About Me

Profile

About: Hi everyone! My name is Sharwin Khot, and I am currently a 3rd year student in Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. I am from Plano, Texas, but I was originally born and raised in Twinsburg, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. I lived there for 13 years before moving to Texas the summer before 8th grade. Although I am now miles away, I still deeply love all my hometown teams – Indians, Browns, and Cavaliers (welcome back, LeBron!!). My loyalty and passion for these teams is indicative of who I am as a person. I have always tried to give everything I have for the things I believe in.

I enjoy playing sports and being physically active. I absolutely love playing baseball, football, and pick-up basketball. During my freshman year, I started playing ultimate frisbee as well.

Another fun fact about me is that cheetahs are my favorite animal! My room is decorated with various cheetah posters and stuffed animals. In the future, I aim at becoming more involved in cheetah conservation efforts.

Aside from academics, I also work as an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Amy Brock's lab. As part of UT's Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Brock Laboratory focuses on trying to understand cancer as a complex system. During my time here, I have met some incredible people, and I am excited to see what discoveries lie ahead.

Why I Ride

I ride because I am in fear.

When I was young, it was hard to understand what cancer meant. It was abstract. I only ever heard about a distant relative or a friend of a friend who had been diagnosed. As I grew older, I finally came to realize how destructive it is, for both the body and one’s family and friends. It's scary to think about how prevalent this disease is nowadays, which is why even though my close ones have had good health so far, I can't help but feel that it may only be a matter of time. The stories I’ve heard from my fellow riders could have just as easily happened to my family.

What if my dad discovers he has a brain tumor?
What if my mom finds out she has a spot of melanoma?
What if my sister is diagnosed with a polyp?

Thus, I ride so that one day, when this luck runs out, my loved ones will have a better chance to survive.

I ride for those who continue to fight, and for those who have had their health taken from them.

I can’t imagine the pain and suffering of chemotherapy. I don’t know what it’s like to say goodbye to a close friend. But that doesn't mean I should wait around for it to happen to me before taking action. The scenarios I fear have become reality for countless others.

I ride for my family and friends.
I ride for my teammates and classmates.
I ride for Glen Gonsalves.
I ride for Jeffrey Newbauer, Jr.
I ride for a better future.

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.”
– Greek proverb