Friday, April 15th at 3:30 pm in Olin 141
Applying a background in Physics towards material design and characterization in the biomedical space
The study of physics provides a strong foundation for problem-solving, which can be applied across different fields of study. In this talk, I will discuss how I translated my physics background to the study of biomechanics and the fabrication of artificial tissue for my PhD. Specifically, I will go over three core areas of research I undertook at Rice University: a) the development of artificial tissue with mechanical properties more similar to biological tissue, b) the design of a mechanical testing device small enough to fit into a microscope stage, and c) the design of 3D-printed constructs approximating the mechanical properties of a heart valve for use in studying how medical devices interact with tissue post-implantation. I will also cover how this research led to my current profession as an applications scientist for mechanical testing instrumentation, and provide an overview for the different types of mechanical characterization I perform for this role. Finally, I will discuss the other responsibilities of this role and the direction I anticipate my career will take over the next few years.