporting tool to the psychological assessment, I discovered that the robot increased the child’s receptiveness to therapy, facilitating the therapeutic relationship. My focus is on integration of a robot that uses technological advancements as a supporting tool in therapeutic intervention.

This is one of the areas that I’ve dedicated most of my time towards, as it serves as the perfect intersection between two areas I am most passionate about. Along with this, volunteering, community service, and painting are things I’ve enjoyed dedicating my time towards. My time volunteering at ASPO, the Cancer Patient Support Organization, offered a new perspective on the psychological benefits art brings. We offered patients acrylics and guidance, and their experiences did the rest. I still remember how surprised I was upon seeing their finished paintings, as the physical and psychological suffering these patients experienced was translated into beautiful and thoughtful artwork. The depth of the emotions they could show in their artwork impressed me, but I was also surprised by how much this process relieved them and brought purpose to their suffering. One patient told me, “I’m glad something good actually came out of the years of suffering I had to endure.” Art therapy gives patients the power to challenge the negative aspect in which their experiences are recalled, and changing the way they view these, as well as externalizing these negative emotions. I greatly value interdisciplinarity, as it allows me to combine various different disciplines since my interests span over various fields, and create ideas and projects that connect distinct communities. Overall, I would like to reinstate the immense gratitude I hold for the people around me, and especially my school, for supporting me in every step of the way, and ultimately leading to admission from my dream university.

Maria Costea

DP2 Student

Mark Twain International School