SEBASTIAN MAKRIDES

Hometown: Weston, Florida
School: George Washington University
Major: Systems Engineering
Placement: The Office of Rep. Charlie Crist

Sebastian was born and raised in Broward County, Florida by his mother and father both of whom are immigrants. Sebastian’s mother was born in Cuba and fled to the US at a young age following the Cuban Revolution. His father who was born and raised in Cyprus moved to New York City to attend college, leading to him becoming a pharmacist and opening his own store in South Florida. As a second-generation American Sebastian’s parents had instilled upon him the importance of appreciating the opportunities that the US has to offer and motivated him to make the most of them by obtaining formal education and attending college.

As a result, Sebastian attends George Washington University where he is currently a sophomore studying Systems Engineering and pursuing a minor in Sustainability. On-campus, he has involved himself with the student consulting and investment group TAMID, served as Vice President of GWU’s Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers, and has taken on research efforts regarding sustainable refrigeration technologies and vaccine cold chains. Upon completing his undergraduate degree, Sebastian hopes to obtain a master’s degree in Energy Engineering and Management and pursue a career that is focused on solving the energy and environmental-related issues that the world currently faces.

As a CHCI intern, Sebastian aspires to gain insights into the legislative process and expand his knowledge on the formulation and impacts of public policy relating to science and technology.