Name: Julia de Lange
Program: Biomedical Engineering
Degree you are studying toward: PhD
Expected year of graduation: 2024
Institution: McMaster University
Email: Send Email
Fun Facts About Me
If your best friend had to describe you in 10 words or less, what would they say?: An empathetic person, who is motivated and loves being social.
What do you want to accomplish in the next 10 years?: I’d like to make sure that wherever I end up career-wise, I’m continually challenging myself and growing to become both a better engineer and a better person. If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backwards.
Profile Questions
Why did you choose your program of study?: I chose biomedical engineering because I’ve always been interested in the healthcare industry. I have both a nurturing nature and a curious mind. The idea of studying the biomechanics of the human body, and how our internal systems work was of vast interest to me. The opportunity to make a difference for vulnerable populations, like optimizing the design of prosthetics, sounded like a perfect fit for me when applying for undergraduate programs.
What has been your favourite course (in Engineering) and why?: I really enjoyed my fourth-year biomechanical design course. It was taught by an instructor who had some industry experience and was able to relay the practical design challenges he faced in industry. He cautioned his students on some challenges that we may one day face, all while encouraging us to enter the profession. This class ultimately led me to pursue graduate studies in biomechanics.
What has been the best part of your Engineering education to date?: The pursuance of my graduate degree has definitely been both the most interesting and rewarding part of my education thus far. I work with cadaveric specimens to investigate bone fracture tolerance limits. I get to smash bones and see how much force is required for them to break, all while developing my technical mechanical and electrical engineering skills. Seeing good results from work I have personally conducted – there’s no greater feeling.
What do you hope to do after you graduate?: I hope one day to get into project management. What field – whether it be injury biomechanics, medical devices, or clinical engineering – is still to be determined. I have a variety of skills and interests that I’m still trying to figure out what to use for. Only time will tell!