Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight: Chad Healy

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 19:32:25 +0000

Student Spotlight: Chad Healy Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/11/2022 - 13:32

Rachel Leuthauser

PhD student Chad Healy.

Chad Healy is a PhD student researching how the brain controls movement in Professor Alaa Ahmed’s lab. He returned to finish his PhD in 2021 after taking a break from his studies to complete an internship with SpaceX.

What brought you to the University of Colorado Boulder and attracted you to the BME program?

I initially joined CU Boulder in 2009 for a master’s degree in aerospace engineering. The wonderful town, great people and caliber of education drew me back to CU Boulder to continue my education in 2013 and again in 2021. Most recently, I was attracted to join the BME program because of the unique opportunity to be part of a new department under the guidance and leadership of my longtime mentor and advisor, Professor Alaa Ahmed. The chance to directly contribute to the early growth and development of the BME program was a huge draw for me.

Explain the research you are doing in Professor Ahmed’s lab.

In Professor Ahmed’s lab, we are focused on understanding how the brain controls movement. We take a modeling approach to describe human movement that combines neuroeconomic frameworks, dynamical models, control algorithms and machine learning techniques to describe human movement decisions. My research focuses on how we represent physical effort in our movement decisions.

How would you like your work to help society?

With a better understanding of the process of human movement, we can develop more effective treatments for movement disorders and improve rehabilitation techniques. We can also develop more human-like robotics and prosthetics.

Healy worked in Mission Control while at SpaceX.

What was your role at SpaceX and how was that internship experience?

I led the Human Factors team, which focused on astronaut integration with our various spacecraft, including conducting all human-in-the-loop tests. I was also given the opportunity to work in Mission Control as the Crew Operations and Resources Engineer (CORE).

I really enjoyed my time at SpaceX! It was very motivating to work with so many bright, hard-working engineers and to make a measurable impact every day. When I took the internship in 2016, I was given the opportunity for a full-time role, but I always intended to finish my PhD. In 2021, the timing was right, and I was lucky enough to be able to continue my PhD where I had left off.

What’s your favorite part about being a Buff?

I feel like I could talk all day about the wonderful things about being a Buff, so it’s hard to choose a favorite. First and foremost, you get a world-class education in a world-class environment. The access to year-round outdoor adventure is something I think all Buffs appreciate about CU Boulder. Beyond that, it’s being a part of a supportive community that provides opportunities to learn and explore.

On a personal note, we recently got a puppy, Isabella or “Isa” – a five-month old GSP/Blue Heeler mix. Another thing I appreciate about the Boulder community is how dog-friendly it is. Looking forward to taking her out on trail runs this summer!

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Student Spotlight: Mia Fox

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 15:57:33 +0000

Student Spotlight: Mia Fox Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/13/2022 - 09:57

Rachel Leuthauser

Mia Fox is a rising senior in the Biomedical Engineering Program who is completing an internship this summer with CONMED, a medical device company with a location in Denver. She hopes her innovative work will one day help save lives.

What brought you to CU Boulder and attracted you to the BME program?

I grew up in Boulder, driving past the CU Boulder campus daily. When it came time to choose a university, I found it difficult to leave Boulder. I could not find a school or town that I enjoyed more. I began my education at CU Boulder in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering because I had an interest in biology and the goal of attending medical school. Chemical and biological engineering was a good fit and a challenge. But, when the Biomedical Engineering program was introduced in fall 2020, I knew that it was the program for me.

I have experienced smaller class sizes, stronger relationships with my professors and have had the opportunity to be president of the Biomedical Engineering Society student chapter. Working with fellow biomedical engineering students to build a community within this new program has been rewarding. After spending the last two years pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering and with one year left to go, I can say that it was one of the best decisions that I have ever made.

What will you be doing for CONMED during your internship this summer?

I will be working as a mechanical engineering intern within the Advanced Surgical Unit at CONMED. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to get first-hand experience and to work with an excellent team of engineers.

Through the internship application process, I learned that while Boulder is a biotech hub, many of the companies do not understand the value of engineers with a biomedical engineering background. I am incredibly grateful to CONMED for taking the time to talk with me and giving me the opportunity to show what a biomedical engineering student can do. I hope that as the years go on, more companies cue in on the value of such a diverse field of study.

How would you like your work to help society?

I have known for a long time that I wanted my career to be focused on helping others. For many years I thought that my path would include medical school. Even after transferring into the biomedical program, I still had plans to pursue medical school. However, as I have learned more about biomedical engineering and the importance of biomedical innovation, I have realized that there are so many ways to positively impact others.

My goal is to add to innovation, continue to aid doctors in saving lives, and improve the recovery and comfort of patients. I now know that the creation and improvement of medical devices is as important to the medical world as using them on others. I look forward to seeing a project that I work on in the future be used to positively impact others.

Where do you see yourself next? What life goals are you pursuing?

My internship this summer will give me my first hands-on experience as an engineer. I expect that I will thoroughly enjoy the problem solving and teamwork that is involved in engineering and will want to continue working as an engineer in the future. Ultimately, I see myself pursuing an engineering managerial role later in my career.

If, for any reason, I learn that engineering is not for me, I will plan to attend medical school to become a doctor. All in all, my biomedical engineering degree opens so many doors for me after I graduate and I know that I will feel fulfilled with whatever path I choose to take.

What is your favorite part about being a Buff?

I have loved being a CU Buff these past four years. The energy on campus is unbeatable, the people are friendly and there are amazing opportunities available for students who look for them.

I recently became a CU Boulder Student Ambassador, responsible for guiding campus tours for prospective students and guardians. I have absolutely loved getting to share my experience and adoration for this school with my tour groups. It has been especially fun to meet students who are applying for or have been admitted into the biomedical engineering program. Since I will be in the first graduating class of biomedical engineering from CU Boulder, it is incredibly exciting to meet some of the students who will follow and be a part of making this program great.

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Student Spotlight: Jair Castillo

Anonymous — Mon, 09 May 2022 18:25:08 +0000

Student Spotlight: Jair Castillo Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/09/2022 - 12:25

Rachel Leuthauser

Jair Castillo, PhD student

Jair Castillo is a PhD student studying ultrasound molecular imaging in Professor Mark Borden’s lab. His goal is to help improve preventative healthcare to detect diseases like cancer in the early stages – giving patients better outcomes.

What brought you to the University of Colorado Boulder and attracted you to the Biomedical Engineering Program?

I was attracted by the high quality of research being done at CU Boulder. I also liked how the BME program allows you to tailor the classes you need to take towards your research interests. There is only one requirement and everything else is up to you to decide.

Please briefly explain the research you are doing in Professor Borden’s lab.

My research focuses on the area of imaging. More specifically, ultrasound molecular imaging. Basically, I engineer functionalized microbubbles with a gas core that can target a specific receptor in the endothelium. Once flowing in the bloodstream, part of these bubbles attaches to their receptor and remain static for some time while the rest keep flowing. Due to the physical properties of microbubbles, which oscillate when exposed to an ultrasound field, they generate a backscattered energy which is then picked up by the ultrasound transducer. This generates enhanced images with better resolution and contrast. There are many potential applications, such as early detection of cancer, microinflammation and atherosclerosis, among others.

What inspired you to pursue imaging research?

After graduation from college with a bachelor of science in biomedical engineering, I worked in the medical device industry for several years. However, I always found myself wanting to explore new ideas on my own, which is sometimes limited in industry. So, I decided to pursue a PhD since I believe it fosters creativity and promotes the development of new ideas, projects and knowledge. Also, I like teaching, so my goal is to become a professor.

How would you like your work to help society?

I believe in preventive healthcare, specifically trying to prevent the development of a disease by diagnosing it early. That's the reason I am mainly focusing on diagnostics rather than therapeutics. I would like to improve current techniques and approaches that would help doctors detect diseases, such as cancer, at its very early stages where patients can have higher probabilities of a favorable outcome. The reason I love ultrasound is because it's noninvasive, cost-effective, portable and readily available almost everywhere.

What’s your favorite part about being a Buff?

I love the city of Boulder. The weather is great and is an awesome place to develop personally, with many outdoor activities readily available all year. Also, the Buff community is the best. There are a lot of resources available for students to succeed in their academic career, classes offered here are top-notch and the campus is beautiful. My favorite part of being a Buff is, well, being a Buff!

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Student Spotlight: Nicole Gunderson

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 20:13:24 +0000

Student Spotlight: Nicole Gunderson Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/28/2022 - 14:13

Rachel Leuthauser

Nicole Gunderson is a junior in the Biomedical Engineering Program who is studying human-robot interactions for applications in surgical robots. She is currently conducting research about the development of a novel-path planning algorithm for autonomous vehicles.

Nicole Gunderson, BME Junior

What brought you to the University of Colorado Boulder and attracted you to the BME program?

When I was applying to universities, it was important to me that I ended up at a research institution. I was interested in participating in research as an undergraduate to learn what fields I am passionate about within biomedical engineering, which is an incredibly multidisciplinary area of study. Additionally, it was important to me to go to a school that allowed me to cultivate a community within my field. Engineering is a difficult and rigorous field, and it was important to me that the school I chose promotes an uplifting environment - somewhere it isn’t uncommon to see people laughing and smiling in the Engineering Center.

When I began the process of choosing my major in high school, I was fully planning to follow the pre-med track to become a doctor. However, in the last few years of school, I became involved in a robotics team, as well as a science fair where I developed an assistive technology device. Participating in these opportunities made me realize that I wanted a multidisciplinary education, where I would be able to explore my interests in both medicine as well as robotics and mechanical engineering. Although I originally enrolled at CU Boulder as a Chemical and Biological Engineering major, when Biomedical Engineering became available my sophomore year, I switched in almost immediately, knowing that it would give me the multidisciplinary education I was looking for.

Tell us about the research you have been a part of on campus.

I currently conduct research for the Autonomous Robotics and Perception Group within the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory. My work centers around the development of a novel-path planning algorithm for the deployment of autonomous vehicles in human populated environments. Through this laboratory I also developed a communication beacon deployment mechanism and other electromechanical components to assist in the development of a subterranean robotic system for the DARPA Subterranean Final Competition. This project addressed creating accurate odometry and maps in visually degraded environments.

I have also conducted research for the Interactive Robotics and Novel Technologies Laboratory, where I developed a product that explores the relationship between ferrofluid and electromagnets for applications as an assistive technology 'braille tablet' for the visually impaired. I believe that participating in research has been the most influential and beneficial experience I have had so far in my educational career. The opportunity to apply my coursework to the areas of study I am passionate about and hope to pursue in the future has been a truly incredible experience. Additionally, the professors and graduate students I have worked alongside have always been consistently willing to stick their necks out for me, as well as many other undergraduate students that they have worked alongside. The support of the research community has allowed me to achieve so many opportunities that seemed unattainable before getting involved.

DARPA Subterranean Competition

How would you like your work to help society?

The reason I want to pursue a career in this field is because I believe that developing accessible and individualized treatment through the advancement of medical technology is the best way to provide everyone the dignified treatment they deserve. Working within biomedical engineering has been incredible as it has shown me a variety of ways to better patients' lives. No two of my colleagues are interested in the exact same area of work, and yet we all have the same goal of improving treatment methodologies through the advancement of biomedical knowledge.

Where do you see yourself next? What life goals are you pursuing?

I am currently considering either continuing my education through a graduate degree in robotics or a human robot interaction related field, or moving directly into an industry position within these fields.

What’s your favorite part about being a Buff?

I am an out-of-state student from the Seattle area. I moved to Colorado without knowing a single person here and only having visited once. I had heard so many horror stories about having a difficult adjustment period going to college out of state. While it was a tough transition at first, I have been able to develop such a home here. This school is truly so welcoming, with an insane amount of tight knit communities and opportunities for involvement. CU Boulder has pushed me to better myself in so many ways and I feel lucky to have found a school that proved my anxieties about college wrong.

Nicole Gunderson is a junior in the Biomedical Engineering Program who is studying human-robot interactions for applications in surgical robots. She is currently conducting research on the development of a novel-path planning algorithm for autonomous vehicles.

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Student Spotlight: Caitlin Mascio

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:43:05 +0000

Student Spotlight: Caitlin Mascio Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/01/2021 - 13:43

Rachel Leuthauser

Caitlin Mascio is a junior studying biomedical engineering. She also serves as the social media coordinator for the Biomedical Engineering Society Student Chapter at the University of Colorado Boulder. Mascio is a Colorado native who grew up in Highlands Ranch.

What brought you to CU Boulder and attracted you to the BME program?

I came to CU for the beautiful campus and the great engineering program. I was originally in aerospace, but I missed taking biology classes. I love learning about the human body and BME allows me to do so from an engineering perspective.

What biomedical research are you interested in?

I am on the pre-med path and would like to go to medical school for pediatric surgery or obstetrics and gynecology.

Have you participated in internships? How have they helped you?

I am currently working in Professor Sarah Calve's Musculoskeletal Extracellular Matrix Lab at CU, researching how exercise can change the structure of MCL’s extracellular matrix in mice. The independent study has helped me develop fundamental lab skills and problem-solving skills in a real-world setting.

How has the Biomedical Engineering Society impacted your time at CU?

BMES has brought me much closer to the other leaders in my classes. The group has shown me that even when I feel like giving up, there are people who will support me that are in the same boat. We hold each other up.

Caitlin Mascio is a junior studying biomedical engineering who hopes to go to medical school one day. Her interests are in pediatric surgery or obstetrics and gynecology.

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Student Spotlight: Liana Kerr-Layton

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 14:37:30 +0000

Student Spotlight: Liana Kerr-Layton Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/09/2021 - 07:37

Rachel Leuthauser

Liana Kerr-Layton is a junior in Biomedical Engineering Program and serves as the vice president for the Biomedical Engineering Society Student Chapter (BMES) at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has always been a Buff who grew up in Boulder.

What brought you to CU Boulder and attracted you to the BME program?

Upon introduction to the College of Engineering, CEAS faculty, Engineering Honors Program (EHP) and the BOLD Center, I learned CU Boulder would not only be a place of academic excellence. It would also be a community focused on inclusion, with a passion for learning and supporting others.

I was intrigued by the multidisciplinary aspect of BME. It allows me to combine my interests instead of only choosing one. Through diverse and rigorous courses, I can broaden my knowledge and feel confident in my ability to excel and face any challenge. I am also grateful for the program directors and coordinators that remain attentive to our academic needs. I appreciate their consistent and personalized guidance and support.

What biomedical research or industry are you most interested in?

Fields that interest me most are biomechanics, bioinstrumentation, medical care and STEM cell research.

Have you participated in internships? How have they helped you?

During my time at CU Boulder, I have had the opportunity to work in an image-guided drug delivery and radiation therapy lab. That research gave me perspective and experience for both my major and possible future aspirations.

Additionally, I interned at the BOLD Center and served as an engineering fellow, peer mentor, and teaching assistant. Each role has allowed me to remain an active member of the inclusive community at CU Boulder.

How has BMES impacted your time at CU?

BMES has helped me grow my effective teamwork, communication and leadership skills. In all situations during my current and future career, I strive to give back to the community by empowering and validating those around me through inclusion, celebrations of diversity, and by facilitating personal, social and academic growth.

Being an active member of BMES has also given me the opportunity to perpetuate a positive and inclusive community in STEM, which I and others can benefit from.

Where do you see yourself going next? What life goals are you pursuing?

I am hoping to continue my education through medical or graduate school. I am also considering working in industry for a few years to gain experience that will help me fully realize my career goals. My main ambition through it all is to remain excited and passionate about whatever goal I am actively pursuing or working towards.

Liana Kerr-Layton is a junior in Biomedical Engineering Program who has dedicated her time to building and supporting CU Boulder's inclusive culture.

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