June

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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BME Industry Perspective: Working as a software project engineer at Medtronic

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 06:00:00 +0000

BME Industry Perspective: Working as a software project engineer at Medtronic Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/13/2022 - 00:00

Rachel Leuthauser

Kelly Gazarik

Kelly Gazarik, a University of Colorado Boulder alumna, was at the forefront of creating the Biomedical Engineering Program.

Gazarik graduated with a degree in chemical and biological engineering with a minor in biomedical engineering in 2019. The minor was the only option for her during her time at CU Boulder, so she worked with the engineering council, student government and Professor Mark Borden to launch the Biomedical Engineering Program. She continues to be involved as a member of the BME Industry Advisory Board.

Gazarik now works for Medtronic as a software project engineer. She started her career with the medical device company in 2018 when she completed a summer internship. She then worked for the company part time during her senior year of college, before becoming a full-time engineer in September 2019.

What is your day-to-day like as a software project engineer with Medtronic?

I spend most of my time working with my team to brainstorm new data strategies to improve our medical devices. Half of my time is planning and collaborating with colleagues, while the other half is dedicated to market research and understanding what the medical staff needs. We do a lot of tech development to come up with solutions that will suit physicians’ needs.

What inspired you to enter the biomedical engineering field?

Like a lot of engineers, we are here to solve problems and improve lives. I felt like this was the best place I could contribute and make an impact on the world. I was always fascinated with medicine and I think adding an engineering degree to that allows you to have so much more power in what you can create. It opens so many doors to impactful opportunities.

How does your work benefit society?

Right now, we are working on incorporating data and AI to improve healthcare. We want to reduce the cognitive load for surgeons to drive better patient outcomes and increase learnings. We are trying to build some equity in the health care system. Our idea is that if we can democratize some of this technology, everyone can have a better playing field and access. Whether someone is a new doctor that needs training or a physician that has been in the business for a while and needs a refresher, this can be something that everyone can have as a tool to learn and improve.

What are some obstacles you have faced and how did you overcome them?

One of the hardest processes for me was marketing myself as a strong biomedical engineering candidate. Even with the BME Program becoming more established, it’s a question that we are still asking ourselves. How can we make sure biomedical engineers are hirable and marketable? I think the best way to achieve that is through networking. At CU Boulder, students can make connections through the Biomedical Engineering Society and tap into the biomedical engineering professors. They can help make students excellent candidates for the market.

What advice do you have for current biomedical engineering students?

My advice would be to have a little fun and try to find something that serves you in a different way than classes would. Get involved in a society or project that interests you – something that gives you a little bit more drive and that you can invest your time into. Preferably those projects are related to biomedical engineering, but it also not be! There are so many experiences that can be transferable, from building rockets to studying public health. You can sell pretty much any of the wonderful programs at CU Boulder to be an advantage for a biomedical engineering career since it’s so diverse.

What was your favorite part about being a Buff?

We have a really strong engineering program. The rigor of the coursework really speaks to students’ success and the engineering faculty and staff are so supportive. Not to mention that our campus is just beautiful. Being in Boulder is so incredible!

BME Industry Perspective is a series of articles highlighting professionals in the biomedical engineering field who have a breadth of experience, knowledge and advice to share with our future biomedical engineers. Follow along to learn about their work and how each of these engineers are helping impact society.

Kelly Gazarik, a University of Colorado Boulder alumna, helped launch the Biomedical Engineering Program. Gazarik now works for Medtronic as a software project engineer after interning for the medical device company in summer 2018.

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