2017 2017: Talia D'Ambruoso '17: bioengineering to improve lives

Benefits of bioengineering

I am a bioengineer; I became interested in this field because it directly can benefit the lives of many. Medical device is the area I am most interested in. This field can always be improved, and innovation directly benefits the population.

The highlights of my studies have been all the benefits granted to me though the Bioengineering Department. There is a great sense of community and support here, and I am very appreciative of this.

Study abroad in Cyprus

I participated in a semester abroad at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, in the spring 2016 semester. I took regular engineering courses and had to the opportunity to complete volunteer research in the School of Sciences, improving PCR procedure methods. [PCR, or ppolymerase chain reaction, is used for amplifying trace amounts of DNA.]

I also had the chance to travel around Europe during my study abroad experience.

I've always been independent, but my experience proved to me that I can acclimate and thrive in almost any situation. I was the only woman and foreigner in all my classes, making me truly appreciate the workplace environment in the U.S.

My experience has also made me consider the possibility of working abroad at some point in my career, to view engineering from a global perspective.

Internships in medical device manufacturing

I have had two internships with Smith & Nephew in Mansfield, MA, a medical device company. I was a quality engineer during the summer of 2015 and a manufacturing/R&D engineer for the summer of 2016.

My internship experiences proved to me that the education I've received at UMassD is directly translatable to the industry. They also benefited me greatly in gaining employment after graduating.

My internship experiences proved to me that the education I've received at UMassD is directly translatable to the industry.

Two-year captain, women's soccer

I've been a four-year student athlete on the women's soccer team, a two-year captain, and was named to the Little East Women’s Soccer All-Conference Team twice (First Team, senior year; Second Team, junior year).

My teamwork skills were fully developed by playing here at UMassD, and I learned leadership and responsibility roles. Athletics also created life-long friendships and bonds that I wouldn’t have had without playing.

Capstone project leader

I'm the team lead for my capstone design project: "Bone Notcher Device for Fracture Toughness Testing." For this project, we were awarded the Sigma Xi second-place Undergraduate Research Award, and I will be a Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) 2017 conference attendee.

Next steps: medical device industry

My immediate employment plans are for a career in the medical device industry.

More information

• Study Abroad
• Corsair Athletics: Women's Soccer