South Middlesex Times

Mukhilan Saravanakumar, a sophomore at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, has found a way to combine his interests in music and science. As a member of the honors program at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, he is majoring in biotechnology with minors in data science and music. Saravanakumar plays the clarinet with the Rutgers University Marching Scarlet Knights.

“I was really into biology, in particular, of the sciences that were offered in high school,” said Saravanakumar. “I feel that biology is really impactful for the world in what you can achieve with it, especially with its versatility.”

Saravanakumar chose biotechnology because it allows him to work with genetic material to enhance traits that help organisms combat adversities. He is also studying data science to efficiently process and analyze data, skills crucial for research scientists.

Although Saravanakumar possesses perfect pitch, he does not plan to pursue music as a career but wants to keep it close. Paul Meers, director of the undergraduate biotechnology program at Rutgers and Saravanakumar’s academic adviser, noted that "music goes with science," citing studies on cognitive processes linking music with mathematical abilities.

Joining the Scarlet Knights Marching Band during his freshman year helped Saravanakumar make friends and continue his musical pursuits. “I can stay involved with the music community here at Rutgers and also learn about opportunities that allow me to engage in music on campus,” he said.

Last year, Saravanakumar participated in a group presentation on bioremediation during an "Ethical and Scientific Challenges in Biotechnology" course. Meers praised their work as “pretty impressive.”

Born in India and moving to the United States in 2013, Saravanakumar enjoys cooking ramen creatively and playing video games like “Overwatch” and “Cyberpunk 2077.” As part of the Marching Scarlet Knights, he performs at home football games and other events. The band recently marched in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Scarlet Knights will soon travel internationally for London Band Week. Saravanakumar expressed excitement about connecting with global musicians: “It serves as a cultural exchange where we can all learn more from each other.”

In addition to marching duties, Saravanakumar is involved with Alpha Zeta fraternity, Designer Genes club, and RU Karaoke. He plans to pursue advanced degrees in biotechnology after earning his bachelor's degree.

Saravanakumar aims to contribute positively to environmental issues through biotechnology research. He is particularly interested in cancer research due to personal family experiences and addressing invasive species threats.

His choice of instrument was inspired by childhood admiration for Squidward from "SpongeBob SquarePants." Reflecting on this choice, he said: “This instrument's actually really cool and it's pretty versatile in range for what it offers.”