2020 Incoming Graduate Students | Fischell Department of Bioengineering

Please join the Fischell Department of Bioengineering in welcoming our newest Ph.D. students!

Incoming Ph.D. Students

David Boegner is a University of Maryland graduate with a B.S. in bioengineering. He has always been one to take on challenges that require unique solutions to help advance society’s knowledge and capabilities. He enjoys stargazing, playing bass, learning about the universe, and spending time with his family of ten.
Yahya Cheema is excited to start this new chapter in the UMD BIOE program! Yahya is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a B.S degree in Bioengineering. His research interests include therapeutics design, biomechanics, and optical technologies, and aims to pursue a career in research and academia. When not in the lab, Yahya enjoys playing basketball and soccer, watching movies, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Monica Chu graduated from the University of Maryland in 2018 with a B.S. in bioengineering. She has since then been working as a research fellow in the biotechnology branch at the U.S. Army Research Lab in Adelphi, MD. Her current research involves synthetic biology in the context of engineering microorganisms for environmental sensing capabilities and biomaterial production for the protection of Army materiel. Outside of the lab, she enjoys long bike rides around the DMV, making delicious snacks, jamming out with friends, and touring South and Central America.
Eric Esch is eager and ready to join the Fischell Department of Bioengineering. He is energized by working on bioengineering challenges and is excited to study for his Ph.D.! He is from Bethesda, MD, graduated from Duke University with degrees in mechanical engineering and economics, worked in industry as an engineering consultant at MPR Associates in Alexandria, VA, and has a master's in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. In his spare time, he likes to mountain bike and also nerds out by painting miniature figurines.
Madeline Farrer graduated with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio and joined the Kuo Lab in 2019 after starting her Ph.D. at the University of Rochester. Madeleine's previous research has focused on stem cell-based tissue engineering of musculoskeletal tissues, and she balances her lab work with being the Co-founder and CEO of a medical device company that works with the U.S. Armed Forces. A Texas native and a member of the Cherokee Nation, Madeleine enjoys hiking, baking, and sewing. Fun fact: She "speaks" American Sign Language (ASL).
Hyeyeon Gong obtained a master's degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering from Yonsei University, Korea, where she studied polymer-based biomaterials and hydrogels. She would like to research and specialize in this field. Her research interests include polymer-based tissue engineering and drug delivery carriers, as well as bioprinting technology. Her hobbies include traveling, riding a bicycle, and pilates. She is looking forward to starting her Ph.D. at UMD :)
Sangyoon Kim graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a B.S. in pharmacological chemistry and worked as a research associate at Puracyp Inc. He started his graduate program in pharmaceutical sciences at University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Dr. Lowe’s lab and transferred to the University of Maryland. In his free time, he likes to play tennis, instruments, and video games.
Ariel Ma came from Taiwan and completed her undergraduate and master studies at the National Taiwan University. After three years of work in the pharmaceutical industry, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree in new disease therapy research. In her spare time, Ariel spends time concerned about science education issues in Taiwan's high school and has worked as a volunteer tutor for over six years. She likes all science fiction written by Isaac Asimov and all movies directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Musavvir Mahmud is a materials science graduate from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. His research interest lies in biomaterials particularly for tissue engineering and drug delivery. His recent works consist of functionalized poly-based drug delivery systems. Outside study and work, he loves to read books, play video games, travel, and "experiment" with foods. He is excited to start his grad studies at UMD and explore new opportunities!
Eman Mirdamadi graduated from the George Washington University with a bachelor of science in chemistry and from Carnegie Mellon University with a master of science in biomedical engineering. His research interests are in the fields of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and biofabrication. Eman’s initial interest in these research fields began when he worked with 3D printers and stem cells for the first time during his undergraduate research. Outside of research, Eman enjoys playing video games and working out.
Sumiao Pang was born in Wenzhou, China and came to the United States when she was four years old. She grew up in Massena, NY, where her family owned and operated a Chinese buffet restaurant. About six years ago, her parents decided to move to Maryland and change careers. They have enjoyed Maryland ever since! Sumiao graduated from SUNY Binghamton with a B.S. and M.S. in biomedical engineering and a concentration in biomedical devices. She has been working in industry for the past three years, specifically in the gene and cell therapy field. Outside the lab, Sumiao enjoys listening to podcasts and music, cooking, exercising, watching detective shows, and eating.
Meaghan Richardson is a Maryland native and recent graduate of Boston University with degrees in biomedical engineering and biochemistry and molecular biology. Her research interests include molecular engineering, nanotechnology, and therapeutic design. In her spare time, Meaghan enjoys ballet, making art, reading, listening to podcasts, and exploring nature. She is super excited to start her Ph.D. at UMD!
Jake Rosvold received his B.S. in optical engineering and M.S. in optics from the University of Rochester. As a dedicated light-bender, he focused much of his time on learning advanced lens design strategies, building microscopes, and studying autofluorescence of optical glasses. When not glued to his computer, Jake is either reading a lengthy book or brewing his fourth...no, fifth, cup of coffee for the day. Originally from Delran, NJ, he stayed true to his roots and became an avid Philly sports fanatic. Jake's ambition is to attend law school to become an Intellectual Property Attorney.
Justin Schumacher is a local from Potomac, MD, and graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in biomedical engineering and a focus on biosignals and biosystems. He stayed in Rochester an additional year to complete a masters in medical device design before returning to Maryland to begin the University of Maryland’s Medical Scientist Training Program. His research interests are in medical device design, medical imaging, and image-guided interventions. Outside of engineering, Justin used to host an improv radio show.
Shrey Shah was born and brought up in the milk capital of India, which is a small town called Anand. He received his bachelor's in chemical engineering from Nirma University and his master's in nanotechnology from the University of Pennsylvania. During his baccalaureate, he was a part of the team that developed novel nanoparticles for the detection of chemical adulterants and wastewater pollutants. During his master's program, he worked on two projects under Dr. David Cormode to develop nanoparticles for treating oral biofilms and for CT imaging of Colitis. He is passionate about developing novel nanomaterials/biomaterials for making a difference in the field of medicine. Shrey will be joining Dr. Jewell's lab and he is looking forward to working on developing novel materials for solving problems/diseases related to the immune system and making his mark in the field. Outside of school and research, he loves playing tennis, table tennis, and badminton (or any other sport, but he prefers racket sports over other sports). He also likes watching sports and movies and reading non-fiction books.
Caitlyn Singam was born and raised in Montgomery County, MD, and believes her education reflects the best of what the Old Line State and its flagship university, the University of Maryland, College Park, has to offer. A card carrying nerd, she can be found exhausted and semi-comatose after indulging in her favorite pastimes of cross-country biking and hiking. Consequently, she is rumored to be pursuing a Ph.D. in bioengineering to unravel the secret of becoming a bionic woman as a survival strategy.
Ian Smith recently graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in biomedical engineering. His past work focused on defining a relationship between biomechanical cues of hydrogels and cellular responses. Having joined Dr. Stroka’s lab, he is excited to begin research and build upon past work, while exploring new applications. Outside of lab, Ian enjoys pottery, traveling, wood working, and movies.
Michael Straker was born and raised on the island of St. Croix, in the United States Virgin Islands. He graduated with a bachelor of science in bioengineering from Temple University before joining the physics department as a master’s student at Morgan State University. Michael’s research interests include the development of novel technologies for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases such as cancer. In his spare time, Michael enjoys spending time with loved ones, playing sports and making music.
Chiao-Yi (Charlene) Wang was born and grew up in Taiwan. She graduated from National Taiwan University with a B.S. in electrical engineering and a M.S. in biomedical electronics and bioinformatics. Her past research focus on bio-photonics and bio-optical imaging analysis. As a Ph.D. student, she would like to continue the research in bio-photonics and bio-imaging fields. Outside of research, she enjoys traveling, watching movies and drama, watching the NBA and playing the piano. She is looking forward to join the UMD family!
Xin Xu graduated in 2018 from the George Washington University with a B.S. in biomedical engineering. She just graduated again in May 2020 from Johns Hopkins University with an M.S. in the same field. During the second year of the master's program, she also worked in FDA as an ORISE research fellow. At the University of Maryland, she works in Dr. Ryan Sochol's lab and studies multi-material direct laser writing. Outside of school, she loves traveling, baking, and spending time with her dog (a long-haired dachshund).
Jeffrey Yang graduated with a B.S. in bioengineering from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2017. Since then, he has been working as an analytical validation specialist for Prometic Biotherapeutics, Inc. His research interests include developing topical formulations as drug delivery vehicles and exploring various biomaterials for clinical use. In his spare time, Jeffrey enjoys playing tennis, bird-watching, and playing the piano.

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