Hi guys! My name is Ana Jaramillo, I’m a rising junior studying mechanical engineering and biology, and I’m part of Lloyd House.

I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia before moving to Miami, FL. As you might expect, I love the sun, the beach, and music — and that was actually a big reason I chose Caltech. The sunny state of California does a perfect job reminding me of home.

Academically, I’m really interested in medical devices. During my first year, I had a tough time choosing between bioengineering and mechanical engineering. But after taking core classes and exploring the research happening on campus, I realized MechE was the better fit for me. 

In fact, one of the big things that helped me make this decision was the opportunity to do research in a variety of areas. I was able to work with Professor Viviana Gradinaru in Bioengineering and also Professor Frances Arnold in Chemical Engineering. Now, I’m about to start a SURF in the AMBER Lab to try mechanical engineering research. Having all these opportunities available to me really helped me make my decision.

Outside of classes and research, one of my biggest time commitments is soccer! I’m on Caltech’s very own women’s soccer team, and I absolutely love it. The girls on the team make every training session fun — it’s honestly one of the best communities I’ve found on campus. I’ve always loved playing sports, and getting to do that at the college level has been such a blessing.

And because school and soccer still don’t take up all my time 😅, I’m also heavily involved in campus affinity groups. I serve as Vice President of the Caltech Hispanic and Latino Association (CHLA), one of my favorite communities on campus. As a Latina from Miami, I was used to being surrounded by people who shared my background, so coming to Caltech was a bit of a culture shock. But CHLA has been an amazing source of support — and just a really fun, welcoming space for all Latino students.

I’m also involved in Engineers Without Borders, an academic/engineering club that is focusing on improving a piping system in a small town in Ecuador — it’s been a great way to get hands-on experience while making an impact.

Outside of all the madness, I love reading — especially classic literature and fiction. And of course, I live and breathe the beach, so I try to go whenever I can. Music is also a huge part of my life. As a proud Colombian, I’ve got music in my blood, and I will never say no to a dance. My go-to playlist? Colombia’s Top 50 on Spotify, always.

My other favorite thing to do is eat. My favorite restaurant here in Pasadena is La Maria, a Colombian spot with the most AMAZING food. As for shows — I’m juggling way too many right now to name them all, but my most urgent one is Ginny & Georgia since the third season just came out.

Thanks for reading! Can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings!💛