BBDL Member Spotlight

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Student Research Spotlight: BBDL Member Devin Laurence

The AME Student Research Spotlight this month is Devin Laurence, a member of the Biomechanics and Biomaterials Design Lab (BBDL). Laurence is a graduate student in the BBDL at the University of Oklahoma studying mechanical engineering. His specific research project involves computational modeling of the tricuspid heart valve to move towards patient-specific therapeutics. He plans to pursue his Ph.D. with an emphasis on cardiovascular biomechanics and to continue into academia afterwards. In his free time, Devin enjoys playing chess, disc golf, and hiking/camping.

Click here for more information about the BBDL.

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Student Research Spotlight: BBDL Member Sam Jett

The AME Student Research Spotlight this month is Sam Jett, a member of the Biomechanics and Biomaterials Design Lab (BBDL). Jett is a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma, working on his master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. Sam started out in the BBDL working on the biaxial testing project for heart valve leaflet tissue and is currently working to design a collagen imaging system that will integrate with the biaxial tester to study how dynamic loading affects collagen fiber orientation and alignment in biological tissues. In the lab, he enjoys exploring the biological imaging field, writing code to gain valuable insights from data, collaborating with other lab members, and exercising the freedom to work with teams to develop innovative solutions to research goals. Outside of school, Sam spends time walking his dog, reading, exercising, hanging out with his friends, and enjoying the occasional night out on the town. He hopes to work on biomedical device and software design and after completing his M.S. studies at OU.

Click here for more information about the BBDL.

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Student Research Spotlight: BBDL Member Colton Ross

The AME Student Research Spotlight this month is Colton Ross, a member of the Biomechanics and Biomaterials Design Lab (BBDL). Ross is a senior student studying mechanical engineering in the Accelerated BS/MS program. In the BBDL, Colton’s research involves mechanical characterizations of heart valve structures. Specifically, his research project involves analysis of the chordae tendineae of the atrioventricular heart valves. Upon completing his thesis and receiving his MS, Colton plans to pursue a Ph.D. to continue performing research in the field of biomedical engineering. In his future Ph.D. research and career (in either academia or industry), Colton wants to focus on the development and improvement of medical devices or limb prosthesis. Outside of his coursework and the BBDL, Colton enjoys playing guitar, going to concerts, and playing video games with his friends.

Click here for more information about the BBDL.

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Student Research Spotlight: BBDL Member Cortland Johns

The AME Student Research Spotlight this month is Cortland Johns, a member of the Biomechanics and Biomaterials Design Lab (BBDL). Johns is a junior pre-medicine student majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Oklahoma. She is a national merit scholar from Bettendorf, Iowa. Cortland is currently working on the heart valve biaxial testing project, specifically assisting the data driven testing project. In the past, Cortland worked on the regional testing, layer testing, and Langendorff teams. Cortland is also a Fall 2018 MRF recipient. She is a member of the Tau Beta Pi and Pi Tau Sigma honor societies, and she is a certified pharmacy technician. Cortland plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in surgery.

Click here for more information about the BBDL.

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Student Research Spotlight: BBDL Member Robert Kunkel

The AME Student Research Spotlight this month is Robert Kunkel, a member of the Biomechanics and Biomaterials Design Lab (BBDL). Kunkel is pursuing his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He conducts research as a part of the BBDL under Dr. Chung-Hao Lee. His primary focus is on the development of novel treatment devices for aneurysms in the brain. Outside of the lab, he plays ultimate frisbee with the OU Apes of Wrath team and participates on the manipulation sub-team of the Sooner Rover Team. Robert plans to graduate in May of 2019 and enter into an industry position where he can continue to apply mechanical engineering principles to the field of human medicine.

Click here to learn more about the BBDL.