I am a third-year PhD student in the biomedical engineering department performing peripheral nerve regeneration research with Dr. Mario Romero-Ortega. The nerve regeneration team of the Regenerative Neurobiology and Neuroelectronics Laboratory investigates the mechanisms by which cells respond to electrical, chemical, and inflammatory cues. My research focuses on studying electrical stimulation and growth factor treatments to enhance nerve repair of long-gap nerve injuries and considers the biomaterial selection and engineering design of nerve conduits in pursuit of improved clinical solutions. 

As a NASA Space Grant fellow, I am excited to promote engineering careers and technology with audiences not familiar with biomedical engineering. I’ll be working with Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) to develop a biomedical engineering design experience for the Girls Who Code club. I will introduce students to 3D bioprinting, soft polymers, and simulation software that biomedical engineers use. My aim is to show that biomedical engineers integrate biology and technology to solve problems. I will also serve as a mentor as part of WISE’s other programs to demystify and humanize careers in science. I am looking forward to spending time mentoring and teaching future scientists and engineers and helping them carve out the future they imagine.