Bachelors of Science in
Mechanical Engineering (Biomechanics)
Since I have Type 1 Diabetes, I have used medical devices for majority of my life. While I know they are life changing, there is a large need for engineering medical innovations to continue to improve quality of life. I decided in high school that I wanted to study engineering to help develop medical devices and learn patient centered design concepts. Originally, I thought that I would accomplish my goals with a bioengineering degree. However, I couldn't ignore my love for math and physics, leading me to major in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in biomechanics.
Specialization in Biomechanics
After three years of studying generalized mechanical engineering, I finally accomplished my goal of majoring in Mechanical Engineering: Biomechanics during my junior year. By declaring a specialization, I learned how mechanical engineering can be applied to biological systems. Biomechanics curriculum include courses taught by professors researching biological and medical related topics, and seminars to showcase biomechanical engineering career options.
Introduction to Visualization and Computer Aided Design
Topics covered in this class were engineering sketching techniques and CAD. I was excited to take this class. At first, I thought this class wouldn't be very difficult because I had previous experience with CAD. However, this was one of the more difficult introductory engineering classes I took. By the end of the quarter, I became proficient in Solidworks and GD&T standards for engineering sketches. The skills I learned in this class were vital to many internships and research positions. In fact, understanding CAD was the main reason I was hired as an undergraduate researcher. Enjoying this class helped me realize my interest in product design and development.
Pictured above is a render of the final project for the class. I was able to choose any product and create a 3D model of it. I chose to create a Mario Kart. It was a fun challenge that I worked on for about two weeks. Included in the final project were a detail drawing, an assembly exploded drawing, part files, and an assembly file.
System Dynamic Analysis and Design
System Dynamics was a combination of two courses (ME374 and ME375) because there was so much to learn about system dynamics. I really enjoyed this series because it taught me how to understand the response of mechanical, electrical, thermal, fluid, and cross-disciplinary systems. I learned how to model different systems using a lumped parameter method, systems of differential equations, and other popular modeling methods. I felt like this class was most applicable to design and system engineering. Homework problems in this class were often real world examples. For example, designing a car suspension system or analyzing how to prevent tall buildings from collapsing during an earthquake. System dynamics can be even applied to prosthetic design to ensure a lower limb prosthetic does not cause vibrations and discomfort on the residual limb.
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The two pictures above show the frequency responses of a RLC circuit with a square wave input. The picture to the left shows the input and output Fourier series responses at a low frequency along with the bode diagram predicting the ratio of the complex input and output amplitudes. The picture to the right shows the input and output Fourier series responses at a higher frequency along with the bode diagram predicting the ratio of the complex input and output amplitudes. As shown, the output response changes depending on the input frequency. This provides insight on how to design systems depending on desired outcomes. For example, if the system wanted to replicate the input signal, the design used to create the figure on the right would be more desirable. Along with learning technical topics, this class provided a great opportunity to further my MatLab skills.
Musculoskeletal Biomechanics
Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (ME527) was a graduate level course I took as an undergraduate. The content included in the class covered human anatomy, orthopedic medical devices, and common musculoskeletal biomechanics research procedures. In order to practice data collection and analysis methods, the class required many lab reports and research papers. For example, one lab focused on analyzing the ground reaction forces during the gait cycle. Data was collected with a pressure plate in class and data analysis was performed in MatLab. The class included a final research paper and report that allowed students to propose a study or device design. My project was titled "Developing Clinical Methodology For Quantifying Lower Limb Prosthetic Fit". I proposed a sleeve lined with optoelectrical sensors in order to create a pressure map of the residual limb for lower limb amputees. By understanding the shear forces and normal forces experienced by the residual limb, clinicians are able to create personalized sockets, reducing the risk of injury and improving comfort for patients.
My favorite part of this class was practicing data analysis and visualization with real clinical data. The images above show the average pressure distribution for two different patients. For this lab, I was given pressure plate data for a healthy subject and a diabetic subject during a single stride. The lab investigation was to predict which patient was at risk for an ulcer. I visualized the data by averaging the pressure experienced at each unit area during the single stride. The results show that the diabetic subject experiences a significantly higher average pressure than the healthy subject, suggesting they are at risk for an ulcer on their forefoot.
Other Engineering Courses
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Intro Calculus Series (MATH 12x)
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Multivariable Calculus (MATH 324)
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Statistics for Engineers (IND E 315)
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Intro Chem Series (CHEM 1x2)
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Intro Physics Series (PHYS 12x)
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Differential Equations (MATH 307)
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Linear Algebra (MATH 308)
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Beginning Scientific Computing (AMATH301)
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Biological Frameworks for Engineers (ME411)
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Finite Element Analysis (ME 478)
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Fundamentals of Material Science (MSE 170)
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Engineering Statics (AA 210)
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Mechanics of Materials with Lab (CEE220, ME354)
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Engineering Thermodynamics (ME323)
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Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering (EE 215)
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Introduction to Fluid Mechanics (ME333)
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Introduction to Heat Transfer (ME 331)
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Introduction to Technical Communication (ENGR 231)
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Intro to Manufacturing Processes (ME355)