Hi everyone! I'm Rika, a semi-international '28 from Japan, India, and Malaysia. I'm interested in studying women, gender, and sexuality studies, as well as public policy, global health, and biology while also being on the pre-health track! In my free time, I love to read books, cook and bake, play violin, spend time with animals, be sarcastic, and drink hot drinks (especially teas)! I'm so excited to share my exploration of Dartmouth with everyone :)
Academic Program
Intended WGSS on the Pre-Health track
Favorite Thing Right Now
Decorating my dorm to make it more homey! Also the FOCO ice cream bar :)
Sex, Gender, and Society is a class in the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) department. It focuses on how gender and sexuality are represented in the media and explores different ways society shapes our perspectives. This discussion-based class features multiple group projects, which allowed me to meet and interact with many of my classmates, which was super helpful in my first term! Fun fact: this class taught me how to plan, film, and edit a podcast on campus!
In this class, we explored the different contemporary meanings of the 4 concepts; love, romance, intimacy and dating. What did they look like at Dartmouth? How were they represented or defined in scholarly research? Why are they important to the world and human interaction? Our classes consisted of thoughtful discussions, insightful lectures, and even primary research. The final project was a research paper that featured the data we collected as a class. It was a wonderful course that introduced me to the world of sociology and qualitative research!
If you've ever wondered how the microscopic world dictates human history, thenBiology 11.03 Emerging Infectious Diseases: How Microbes Rule the Worldis the class for you. This winter, I took this course as my introduction to college biology, and it completely changed the way I think about science. It wasn't just about memorizing facts—it was about understanding how biology plays out in the real world, in real-time.
My classroom...
…And the view from it!
The class explored why infectious diseases emerge and re-emerge, how microbes evolve alongside their hosts, and how factors like globalization and environmental change create new opportunities for pathogens to spread. From RNA viruses to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, we unpacked the science behind some of the world's most pressing health challenges. One of my favorite aspects of the course was learning about the mechanisms of disease within the context of history and modern society. We weren't just studying microbes in isolation—we were seeing how they interact with human behavior, travel, climate change, and even economics.
As someone who lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, I found it surreal to finally understand concepts I had heard about but never fully grasped before. Terms like "RNA virus" and "PCR testing" had been floating around in news reports for years, but now, they made sense on a whole new level. I could finally appreciate how a virus hijacks a host's cellular machinery to replicate and why PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is such a powerful tool for detecting pathogens. It was like getting a behind-the-scenes look at something I had only ever experienced from the outside.
What made this class even better was how engaging and dynamic it was. Rather than just reading from a textbook, we examined case studies, discussed outbreaks, and explored how scientists track and combat emerging diseases. It was a fascinating blend of microbiology, epidemiology, and public health, all wrapped into one. I found myself thinking differently about the interconnectedness of the world—how a virus in one country can become a global crisis within weeks and how human actions can either mitigate or accelerate the spread of disease.
This course wasn't just a great introduction to biology—it was a great introduction to why biology matters. It showed me that science isn't just something you learn in a lab; it's something that shapes the world around us daily.
While first-year students don't have to worry about customizing their D-Plan right away, upperclassmen may encounter some constraints when trying to modify theirs. Here's how I petitioned my D-Plan to accommodate my double-major!
One of my greatest privileges at Dartmouth has been learning from Professor Ed. Miller of the History and Asian Studies departments. Read on to learn more about why he is my favorite professor!
