In Medellín, Colombia, Maria Prado earned her bachelor’s degree in bioengineering in 2015 from Universidad de Antioquia and her master’s degree in biomedical engineering (BME) from Universidad EIA – Universidad CES. In 2023, she received her PhD in BME from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she remains as a postdoctoral fellow. In her work to develop methods for predicting fracture risk, she evaluated the kinematics of young healthy patients during daily tasks to establish reference data for eventual comparison with elderly populations. Her ability to apply quantitative computed tomography imaging and finite element analysis to critical problems in biomechanics has led to multiple peer-reviewed publications and participation at national conferences. Her future research will explore musculoskeletal biomechanics from a tissue perspective and gain insight into bone biology to understand changes and aging under healthy and diseased conditions. She has served as assistant chair and communications chair of the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Society (BMEGS), using her positions to bridge the gap between BMEGS and the Hispanic/Latin graduate students who represent more than 50 percent of the program’s population. As a professor, Prado will encourage students to think beyond conventional engineering solutions, motivating them to explore innovative approaches and apply their unique perspectives to solve real-world problems.