A Brief Glimpse Inside the Biomedical Engineering Program at Rowan University
Meet Nia Bellopede, a senior Biomedical Engineering major from Sewell, NJ (Gloucester County.)
When we spoke with Nia this summer as a rising senior who had recently completed her junior year, she shared that one of her most immediate goals was for this fall: to land an internship this year, hopefully at Spark Therapeutics, a biotech firm based out of Philadelphia that develops gene therapy treatments which treat genetic diseases. If she can achieve this goal, she will set her sights on hopefully landing a full time job there upon graduation.
“In the future, my long-term professional dream goal is to contribute to the medical field in some way; however, I am not quite sure how I would like to contribute just yet,” says Nia.
Last summer, Nia was involved in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Pennsylvania Singh Center for Nanotechnology, which is a rigorous and competitive 10-week summer program. The REU program describes itself as offering the opportunity for students to work with scientists on the cutting-edge of nanoscale research, and describes the chief benefit and takeaways for participants as:
All projects will provide the opportunity to learn next-generation nanotechnology approaches and to develop experience working in at least one of the research facilities using state-of-the-art equipment. Students will gain experience with substantial aspects of doing science: experimental design, data collection and communication of results. Students will also participate in activities that complement the lab research and help to develop broader scientific and career skills: seminars, paper discussions, career sessions and skills workshops.
While she was there, she conducted research for a Ph.D. student. This supports her goal of learning new skills, as well as just getting more experience conducting research. She also works at the Rec Center on campus during the school year, which in addition to being a paid student worker position also gives Nia the opportunity to socialize, build friendships and communicate with a wide variety of people – all soft skills that she knows will also help her as she builds a well-rounded foundation of her career.
During Nia’s time here at Rowan so far, she shares that Associate Professor of Engineering Dr. Sebastian Vega and his class Chemical Foundations in Biomedical Engineering have been the most helpful and eye-opening to her.
“Dr. Vega is a great professor and teacher, and he also helped me professionally in preparing my resume and giving me advice when applying to internships and programs for the summer,” Nia says. “His class, Chemical Foundations in Biomedical Engineering, was very enlightening in terms of how it showed the practical applications of chemistry and other topics on what I may one day do in my life,” she continues.
Earning a Rowan University’s bachelor’s of science in biomedical engineering supports Nia’s dreams and goals of contributing to the medical field once she is a professional engineer. She feels that the degree will “give me more opportunities to do what I want in life, and put me in a good position for my future career when I graduate,” she says.
Written by: Jordyn Dauter, junior double major in dance & elementary education