BME Undergraduate Selected for Engineering Advisory Council
Alex Kokini, undergraduate representative to the EAC.
Alex Kokini, a junior in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, has been selected as the undergraduate representative to the Engineering Advisory Council. The Council, formed in 1972, is a group of distinguished alumni and friends of the Schools of Engineering who meet twice-yearly with faculty, staff, and students. As industry, academic and government leaders, EAC members offer external counsel, furthering Purdue engineering in its mission of learning, discovery, and engagement.
Kokini's research experience has been in the area of implantable devices. He has worked in the Center for Implantable Devices in BME as an undergraduate research assistant since May of 2011. His work includes the development of an innovative automated intraocular pressure measurement and control system, supporting and performing rodent and rabbit surgeries on the eye and brain to test various devices, and the conceptualization of a visual stimulating and recording procedure for mice. He is currently working on integrating a pressure sensor into a wireless RF powered circuit for implantation and intraocular pressure recording.
In the summer of 2012, he worked as a Product Development Engineering Intern at Cook Biotech, Inc. in West Lafayette, IN. While there he designed protocols for verification and validation activities, developed preliminary hazards analyses, and conducted literature reviews for cutting edge medical devices. He also lead a team through the product development phases of being presented with a clinical problem, deconstructing the problem, identifying market needs, designing and developing prototypes, gathering clinical feedback, filing for IP protection, and planning out regulatory pathways. He is currently working there part-time moving his summer team project into development as well as starting research into a new clinical problem.
Alex is actively involved with a number of student organizations and philanthropic organizations. He is currently the President and co-founder of Purdue Engineering Outreach (PEO), a new organization that aims to provide STEM outreach to middle school students by presenting engineering problems through interactive projects. PEO received a $2200 grant from Purdue Engineering Student Council that is allowing the organization to rapidly expand this year. He was actively involved in the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers his sophomore year as the MathCounts and Order of the Engineer Chair. He is also an active member of Tau Beta Pi, Alpha Eta Mu Beta, Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, and an ambassador for the College of Engineering and the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. He is an active volunteer for Serenity Hospice and the local Boys and Girls Club.
Alex is passionate about the innovation process as applied to novel medical devices to help patients worldwide. He plans to attend medical school and specialize in some form of surgery. He would like to apply his skills as a surgeon and an engineer to work in areas where improvement is needed in medicine and as part of a diverse team to solve problems in order to clinically help patients.
In the summer of 2012, he worked as a Product Development Engineering Intern at Cook Biotech, Inc. in West Lafayette, IN. While there he designed protocols for verification and validation activities, developed preliminary hazards analyses, and conducted literature reviews for cutting edge medical devices. He also lead a team through the product development phases of being presented with a clinical problem, deconstructing the problem, identifying market needs, designing and developing prototypes, gathering clinical feedback, filing for IP protection, and planning out regulatory pathways. He is currently working there part-time moving his summer team project into development as well as starting research into a new clinical problem.
Alex is actively involved with a number of student organizations and philanthropic organizations. He is currently the President and co-founder of Purdue Engineering Outreach (PEO), a new organization that aims to provide STEM outreach to middle school students by presenting engineering problems through interactive projects. PEO received a $2200 grant from Purdue Engineering Student Council that is allowing the organization to rapidly expand this year. He was actively involved in the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers his sophomore year as the MathCounts and Order of the Engineer Chair. He is also an active member of Tau Beta Pi, Alpha Eta Mu Beta, Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, and an ambassador for the College of Engineering and the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. He is an active volunteer for Serenity Hospice and the local Boys and Girls Club.
Alex is passionate about the innovation process as applied to novel medical devices to help patients worldwide. He plans to attend medical school and specialize in some form of surgery. He would like to apply his skills as a surgeon and an engineer to work in areas where improvement is needed in medicine and as part of a diverse team to solve problems in order to clinically help patients.