Bahar Dhowan  | Implantable Device Research

What type of research have you been working on?

Due to my previous experience with medical devices and my interest in electrical engineering, I took up a research assistant position with Prof. Hugh Lee; his lab works with developing new innovative implantable devices for solving current healthcare problems. Since I was assigned my own project, I had to figure out where I wanted to take it, conceptually design a device, prototype and build the device, ensure that it works how it's expected to, make timelines, have future testing plans approved from Dr. Lee, and that's not even half of it. I was excited to be thrown into this fantastic opportunity which would allow me to grow extensively not only as a researcher but also as an engineer. Exposing me to every aspect of planning, prototyping and testing my own device.

Why did you initially seek out a research position? How and why did you choose your current lab in particular?

It was difficult to find out what I was truly interested in, but after trying out 2 different research labs, and having 3 different internships, I found my true passion lies in electrical biomedical devices. So I started pursuing an electrical engineering minor and looking for research opportunities in the same field. I looked up labs that I think would find interesting. Prof. Lee's lab was working on some fantastic projects and he was leading my senior design seminar at that time. So I went up and spoke to him bout the possibility of working with him during the semester.

What have been your favorite parts working in this lab?

My favorite part has probably been conceptually developing a device and then actually building a working prototype of the same. When you see something you've designed working for the first time, it's such a thrill!

How has this influenced your future academic or career plans?

After being involved with research for some time, I decided that I wanted to pursue a master's in biomedical engineering. This changed my initial plan on going into industry, because the kind of work I want to do in industry would need me to have a master's degree.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in doing research with a professor?

I'd tell you to go ahead and talk to their professor, set up an appointment, or just go up tot them after one of your classes and ask them about their research. If you find yourself interested in the topics, ask them about any research assistant position that are available in their lab. I would recommend working with a few different professors to get a broader exposure to different experiences and find the kind of work you enjoy the most. I realized quite soon that tissue engineering was not my favorite field of study, and decided to pursue research with another professor after I had finished my project in that lab.