Student Spotlight: Isabel Duran

This interview is part of a series of short interviews from the Department of EECS, called Student Spotlights. Each Spotlight features a student answering their choice of questions about themselves and life at MIT. 

Isabel Duran, a sophomore majoring in 6-5, Electrical Engineering With Computing, keeps a packed schedule: you may spot her giving tours around campus for MIT Admissions, but she’s also co-lead for Engineers Without Borders Farm and Irrigation, Treasurer for the MIT chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Secretary for MIT LUCHA, and an active member of Alpha Chi Omega. We sat down with her to learn more.

Tell me about one teacher from your past—here at MIT, at your high school, or even earlier, who had an influence on the person you’ve become.

My high school chemistry teacher, Dr. Sharp, changed my life. She was funny and freakishly all-knowing (both about school gossip and complex science), and her class was one of my first introductions to what I would consider serious science. Beyond being my role model, she encouraged me to get involved in STEM competitions and introduced me to an incredible support system that I still consider close friends. Without her, I would not have even applied to MIT!

Who’s your favorite artist?

This past summer, I had the opportunity to see Natalia Lafourcade live. The entire concert was acoustic, some parts even acapella, and the rhythm, melodies, and lyrics felt like home. She’s a Mexican folk artist, and I grew up listening to her music. In addition to the absolute genius of her songs, they’re deeply woven with a lot of my core memories.

What is your favorite obscure, endangered, or unpopular animal?

I have a little bit of a quokka obsession. Quokkas are derpy marsupials inhabiting Western Australia. Something about their eyes indicates innocent mischief, and I think they’re my spirit animals.

What is the best bad movie? (You get to decide for yourself what the subjectives “best” and “bad” mean.)

“A California Christmas” is the best bad movie. My whole family has grown to enjoy a Hallmark-esque masterpiece around the holidays, and this was one of the first ones we watched.

If you suddenly won the lottery, what would you spend some of the money on?

A hotel-type pancake machine.

If you had to teach a really in-depth class about one niche topic, what would you pick?

Ever since physics class in high school, I’ve really loved magnets. I find them cool from a conceptual perspective (the math and physics of them are fascinating, even if mysterious) and an applications perspective (maglev trains??? Huge magnets for fusion??? Tiny magnets for killing cancer??? epic). I would love to teach a class about magnets, and I would really enjoy learning more too.