Julia (she/her) is a junior in the honors program majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Her research interests include biomaterials, tissue engineering, and public health. On campus, she is the program coordinator for Honors in STEM, recruitment officer for Medical Clinic Club, and an active member of Kids and UConn Bridging Education. In her free time, she enjoys running, playing tennis, and trying new foods.

Julia was first introduced to research in high school through her AP research class. She conducted an independent study investigating the impacts of over-the-counter medication use on high school athletes. This experience kickstarted her passion for research which has grown through her time at UConn.

In her Sophomore year, she was involved in research in the Tissue Engineering Science and Technology (TEST) Lab. In this role, she analyzed proteomic data for a study investigating the use of decellularized Extracellular Matrices (dECM) in large area muscle repair. She also aided in the cell culturing and plating process for experiments. Collaboration with her Graduate mentors has given her experience in wet and dry lab techniques. Delving into this work has shown Julia the applications and importance of her major in a real life context.

Along with her work in the lab, Julia is part of the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network. Through this program, she is developing a passion-driven project to investigate domestic violence in the Philippines and the role financial dependence plays in this public health issue. In the future, Julia hopes to attend medical school.

Research has ignited and fueled Julia’s passions and fostered her academic growth at UConn. She encourages other undergraduate students to learn more about research opportunities inside or outside of their major. Julia understands finding somewhere to start can be difficult, if you have any questions about opportunities, her experience, or any questions about UConn feel free to reach out!