Thanks to our former contributors who are now on to bigger and better things!
Spring 2017
Rabeet Ahmad
Rabeet Ahmad was a senior Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. He was an undergraduate researcher with the Delaware Tendon Research Group. His research focused on the quantification of viscoelastic properties in subjects with unilateral patellar tendinopathy. He intends to work in industry for a few years before potentially moving on to medical school with a goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. See blog posts written by Rabeet.
Sara Bromlow
Sara Bromlow was a Biomedical Engineering undergraduate student at the University of Delaware. She received her Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Engineering in May 2017. See blog posts written by Sara.
Ashley DeHope
Ashley was a senior Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. Her focus for the future is to design and manufacture medical devices. She enjoys lifting weights, yoga, and rock climbing. Hopefully in the near future she will be the winner of American Ninja Warrior. She is taking the course out of her own personal interests. See blog posts written by Ashley.
Jane Gosling
Jane Gosling was a senior at University of Delaware in Biomedical Engineering. As an undergrad she conducted research in a mechanical engineering lab studying the fluid mechanics and tribological properties of cartilage. She is interested in biomechanics and medical devices and hopes to pursue a career in research and development after graduation. As a field hockey and softball player in high school she has always been interested in sports and exercise. See blog posts written by Jane.
Katie Hogan
Katie Hogan is in her final semester studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. In her four years at UD, she spent time working in a Molecular Biology lab and Microbiology Food Science lab, learning basic lab procedures and gaining an understanding of the scientific method in action. She also began working at Hologic Inc. in June 2016 as a Quality Assurance intern testing mammogram machines. Outside of the classroom, she was involved as a site leader and participant for Alternative Spring Breaks across the country, and worked as a volunteer for the Perry Initiative, an outreach program to encourage young girls to pursue STEM fields. Following graduation, she hopes to earn a Master’s in Global Health and Epidemiology which will allow her to integrate her Biomedical Engineering background with her service experiences. In her free time, she enjoys running and hiking and is particularly interested in learning about the physiological and mechanical differences in people that lead to quicker speeds and better endurance while training and running. See blog posts written by Katie.
Jeff Janofsky
Jeff is a graduating Senior Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. He was born in New York and grew up in Connecticut. He is the President of the university club water polo team, leading them to winning their division title for the second consecutive year. When he graduates, he hopes to find an industry job focused on orthopedic/medical device design. See blog posts written by Jeff.
Malcolm Kraus
Malcolm Kraus is a senior at University of Delaware pursuing a Biomedical Engineering degree. He transferred from the University of Miami after one semester. After graduation he plans to work in industry for a few years and then either pursue a medical degree or a doctorate degree. Growing up he was an avid tennis player and has always enjoyed working out which has inspired his interest in biomedical engineering. See blog posts written by Malcolm.
Yiming Mei
Yiming Mei is a senior year undergraduate student major in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. He finished his high school in Anhui province in China, and is now studying for a bachelor degree of biomedical engineering at the University of Delaware. He seeks to work on medical devices that improve human health, especially assistant devices and replacement artificial body parts that help the disabled to achieve a more convenient and healthy life. See blog posts written by Yiming.
Sheridan Parker
Sheridan is currently a junior Biomedical Engineering major at the University of Delaware. Her interest in exercise is both academic and recreational. She is a research assistant in the Muscle and Tendon Performance Lab where she studies the healing processes of the Achilles tendon. She is also a part of UD’s club fencing, where she fences both foil and epee. Sports and exercise have always been a big part of Sheridan’s life ever since she joined her first swim team at age 6, so she is excited to be working with her classmates at the interface between engineering principles and exercise. See blog posts written by Sheridan.
Yixuan Peng
Yixuan Peng was born and grew up in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. He speaks 3 languages which are English, Chinese and Japanese. In 2012 he graduated from high school, and came to the U.S. studying English. In 2013, he started his college life majored in biological science, one year after that he changed his major to biomedical engineering and until now. While in studying in college, he found great interest and performed well in chemistry and mathematics. See blog posts written by Yixuan.
Rachael Pilachowski
Rachael is a Senior Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware, with concentrations in Biomechanical and Bioelectrical Engineering. During her time at UD, Rachael has been an active community member. She participates in a wide variety of clubs and organizations on campus, including the Assistive Medical Technologies club, the Society of Women Engineers, Alpha Omega Epsilon Engineering Sorority, and the Biomedical Engineering Society. She is also a Writing Fellow for the UD Honors Program and an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Price Lab. Her main areas of interest within the field of Biomedical Engineering are general human biomechanics, kinesiology, gait analysis, and prosthetic/orthotic device development and implementation. She intends to pursue a career as a Project Manager or Engineer for a medical device company. See blog posts written by Rachael.
Nikki Reisher
Nikki Reisher is an undergraduate senior at the University of Delaware obtaining a degree in Biomedical Engineering, with minors in Biomechanical and Bioelectrical Engineering. She has a passion for biomechanics that began with pursing research in Dr. Dawn Elliott’s lab focusing on the biomechanics of the intervertebral disc. Currently, she is looking to pursue a career in the medical devices industry. She chose to take this class because she has a huge passion for applying biomedical engineering principles to sports and exercise. See blog posts written by Nikki.
Lily Russo
Lily Russo is an undergraduate student finishing up her senior year in the Biomedical Engineering program at the University of Delaware. She worked as a research and development intern last summer at Bard Davol, a medical device company. After graduation she seeks to get a job in the medical device field. Her participation in this class was stemmed from her interest in exercise. See blog posts written by Lily.
Marjelle Scheffers
Marjelle was a senior at the University of Delaware, earning her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. She has experience in engineering design from her internship with the Move to Learn Innovation lab on STAR campus at the University of Delaware. She has worked on designing an affordable and portable training device for racing wheelchair athletes in lower-income countries during Senior Design. In addition to her academic interests, she was a member of the Field Hockey team at Delaware and contributed to their four CAA titles and national championship. After graduation she has been spending the year working in Ghana to develop a wheelchair from bamboo. See blog posts written by Marjelle.
Steven Steijn
Steven is finishing his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware. He hopes to apply engineering and biomechanics to solve problems in healthcare, rehabilitation, injury prevention, and/or athletic performance. His interests include Philadelphia sports teams, his fraternity, working out, playing all kinds of sports, and patronizing the many food and beverage establishments on Main Street. See blog posts written by Steven.
Lydia Zakutney
Lydia Zakutney is a Senior at the University of Delaware pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Throughout her time as an undergraduate, she has been involved in biomechanics research with a focus on gait analysis for rehabilitation of stroke patients. In addition, her increased interest in running and wearable fitness trackers has influenced her to take this course. See blog posts written by Lydia.
Spring 2018
David Appleby
David Appleby was a Biomedical Engineering undergraduate student at the University of Delaware. He graduated Spring of 2018. He received his Associates of Science in Paramedic Technologies from Delaware Technical and Community College. His paramedic training focused on National Standards for Advanced Pre-Hospital patient care and Emergency Medical Services.
Matt Ballman
Matt Ballman was a senior biomedical engineering student at UD with a minor in biomechanics. Academically, I was interested in this class because I think the engineering behind sports is something that’s really interesting. I’ve always been active in sports ever since I was a little kid and I’m a huge fan of watching professional sports. I hope to learn the science behind basic sports movements, what movements are more likely to cause injury, and what are the best exercises to improve different types of performance. See posts written by Matt.
Eric Bartholomew
Eric Bartholomew was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware, with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering. He was born and raised in New Jersey but hopes to one-day move to North Carolina. He is a member of the Assistive Medical Technologies club here at the University of Delaware. After graduation, he plans on pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration. His interest in this class stemmed from his interest in distance running and soccer. See posts written by Eric.
Cassie Benzenhoefer
Rebecca Daniels
Rebecca is from Massachusetts and did her Bachelors in Kinesiology: Exercise Science at the University of New Hampshire. She was a Master’s student in Exercise Science: Biomechanics at the University of Delaware. She works in the Exercise Neuroscience lab with Dr. Knight and studies the effects of exercise on the aging nervous system and in people with Parkinson’s disease. She is also a certified strength coach and registered yoga teacher and plans to spend her career improving older adults’ ability to age successfully using exercise.
Thang Dao
Hey there athletes, hopefully exercising is a part of your routine schedule. My name is Thang and I am a Senior ready to graduate. For hobbies, I play football or frisbee (ultimate or golf are both legitimate forms). Competitively, I used to swim and play tennis. I think my clumsiness steered me toward individualized sports; if I am going down, I am not wrecking someone else. A dream relating to Engineering Exercise and BMEG: develop a way to treat avascular torn ligaments so that people do not suffer from drop in athletic performance, pain, and early arthritis. See posts written by Thang.
Ellen Dudzinski
Ellen Dudzinski was a studnet in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. She was an undergraduate research assistant in the musculoskeletal development and rehabilitation laboratory, in this lab she is gaining an understanding of lab techniques and gaining experience with vivo biomechanics experiments as well as seeing the design process in action. She serves as the Vice President of Communications for the Panhellenic Council. And as a HIIT Fitness instructor at the University of Delaware gym she is interested in how engineering principles can be applied to plan a more effective class as well as reduce the likelihood of injuries. When she graduates she hopes to continue her education by pursing a PhD and an MBA.
Margot Farnham
Margot Farnham is a PhD student in the biomedical engineering department performing research in the Price Lab. She primarily researches the lubrication mechanisms articular cartilage utilizes to maintain smooth joint articulation in vivo, and decided to take this class to help guide her research as she moves towards exploring how activity and exercise affects joint health and healing. Margot received her undergraduate degree from Bucknell University, while conducting biomechanics research involving exercise in the elderly population and working as a mechanical engineer for Pharad, LLC. After graduate school, Margot plans on continuing in the research field exploring the various questions surrounding mechanics and biomedical engineering. See posts written by Margot.
Eryn Gerber
Eryn was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. She was President of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society (DE Alpha chapter) and Historian of Alpha Omega Epsilon Engineering Sorority (Nu Chapter). Throughout her undergraduate career, she worked in the Neuromuscular Biomechanics Lab, developing new technologies for gait rehabilitation. Her main areas of interest include physiology, gait kinetics/kinematics, and product development. She plans to use her design skills to work in R&D to create and improve clinical devices and protocols. See posts written by Eryn.
Morgan Gizzi
Morgan Gizzi was a Biomedical Engineering undergrad who will be graduating this December. After graduation, she is looking forward to going to graduate school for Prosthetics and Orthotics and becoming a certified practitioner in this field. Outside of class she is involved in UDance and loves to stay active through running and horseback riding. She has been riding for over 16 years and now rides for the University’s equestrian team. This class will help to give her a deeper understanding of how the human body reacts to movement and can integrate what she likes academically with what she enjoys recreationally. See posts written by Morgan.Elspeth Grasso
Elspeth Grasso had majors in Biomedical Engineering and Art History at the University of Delaware. She conducted research in the Slater Lab where she studied cancer metastasis. Outside of the classroom, she was involved in Alpha Omega Epsilon, the engineering sorority, and the Blue Hen Leadership Program. Following graduation, she hopes to earn her PhD in Biomedical Engineering. As an avid participant in outdoor activities, including hiking, running and skiing, she is excited to learn more about the engineering behind these activities. See posts written by Elspeth.
Jeremy Grunden
Student in biomedical engineering (been in the major since day one). Joined because I have always enjoyed tinkering, and the engineering mindset is a great one to have. The engineering mindset should allow one to break down most problems they come across, and solve them. Therefore, one with this mindset should have a more smooth and enjoyable life than the average person. Mainly focused on academics during my time at UD. However, I have also been working in the Blue Hen Leadership Program (BHLP) for three years now. Should have my tier three BHLP certificate by the end of this year. Short term after graduation, I would like to score some sort of engineering job or internship (maybe at Aberdeen Proving Grounds) to make some income, and to see if I enjoy the engineering field. Long term, I would like to dive more into the tissue engineering field, genetic editing (CRIPS/Cas9, etc), and maybe politics. Past interest of mine have included CAD (currently taking another solidworks class), 3D printing, and ergonomics of protective equipment.
Juliana Gullotta
Juliana Gullotta was a student earning a degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. She has always had a passion for working out and played volleyball and basketball since third grade. This early and constant exposure to sports has influenced her desire to not only further develop her own knowledge of sports and exercise, but also of the biomechanical principles at work. After graduation, Juliana hopes to pursue a career in research and medical device development. See posts written by Juliana.
Jackie Haffey
Jackie was a biomedical engineering student at the University of Delaware who will be graduating in December 2018. After graduation she plans to move to the west coast where she hopes to find a job in the industry. She has played many sports over the years with soccer and volleyball being her favorites. As she stopped playing sports when starting college, she got into weightlifting. She is excited to combine her passion for sports and exercise with her academic studies. See posts written by Jackie.
Chris Hernandez
Chris was a BMEG student iat the University of Delaware. I am originally from New Fairfield, CT, a small town a little over an hour north of New York City. I am the oldest child in my family, and have one brother and two sisters. In my free time I like to hike, fish, watch Netflix. I also love rooting for the Giants, Knicks, and Mets, even though it’s becoming harder to do so every year. After graduation I will be starting law school at St. John’s University in the fall.
Danny Livingston
Having participated in sports since a very young age, I feel this class will be very interesting and applicable to myself moving forward. Playing football and wrestling all throughout high school, weight and cardiovascular training obviously was essential to optimize athletic performance. Unfortunately I was plagued with injuries throughout these sports, fracturing my spine and separating my shoulder, leading to a lot of physical therapy and rehabilitation training. Currently I try to weight train at the University of Delaware gym, however have noticed that power lifting movements such as deadlifts or squats hurt my lower back. In this class I would like to learn how to properly take care of my body to be able to execute these movements and minimize or erase pain. See posts written by Danny.
Seth Martinez
Seth Martinez was a biomedical engineering student at the University of Delaware. He has performed muscle-to-bone interface research under Dr. Megan Killian. He intends to pursue graduate study and earn his PhD while making an impact through his research. Outside of the classroom, Seth enjoys powerlifting and participating in rigorous workouts. See posts written by Seth.
Allison Naumann
Allison was a Biomedical Engineering student. I was born and raised in Delaware and have lived here my entire life. After I graduate in May I want to continue on to get my master’s degree in the medical lab sciences field and get a job working in a research position. I love researching and developing new medical devices and want to continue that passion into my profession. In my free time I like to play video games and walk my dog at the park. I enjoy working out on the elliptical and I’m excited to learn more about the engineering aspects of exercise in this course. See posts written by Allison.
Destiny Neumann
Destiny Neumann was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. Physical activity has always been a big part of her life and being a former cross country and track and field varsity athlete in high school has sparked her interest in biomechanics and exercise physiology. After college, Destiny hopes to pursue a career in medical device development and distribution. See posts written by Destiny.
Dan Owens
Daniel Owens was a Biomedical Engineering student here at the University of Delaware. During his time here, he conducted research involving biomechanics and gait analysis. After graduation, he hopes to find a job in the medical device field. See posts written by Dan.Claire Paddock
Claire Paddock was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware, and is also in the 4+1 MBA Program. In the Summer of 2017 she co-founded a company, Empowered Technologies LLC, which stemmed from the Biomedical Engineering Junior Design Project of the preceding semester. Claire also has regulatory experience, having worked with both the University of Delaware Environmental Health and Safety Office, as well as the Health and Safety team at Veolia North America-Trade Waste Incineration. See posts written by Claire.Christian Poindexter
Christian Poindexter was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. Born in California and raised in Maryland, he has always enjoyed exercise, including both weight lifting and swimming. Upon graduation, he hopes to work in industry for a few years with a focus on medical devices and then pursue a doctorate degree. See posts written by Christian.
Andrew Reynolds
Andrew Reynolds was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering. He is involved in the Orthotics & Prosthetics Club and is interested in sports medicine and medical devices. He has always had a passion for sports and weightlifting, and played soccer and baseball growing up, which stimulated his interest in this course. In the summers he spends most of his time in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, where he enjoys going to the beach and surfing. See posts written by Andrew.
Nick Ruggiero
Nicholas Ruggiero was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. He participates in research in Dr. Megan Killian’s Musculoskeletal Development and Rehabilitation lab, focusing on the development of tendon attachments. Additionally he is a member of the University of Delaware Men’s Crew Team. After graduation, he intends to pursue a career in industry working on medical devices. See posts written by Nick.
Dan Smith
Dan was a Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. student, working under Dr. Curtis Johnson in the Mechanical Neuroimaging Lab. He got his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from UD. Dan’s research interests lie in understanding the viscoelastic mechanical properties of muscle fibers and their ability to recover from traumatic injury. Outside of research, Dan enjoys running, biking, and playing club ultimate Frisbee. See posts written by Dan.
Laura Sturgill
Laura was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware, with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering and Certificate of Business Essentials. During her time at University of Delaware, she has been an active member of the school community. She plays on the Club Water Polo team, on which she is the treasurer. She is also a member of Alpha Omega Epsilon Engineering Sorority, Biomedical Engineering Society, Society of Women Engineering, and Ambassadors of Biomedical Engineering, a club which she helped start. She also works as an undergraduate researcher in the Slater Lab. Her interest in this class stemmed from her desire to combine Biomedical Engineering with athletics, which have always been a very big part of her life. Her other main interests within the field of Biomedical Engineering are medical device development, cancer treatments, and biopharmaceutical development. She intends to pursue a career in industry after completion of her bachelor’s degree. See posts written by Laura.
Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor was a student at the University of Delaware majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering. He developed a passion for biomechanics after his time spent at A.I. DuPont children’s hospital. Currently, he is looking to pursue a job in orthotics and prosthetics. His interests include pottery, disc golfing, running and soccer. His involvement in playing sports since the age of 5 peaked his interest in taking this class.
Kathleen Wright
Kathleen graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and minor in Biomechanical Engineering. She currently volunteers in the Move to Learn Innovation Lab, and is involved in student organizations such as Biomedical Engineering Society, Assistive Medical Technologies, and Alpha Omega Epsilon. She previously worked for UD K-12 Engineering to encourage kids and teens to pursue a future in STEM. After graduation, she plans to work in research and development or project management in the medical devices industry. See posts written by Kathleen.
Joe Yovanovich
Joe was a senior Biomedical Engineering major, with a minor in Mathematics, graduating in May 2018. For the past two years, I have been interning for the Commercial Product Engineering Automation team at Siemens Healthineers in Glasgow, DE. In regards to competitive exercise, I used to pitch on my high school’s varsity baseball team, but have recently been limited to UD intramural sports. I weight lift regularly and have been trying to get involved in High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Throughout the duration of this Engineering Exercise course, I hope to significantly increase my knowledge of exercise and its effects on the body. In the process, I hope to fundamentally transform the way I workout. See posts written by Joe.
Spring 2019
Nicolette Chahalis
Nicolette Chahalis was a junior Biomedical Engineering undergraduate student at the University of Delaware. On top of her course work, she also conducted research in a Biomedical Engineering lab studying lung development and was a member of the University of Delaware Student Alumni Ambassadors. She has always been interested in clinical research, but since taking Biomechanics she has found a way to connect her lifelong love of sports and engineering. She enjoys playing softball, going to the gym, and playing any outdoor recreational activity. See posts by Nicolette.
Dimitri Duplan
Dimitri was a senior biomedical engineering student here at UD. His goal after graduation was to enter industry. If everything goes according to plan, he would like to pursue a master’s program after several years of working in industry. He enjoys anime, video games (currently playing Kingdom Hearts 3) , and sports (particularly basketball). I hope this class will be a great experience for myself and my fellow classmates. See posts by Dimitri.
Ben Maggio
Ben Maggio was a junior Biomedical Engineering major and Neuroscience minor at the University of Delaware. He was an undergraduate researcher in the Mechanotransduction & Mechanobiology Lab studying the pathology of Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis. He hopes to pursue a career in medical device development, but also has a strong interest in exercise and sport having been a multi-sport athlete in high school. He likes to stay healthy through lifting and occasionally running. See posts by Ben.
Megan Mannino
Megan Mannino was a Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Delaware. Health, sports and fitness have always been passions of Megan’s. In high school, she acted as a gymnastics coach, working with athletes of various ages and ability, and trained as a competitive swimmer, competing on the state and regional level. She was a member of UD Triathlon Club and regularly competes in Olympic Triathlons. Her experiences as a coach and athlete have generated her interest in the human body. Megan is fascinated with the adaptability of the human body – the influence of genetics and environment on human development amazes her. Through this course she hopes to learn more about how sports influence the human condition, how adaptations occur on the physiological level, and how fitness and sports technologies work. A believer that health is a critical to Individual success, Megan looks to pursue a career in in R&D developing medical technologies after completing her undergraduate studies in Fall 2019. Through innovating new devices, she hopes to provide the tools necessary for all to lead healthy lives. See posts by Megan.
Ally McCabe
Ally McCabe was an undergraduate junior, majoring in biomedical engineering, at the University of Delaware. After college, she hopes to use her degree to work on finding a cure for Huntington’s disease. Alongside finding a cure, she would like work with HD patients to find exercises that would delay the onset of immobility. Her decision to take this class was influenced by her love for soccer and crossfit. See posts by Ally.
Kyle Meadows
Kyle was a second year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware working under Dr. Dawn Elliott. He completed his undergrad degree in BME at Duke University in 2015. His doctoral research focuses on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of fibrous soft tissues. Using MRI he studies the links between structural and functional changes in the intervertebral disc and the knee meniscus before and after injury or the onset of pain. These tissues are integral to load transfer during human body motion, and failure of the tissues lead to low back pain and osteoarthritis which are two of the most frequently occurring and most expensive diseases in adults, accounting for the most years lived with disability. Outside of academia, he spends most of his time watching or playing various sports throughout the year. His interests in sports, engineering, and biology have led him to his research and this class. See posts by Kyle.
Nick Trieu
Nicholas Trieu was a Biomedical Engineering student here at UD. His interests are in the genetics of the body, and how they influence the function of the body. Whether it’s the heart or the knees, he believes that genetics has a helping hand in it all. In addition, he has a fascination with nutrition and the rise and fall of fads. He enjoys cardio exercises, but has tried branching into more strength increasing exercises. See posts by Nick.
