Humans of ISPE
Spring 2019
Name: Connie Gean
ISPE Position: Co-President
Major: Bioengineering: Bioengineering
Year: 4th Year
Q: What plans do you have after graduation and in your long term career?
Over the summer, I plan on visiting my family and spending some time with them before I start working. After a couple of months, I hope to work as a design engineer at a medical device company where I can learn more about product design and development. Eventually I want to get a master's degree, however not until after 2-3 years in the industry. Right now, I’m much more interested in having direct, tangible results and knowing where those results are going. Research is about repeating a lot of experiments and sometimes people lose sight of the bigger picture because of the time commitment. Industry is more aligned with what I want to work with: I want to go through the prototyping process and see exactly what impact my work has.
Q: How has ISPE shaped your career goals and what else have you gained from your time in the club?
ISPE exposed me to a lot of different routes available to me after graduation, both in higher education and through all of the different companies/roles I can work at. The club has allowed me to network with people in the industry and gain more information firsthand as well as connect with my bioengineering peers. I love ISPE, our board, and all the connections between our board. ISPE has given me a community of people to spend time and put on events together. Even though ISPE isn’t the biggest org, it’s been rewarding to see this club and the members grow.
Q: What do you believe are the three most important professional qualities in an individual?
Integrity: You should really want to do good with the work that you’re doing. Especially for a biomedical industry, you want to work for more than a paycheck - you want to be doing this to help other people.
Resilience: Science is hard. There’s always going to be failures because you think your experiments are going to work but they rarely do. You need to be able to bounce back, to want your goal so bad that you always continue to work towards achieving it.
Communication: Connections are so important. Getting opportunities and learning about what’s out there from other people is what leads to success. You want to get a leg up by talking to people, not by burning bridges. You don’t want to be known as a person who isn’t willing to communicate well or who thinks they’re too good to work with other people.
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
“Life is not just about what you achieve, it’s about who you are and how you live”
Q: What’s a fun fact about yourself?
I got part of my kidney removed when I was a baby!
ISPE Position: Co-President
Major: Bioengineering: Bioengineering
Year: 4th Year
Q: What plans do you have after graduation and in your long term career?
Over the summer, I plan on visiting my family and spending some time with them before I start working. After a couple of months, I hope to work as a design engineer at a medical device company where I can learn more about product design and development. Eventually I want to get a master's degree, however not until after 2-3 years in the industry. Right now, I’m much more interested in having direct, tangible results and knowing where those results are going. Research is about repeating a lot of experiments and sometimes people lose sight of the bigger picture because of the time commitment. Industry is more aligned with what I want to work with: I want to go through the prototyping process and see exactly what impact my work has.
Q: How has ISPE shaped your career goals and what else have you gained from your time in the club?
ISPE exposed me to a lot of different routes available to me after graduation, both in higher education and through all of the different companies/roles I can work at. The club has allowed me to network with people in the industry and gain more information firsthand as well as connect with my bioengineering peers. I love ISPE, our board, and all the connections between our board. ISPE has given me a community of people to spend time and put on events together. Even though ISPE isn’t the biggest org, it’s been rewarding to see this club and the members grow.
Q: What do you believe are the three most important professional qualities in an individual?
Integrity: You should really want to do good with the work that you’re doing. Especially for a biomedical industry, you want to work for more than a paycheck - you want to be doing this to help other people.
Resilience: Science is hard. There’s always going to be failures because you think your experiments are going to work but they rarely do. You need to be able to bounce back, to want your goal so bad that you always continue to work towards achieving it.
Communication: Connections are so important. Getting opportunities and learning about what’s out there from other people is what leads to success. You want to get a leg up by talking to people, not by burning bridges. You don’t want to be known as a person who isn’t willing to communicate well or who thinks they’re too good to work with other people.
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
“Life is not just about what you achieve, it’s about who you are and how you live”
Q: What’s a fun fact about yourself?
I got part of my kidney removed when I was a baby!
Spring 2018
Name: Tiffany Wang
ISPE Position: Leadership Rotation Program
Major: Chemical Engineering
Year: Sophomore
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate?/What are your career goals as of now?
I plan on going into the industry for a while. Not only would I get a (much needed) break from school, but it would give me a better sense of the real-world applications of chemical engineering and whether or not I would pursue it further in graduate school.
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
The best part about ISPE is that it forces me to attend the events that I help plan, and therefore I learn about insights and internship opportunities from panelists and recruiters in the industry I would have otherwise missed.
Q: How has your experience in ISPE changed your perspective on your academic and/or professional careers?
While ISPE has exposed me to a lot more professional opportunities, it is the students I meet through the organization (and have the pleasure of working with) that make it such a valuable experience.
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
Make a spectacle of yourself in striving to be spectacular, don't settle for just being a spectator.
Q: Fun fact?
I will be taking fluid mechanics at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand this upcoming fall quarter.
ISPE Position: Leadership Rotation Program
Major: Chemical Engineering
Year: Sophomore
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate?/What are your career goals as of now?
I plan on going into the industry for a while. Not only would I get a (much needed) break from school, but it would give me a better sense of the real-world applications of chemical engineering and whether or not I would pursue it further in graduate school.
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
The best part about ISPE is that it forces me to attend the events that I help plan, and therefore I learn about insights and internship opportunities from panelists and recruiters in the industry I would have otherwise missed.
Q: How has your experience in ISPE changed your perspective on your academic and/or professional careers?
While ISPE has exposed me to a lot more professional opportunities, it is the students I meet through the organization (and have the pleasure of working with) that make it such a valuable experience.
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
Make a spectacle of yourself in striving to be spectacular, don't settle for just being a spectator.
Q: Fun fact?
I will be taking fluid mechanics at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand this upcoming fall quarter.
Winter 2018
Name: Xiao Guo
ISPE Position: Leadership Rotation Program
Major: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Year: Junior
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate? What are your career goals as of now?
A: I plan to pursue a higher academic degree, but I am still not sure about Master or PhD yet. Since I want to go into the pharmaceutical industry and my lab experience taught me that I can do lab but I am not a lab person in long-term, I might choose whatever can best prepare myself for the industry, but not limit myself only to lab work. My ultimate dream is to be able to deliver life-saving drugs to the patients in need and make myself happy.
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: Before joining ISPE, I went to several events held by ISPE, and I had the opportunity to talk with board members and speakers, and I learned a lot from. Those events were very high-quality, constructive and very helpful. The people were so nice as well! Therefore, I decided to join ISPE in my junior year as a member of the Leadership Rotational Program. For the last two quarters, I got to know most people in the organization, planned an event with other members in LRP and had a fun bowling social! It is such a great environment that, as an international student, I can express my ideas, get experience in event planning and interact with peers. I can definitely see myself growing here!
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
A: Not necessarily a motto: Never stop learning new things and improving myself.
Q: Fun fact?
A: I used to see hundreds of Hammerhead sharks swimming underwater in the Galapagos and I am still alive.
ISPE Position: Leadership Rotation Program
Major: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Year: Junior
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate? What are your career goals as of now?
A: I plan to pursue a higher academic degree, but I am still not sure about Master or PhD yet. Since I want to go into the pharmaceutical industry and my lab experience taught me that I can do lab but I am not a lab person in long-term, I might choose whatever can best prepare myself for the industry, but not limit myself only to lab work. My ultimate dream is to be able to deliver life-saving drugs to the patients in need and make myself happy.
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: Before joining ISPE, I went to several events held by ISPE, and I had the opportunity to talk with board members and speakers, and I learned a lot from. Those events were very high-quality, constructive and very helpful. The people were so nice as well! Therefore, I decided to join ISPE in my junior year as a member of the Leadership Rotational Program. For the last two quarters, I got to know most people in the organization, planned an event with other members in LRP and had a fun bowling social! It is such a great environment that, as an international student, I can express my ideas, get experience in event planning and interact with peers. I can definitely see myself growing here!
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
A: Not necessarily a motto: Never stop learning new things and improving myself.
Q: Fun fact?
A: I used to see hundreds of Hammerhead sharks swimming underwater in the Galapagos and I am still alive.
Name: Chak (Julian) Ho
ISPE Position: Leadership Rotation Program
Major: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Year: Sophomore
Q: Why did you join ISPE?
A: I joined ISPE mainly because I wished to develop my leadership skills. Though I was already the Vice President of Bioengineering Quarterly prior to joining ISPE, I thought I still had much to learn about what leadership truly entails: how can one, for instance, motivate people from different backgrounds to pursue a vision? How can one communicate effectively with his/her members, amid all the disagreements that may arise? How can one manage the complex logistics of a project with confidence and anticipate the unexpected? I wished to seek for the answers to these questions--the cibus through which I can grow as a successful leader.
Q: How has your experience in ISPE changed your perspective on your academic and/or professional careers?
A: Before joining ISPE, I was quite an introvert. My reticence often undermined my willingness to speak up; instead, I offered my opinions only if being asked to do so. Fortunately, the board members of ISPE have created such a welcoming and inclusive environment that I have begun to abandon my passive self and adopt a more active role in professional discussion.
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate?
A: As of now, I am not quite sure on which journey to embark on. While the path to industry seems alluring, I believe that pursuing a master’s or even a doctoral degree may provide me additional perspectives on where my true interest lies. Regardless of the paths I would choose, one thing remains certain; I hope to give back to my community. To this end, I am fascinated with the novel methods engineers have employed to study incurable diseases such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and hope to partake in such research.
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
A: Respice, Adspice, Prospice (Examine the past, Assess the Present, Look to the future)
Q: Fun Fact
A: I have been to Disneyland (Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Anaheim) for more than a hundred times.
ISPE Position: Leadership Rotation Program
Major: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Year: Sophomore
Q: Why did you join ISPE?
A: I joined ISPE mainly because I wished to develop my leadership skills. Though I was already the Vice President of Bioengineering Quarterly prior to joining ISPE, I thought I still had much to learn about what leadership truly entails: how can one, for instance, motivate people from different backgrounds to pursue a vision? How can one communicate effectively with his/her members, amid all the disagreements that may arise? How can one manage the complex logistics of a project with confidence and anticipate the unexpected? I wished to seek for the answers to these questions--the cibus through which I can grow as a successful leader.
Q: How has your experience in ISPE changed your perspective on your academic and/or professional careers?
A: Before joining ISPE, I was quite an introvert. My reticence often undermined my willingness to speak up; instead, I offered my opinions only if being asked to do so. Fortunately, the board members of ISPE have created such a welcoming and inclusive environment that I have begun to abandon my passive self and adopt a more active role in professional discussion.
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate?
A: As of now, I am not quite sure on which journey to embark on. While the path to industry seems alluring, I believe that pursuing a master’s or even a doctoral degree may provide me additional perspectives on where my true interest lies. Regardless of the paths I would choose, one thing remains certain; I hope to give back to my community. To this end, I am fascinated with the novel methods engineers have employed to study incurable diseases such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and hope to partake in such research.
Q: What motto or words do you live by?
A: Respice, Adspice, Prospice (Examine the past, Assess the Present, Look to the future)
Q: Fun Fact
A: I have been to Disneyland (Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Anaheim) for more than a hundred times.
Fall 2017
|
Name: Rebecca Tsai
Major: Bioengineering Year: Sophomore ISPE Affiliation: Mentorship Commitee Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate?/What are you career goals as of now? A: "I think I would want to continue studying when I graduate, either at med school or graduate school. I want to do something related to neuroscience in the future." Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with? A: "I first wanted to join ISPE because of its mentorship program. My first year at UCSD I didn't really know what bioengineering is or what bioengineers do, so I thought it would be a good way for me to see what the biotech industry is about and network with people along the way. ISPE has given me the opportunity to meet so many people and develop my professional skills. Joining ISPE and becoming a board member has definitely helped me come out of my shell more. I've also learned a lot from upperclassmen and industry professionals during my time with ISPE." Q: What motto or words do you live by? A: "Treat others as you would like to be treated." Q: Fun fact? A: "I've collected all 50 state quarters." |
Spring 2017
Name: Steven Tran
Major: Bioengineering
Year: Senior
ISPE Affiliation: Former Executive Board Member 2014-16
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate?
A: “Over the past few years, I have worked at a company that manufactures antibody-drug conjugates and also at an immunology lab on campus through which I gained a lot of experience and knowledge about working with antibodies. Right now, I really want to get some more experience in the antibody manufacturing industry and then build my career from there. In a few years I see myself going to graduate school as well, once I have explored the industry a little bit and find a program I’m interested in. On a more personal note, I also want to be able to pursue classical music on the side. An ideal work day for me would be doing a 9-5 job and then performing a gig or posting videos of my music on YouTube.”
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: “It helped open my eyes to what industry is really about. Every time I attended an ISPE event, I learned more about the industry from actual professionals and how their day-to-day lives were like. Career tips from the alumni that came back to UC San Diego to talk about their experiences helped me a lot in getting me that first internship. Even when the speaker wasn’t necessarily from my field of choice, it still left me with inspiration to succeed in my own field. ISPE has also helped me get over my fear of networking. Finally, I was able to make strong connections with the people on the board and even though I’m no longer a part it anymore, we still remain good friends!”
Q: What is your life motto?
A: “To be present.”
Q: Fun fact?
A: “I’ve been playing the piano since I was 5 years old.”
Major: Bioengineering
Year: Senior
ISPE Affiliation: Former Executive Board Member 2014-16
Q: What do you plan to do once you graduate?
A: “Over the past few years, I have worked at a company that manufactures antibody-drug conjugates and also at an immunology lab on campus through which I gained a lot of experience and knowledge about working with antibodies. Right now, I really want to get some more experience in the antibody manufacturing industry and then build my career from there. In a few years I see myself going to graduate school as well, once I have explored the industry a little bit and find a program I’m interested in. On a more personal note, I also want to be able to pursue classical music on the side. An ideal work day for me would be doing a 9-5 job and then performing a gig or posting videos of my music on YouTube.”
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: “It helped open my eyes to what industry is really about. Every time I attended an ISPE event, I learned more about the industry from actual professionals and how their day-to-day lives were like. Career tips from the alumni that came back to UC San Diego to talk about their experiences helped me a lot in getting me that first internship. Even when the speaker wasn’t necessarily from my field of choice, it still left me with inspiration to succeed in my own field. ISPE has also helped me get over my fear of networking. Finally, I was able to make strong connections with the people on the board and even though I’m no longer a part it anymore, we still remain good friends!”
Q: What is your life motto?
A: “To be present.”
Q: Fun fact?
A: “I’ve been playing the piano since I was 5 years old.”
Winter 2017
Name: Jordan Saalfeld
Major: Bioengineering: Biosystems
Year: Sophomore
ISPE Position: Member
Q: What are you career goals as of now?
A: “At the moment, my goal is to get into the 5 year MS/BS Bioengineering degree here at UC San Diego and I’ve been working towards keeping everything on track to apply for it. Before college, I saw myself in a biomedical device company working towards creating solutions to issues caused by diabetes or heart problems. I’ve had many personal relations with those affected by these conditions and so I felt as though I needed to contribute to this developing field in some way. Growing up, I knew right off the bat that I was interested in a STEM field career such as engineering. And I chose the medical field because I felt it was a great way to make a direct impact to public health. Now, I see myself becoming more open to a field in biomedical research after being exposed to many labs here on campus and their fascinating research. All in all, at this point, I could see myself going either way in the near future since I’m only a sophomore; there’s just so many resources here [at UC San Diego] that I have yet to explore!”
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: “I joined ISPE because it seemed like a good resource for professional development-I was specifically very interested in the Mentorship program as I believed, during this career-shaping period of my life, I could gain a lot helpful career advice from it. I was very glad to see that the program actually helped me a lot. My mentor is simply great! She’s helped me with a range of things like interview tips, choosing classes - basically she’s been advising me on trying things this year that that can better guide me towards my career goals. She’s very responsive and is usually prepared with a thorough list of things to talk about at each of our meetings including tips for resume writing and elevator pitches. Overall, I think it’s an amazing program and I’m really looking forward to the rest of this year.”
Q: Life motto?
A: “I love the quote from Harry Potter- Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. This quote really resonates with me because I think it’s important to make the best out of every situation you’re thrown into. You’d be surprised how much more exciting life becomes!”
Q: Fun fact?
A: “I assembled my own desktop from scratch over the summer!”
Major: Bioengineering: Biosystems
Year: Sophomore
ISPE Position: Member
Q: What are you career goals as of now?
A: “At the moment, my goal is to get into the 5 year MS/BS Bioengineering degree here at UC San Diego and I’ve been working towards keeping everything on track to apply for it. Before college, I saw myself in a biomedical device company working towards creating solutions to issues caused by diabetes or heart problems. I’ve had many personal relations with those affected by these conditions and so I felt as though I needed to contribute to this developing field in some way. Growing up, I knew right off the bat that I was interested in a STEM field career such as engineering. And I chose the medical field because I felt it was a great way to make a direct impact to public health. Now, I see myself becoming more open to a field in biomedical research after being exposed to many labs here on campus and their fascinating research. All in all, at this point, I could see myself going either way in the near future since I’m only a sophomore; there’s just so many resources here [at UC San Diego] that I have yet to explore!”
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: “I joined ISPE because it seemed like a good resource for professional development-I was specifically very interested in the Mentorship program as I believed, during this career-shaping period of my life, I could gain a lot helpful career advice from it. I was very glad to see that the program actually helped me a lot. My mentor is simply great! She’s helped me with a range of things like interview tips, choosing classes - basically she’s been advising me on trying things this year that that can better guide me towards my career goals. She’s very responsive and is usually prepared with a thorough list of things to talk about at each of our meetings including tips for resume writing and elevator pitches. Overall, I think it’s an amazing program and I’m really looking forward to the rest of this year.”
Q: Life motto?
A: “I love the quote from Harry Potter- Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. This quote really resonates with me because I think it’s important to make the best out of every situation you’re thrown into. You’d be surprised how much more exciting life becomes!”
Q: Fun fact?
A: “I assembled my own desktop from scratch over the summer!”
Name: Shreya Malik
ISPE Position: President
Major: Bioengineering: Bioinformatics with a minor in Business
Year: Senior
Q: What are your career goals for the next 5 years?
A: “My academic pursuits place me at an advantageous crossroad between the fields of computer science, biotechnology, and business. As a bioinformatics major and business minor, I have had the privilege of taking a wide variety of classes that allowed me to learn from the best and brightest of each of these fields. Through these opportunities, I’ve developed a passion for these industries and therefore seek an interdisciplinary career encompassing these aspects. In an ideal situation, I’d pursue a full time entry level software engineering role in the biotechnology vertical for a few years before re-evaluating industry trends as well as the potential need for graduate school. I would then use my insights to increase my impact by pursuing managerial technical roles.”
Q: What are the 3 things you value the most in a role?
A: “With each endeavor -- be it in a professional or personal setting -- I strive to achieve three personal goals:
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: “I joined ISPE the very first week of my freshman year as an attempt to delve into my major and make the most of professional opportunities that may come my way the next four years. Over the next few weeks I was accepted into ISPE’s Leadership Rotation Program. Despite not directly pursuing a traditionally pharmaceutical-oriented role, I remained a part of the ISPE board throughout my college career. I gained invaluable advice on networking, professional development, the biotechnology industry, figuring out my path through a relatively new major, and made ongoing and lasting friendships. As the current president, I strive to pass down the opportunities and experience that ISPE has given me over the past few years. I look forward to sticking around through the young professionals chapter after I graduate!”
Q: Do you have a motto or any words you live by?
A: “Balance and positivity.”
Q: Fun fact?
A: “I’ve been collecting flattened penny souvenirs from around the world since I was 5!”
ISPE Position: President
Major: Bioengineering: Bioinformatics with a minor in Business
Year: Senior
Q: What are your career goals for the next 5 years?
A: “My academic pursuits place me at an advantageous crossroad between the fields of computer science, biotechnology, and business. As a bioinformatics major and business minor, I have had the privilege of taking a wide variety of classes that allowed me to learn from the best and brightest of each of these fields. Through these opportunities, I’ve developed a passion for these industries and therefore seek an interdisciplinary career encompassing these aspects. In an ideal situation, I’d pursue a full time entry level software engineering role in the biotechnology vertical for a few years before re-evaluating industry trends as well as the potential need for graduate school. I would then use my insights to increase my impact by pursuing managerial technical roles.”
Q: What are the 3 things you value the most in a role?
A: “With each endeavor -- be it in a professional or personal setting -- I strive to achieve three personal goals:
- I do everything in my power to learn as much as I can at every opportunity given.
- I contribute to impactful ideas and solutions in a productive and professional manner.
- Finally, I create lasting bonds with colleagues and mentors so that we can continue to nurture our relationship as time goes on.”
Q: Why did you join ISPE and what has it provided you with?
A: “I joined ISPE the very first week of my freshman year as an attempt to delve into my major and make the most of professional opportunities that may come my way the next four years. Over the next few weeks I was accepted into ISPE’s Leadership Rotation Program. Despite not directly pursuing a traditionally pharmaceutical-oriented role, I remained a part of the ISPE board throughout my college career. I gained invaluable advice on networking, professional development, the biotechnology industry, figuring out my path through a relatively new major, and made ongoing and lasting friendships. As the current president, I strive to pass down the opportunities and experience that ISPE has given me over the past few years. I look forward to sticking around through the young professionals chapter after I graduate!”
Q: Do you have a motto or any words you live by?
A: “Balance and positivity.”
Q: Fun fact?
A: “I’ve been collecting flattened penny souvenirs from around the world since I was 5!”
Fall 2016
Name: Erin Slattery
ISPE Position: VP External
Major: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Year: Senior (3rd Year Transfer Student)
Q: What inspires you to pursue a career in the Pharmaceutical field?
A: I’ve been interested in engineering since I was little. I loved figuring out how things worked and even in kindergarten when everyone said what they wanted to be when they grew up, I said engineer. In retrospect, I don’t think I fully understood what that meant. I knew I loved tinkering with machines, fixing things, etc. but I had no idea the impact it could have on society. In high school, biology became my favorite subject, and eventually I found bioengineering. I’ve had 6 research opportunities in the field so far, and every one of them has shown me something new the biotechnology field has to offer. My first summer internship dealt with biomaterials and biocompatibility. I designed nanofibers from synthetic and natural polymers and evaluated the responses of normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells to the varying polymer concentrations. The goal was ultimately to incorporate them in tracheal stents, which would repair damage from excessive smoking or cancer. Fully differentiated NHBE cells are different from other cell-lines in that they are actively breathing. They are fed from a separate underlying chamber to avoid drowning, and you can actually see mucus formation. It was in this lab that it hit me – I was working with an actual living and breathing cell plate that could be used to improve patient quality of life! I immediately fell in love with the biotechnology field and its possible applications. I went on to explore cartilage tissue engineering, blood rheology, microfluidics, and pharmaceuticals – all of which have only fueled my passion and drive to be a part of this interdisciplinary industry!
Q: Why did you get involved with ISPE?
A: Back when I was in community college, I had an enlightening conversation with the head of our biotechnology department. He suggested I get involved with ISPE as a way to connect with industry and expand my professional network. I started off running the ISPE student poster competition, moved up to publicizing all ISPE events, and now am responsible for reaching out to companies to support and teach us and our students about the biotechnology field. ISPE has taught me valuable professional skills, introduced me to amazing people, and allowed me to pursue internships at Genentech. It has taught me to reach out of my comfort zone and excel in ways I never thought I could. I am now a Genentech Campus Ambassador and help run many of the UCSD campus recruiting events for them. I believe you get what you put into ISPE. You need to take initiative and attend the networking events they host, even if you’re nervous or scared. Try to talk to at least one new person every time you go! You’ll be surprised to find how openly they’ll share their own experiences and how much it will benefit you in the long run
Q: What’s your life motto?
A: I love the line from Forrest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.” Going to community college was never what I planned- I wanted to come straight to a UC. When I look back, there’s so much that came out of that experience – I successfully completed three internships, presented at places like Stanford and UC Irvine, met my current boyfriend of two years, and wouldn’t be the same person today without my community college experiences. If things don’t necessarily work out the way you expect, I encourage you to find a way to make the best out of it and make the experience your own.
ISPE Position: VP External
Major: Bioengineering: Biotechnology
Year: Senior (3rd Year Transfer Student)
Q: What inspires you to pursue a career in the Pharmaceutical field?
A: I’ve been interested in engineering since I was little. I loved figuring out how things worked and even in kindergarten when everyone said what they wanted to be when they grew up, I said engineer. In retrospect, I don’t think I fully understood what that meant. I knew I loved tinkering with machines, fixing things, etc. but I had no idea the impact it could have on society. In high school, biology became my favorite subject, and eventually I found bioengineering. I’ve had 6 research opportunities in the field so far, and every one of them has shown me something new the biotechnology field has to offer. My first summer internship dealt with biomaterials and biocompatibility. I designed nanofibers from synthetic and natural polymers and evaluated the responses of normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells to the varying polymer concentrations. The goal was ultimately to incorporate them in tracheal stents, which would repair damage from excessive smoking or cancer. Fully differentiated NHBE cells are different from other cell-lines in that they are actively breathing. They are fed from a separate underlying chamber to avoid drowning, and you can actually see mucus formation. It was in this lab that it hit me – I was working with an actual living and breathing cell plate that could be used to improve patient quality of life! I immediately fell in love with the biotechnology field and its possible applications. I went on to explore cartilage tissue engineering, blood rheology, microfluidics, and pharmaceuticals – all of which have only fueled my passion and drive to be a part of this interdisciplinary industry!
Q: Why did you get involved with ISPE?
A: Back when I was in community college, I had an enlightening conversation with the head of our biotechnology department. He suggested I get involved with ISPE as a way to connect with industry and expand my professional network. I started off running the ISPE student poster competition, moved up to publicizing all ISPE events, and now am responsible for reaching out to companies to support and teach us and our students about the biotechnology field. ISPE has taught me valuable professional skills, introduced me to amazing people, and allowed me to pursue internships at Genentech. It has taught me to reach out of my comfort zone and excel in ways I never thought I could. I am now a Genentech Campus Ambassador and help run many of the UCSD campus recruiting events for them. I believe you get what you put into ISPE. You need to take initiative and attend the networking events they host, even if you’re nervous or scared. Try to talk to at least one new person every time you go! You’ll be surprised to find how openly they’ll share their own experiences and how much it will benefit you in the long run
Q: What’s your life motto?
A: I love the line from Forrest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.” Going to community college was never what I planned- I wanted to come straight to a UC. When I look back, there’s so much that came out of that experience – I successfully completed three internships, presented at places like Stanford and UC Irvine, met my current boyfriend of two years, and wouldn’t be the same person today without my community college experiences. If things don’t necessarily work out the way you expect, I encourage you to find a way to make the best out of it and make the experience your own.
