Meet Shannon Li! Shannon is a 3rd-year Mechanical Engineering major, and one of the Academic Chairs of the 2022-2023 school year!

How have you been involved with BMES?

During my first year at UCLA online, I became a part of the Publicity Committee and then one of the Publicity Chairs the following year. I thoroughly enjoyed drawing and designing the graphics for BMES and running the Instagram account. This year, I am one of the Academic Chairs, which has been very rewarding. These past 3 years I have been a member of the Thymine mentorship family as well and believe fully in Thymine supremacy!

What are your primary responsibilities as academic chair this year?

As an Academic Chair, I get to organize and moderate events that provide academic and career support to undergraduates in the bioengineering or biomedical field. Each quarter, we have 2-3 panels which include talks from graduate programs, Alumni coffee chats, and class planning workshops. On top of the satisfaction of executing event plans, it is enriching to be able to  connect with experienced people from the bioengineering fields and learn about their career development from when they were undergraduates. I like learning about all the different possibilities for career paths because there is a sense of comfort knowing there is so much out there for everyone to find success in.  

Favorite BMES memory?

My favorite memory was the BMES Holiday Party during my 2nd year because it was my first year on campus and I was still trying to adjust to college life, which made the experience more memorable. I loved getting to dress up, take fun photos with props, and talk with all the people there, which was very exciting for me especially after a year of seeing people’s faces on Zoom. That excitement has not worn off either, as each year’s Holiday Party, BioE Ball, and other big events are things I look forward to every quarter.

Congrats on becoming next year’s BMES External VP! What is one thing you are excited about for next year?

Thank you so much! I am very glad to get the opportunity to be a part of leading BMES and moving it forward. As a whole, I can’t wait to welcome the incoming 1st years and see the dynamic of the new general board for next year. I am also excited about the ways that EBoard and general board can evolve throughout the year and hopefully execute some new things for BMES. There’s some new ideas we have that I won’t reveal just yet!


If you have had a research or internship experience, what was the most valuable aspect of the experience for you?

Through my research in the Lin Lab at UCLA, I’ve learned that a lot of engineering is about not knowing something and then trying out different ideas, adjusting each time until a solution is found. My lab environment encourages just doing and not being afraid to make mistakes, which is what has allowed me to gain the most knowledge and skill. There were times when I questioned if I was capable of learning a new protocol or operating a machine, but when I got to the point when I became capable, I was able to look back and remind myself that I’ll never know what I can do until I try it out. 

If you could instantly become an expert in something, what would it be?

I would like to be able to expertly make jewelry through workshop tools and welding. I’ve seen videos of people effortlessly making jewelry like rings and necklaces so that was the first thing that came to mind. It would be crazy to be able to envision a design and quickly create it from scratch or the backs of metal cutlery, not to mention how satisfying and therapeutic it would be. But also honestly, I would want to be an expert in anything art-related like digital animation and drawing from memory. 

Meet the 2022-2023 Cell Team PMs! Rika (right) is a 3rd-year bioengineering major and Viên (left) is a 2nd-year bioengineering major!

How have you been involved with BMES?

Viên: I joined in my first year as a member of Cell Team as well! I really liked the tight-knit community we had, so I was happy to have the opportunity to be co-project manager with Rika this year. It’s been rewarding to work on improving and expanding the program!

Rika: I joined my second year as a member of Cell Team and a volunteer with the Community Outreach RISE team! This year, I’ve been lucky to be a co-project manager alongside Viên for Cell Team, leading a group of 14 undergraduate students. 

What are your primary responsibilities as cell team PMs this year?

Viên: Some of the things we do behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly include creating all the slideshows for modules, ordering and prepping the lab supplies, and coordinating module/lab times! We also write all of the protocols members use in the lab, and organize the Shadowing Program with professors. In the coming weeks, we’ll be working with members to design and execute the independent research project in Spring quarter. 

Rika: As a Cell Team PM, we’re in charge of leading modules and labs every week for our members to gain hands-on experience on introductory laboratory techniques! Some of these skills include micropipetting, BSC usage, and cell culture. Outside of these weekly meetings, we also host developmental programs such as the Cell Team Shadowing Program, one-on-one meetings for career planning, and informal discussions about research. In Spring quarter, we guide the students to design an independent research project from start to finish, culminating in a poster presentation and Tech Projects Demo Day. 

Favorite BMES memory?

Viên: My favorite BMES memory is definitely KBBQ night! I think it’s a great chance to spend time meeting more BMES members and I had a lot of fun both this year and last year. 
​
Rika: This is a hard one! I think I’d have to go with the BioE Ball and Fall BBQ!


What do you enjoy most about being cell team PMs?

Viên: I really enjoy interacting with and learning about all of our amazing members! Our cohort this year is full of people who are dedicated and enthusiastic to learn about cells, and it’s been both rewarding and fun to get to teach them. 

Rika: I love the moments when our team members suddenly understand a concept or make STEM related jokes during our labs. It’s been so much fun watching everyone grow more confident in their lab skills and close-knit as a team!


If you could instantly become an expert in something, what would it be?

Viên: Definitely animation. I love the medium and I’ve spent many, many hours just trying to wrap my head around the basics! If I could become an animation expert instantly, I’d spend so much time working on random video projects.

Rika: If I could instantly become an expert in something, it’d be astronautics! I secretly dream of going to space one day ☆

Meet Juhi Mehta! Juhi is a 4th-year Bioengineering major, Spanish minor and BMES president of the 2022-2023 school year!

How have you been involved with BMES?

I’ve been involved in BMES since my freshman year, when I joined the publicity committee! I had tons of fun making aesthetic graphics for various BMES events. I also began volunteering for the RISE program, and fell in love with teaching kids! This led me to join board as a community outreach chair in my sophomore year. In my junior year, I served as mentorship coordinator and put on tons of fun social events like KBBQ night and Friendsgiving. Finally, this year, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to be president. I love being a part of this organization and giving back to the bioengineering community. It feels so crazy looking back, and I think my freshman self wouldn’t believe it!

What are your primary responsibilities as president this year?

As president, my primary responsibilities include supervising all of our chapter’s affairs as well as leading board in all of our various initiatives. I also work with the School of Engineering and the Bioengineering department to set the overall direction of our chapter and bring awareness to student needs and issues. Rather than working on one specific task, I oversee many different tasks, and do my best to support BMES board and BMES members in any way that I can! I hope to make positive changes to the organization and to continue providing BMES members with opportunities to grow in their academics and career, and connect with other bioEs!

Favorite BMES memory?

It’s hard to pick, but I’d say my favorite BMES memory has to be KBBQ night! It’s always so fun to take a trip to ktown, and the food is always so good! Cooking together is really wholesome and it’s helped me get to know other BMES members super well. Finally, dessert in ktown is always delicious!

One class that you enjoyed and would recommend?

One class I recommend is BE C147! This class is called tissue engineering: industrial and clinical perspectives, and is taught by Dr. Bill Tawil. Dr. Tawil is an incredible lecturer, and the content of the class is very interesting. Each lecture focuses on a different organ, and starts with the basic physiology and the most common diseases of that organ. Next, Dr. Tawil discusses the most common medical solutions to these diseases that are currently on the market. Finally, we discuss up and coming tissue engineering approaches that aim to treat these diseases. I am very interested in tissue engineering, and this class really helped me understand the market as a whole and the future of the industry. Dr. Tawil really takes the time to explore engineer, physician, and patient perspectives, which was very eye opening and meaningful. 

If you have had a research or internship experience, what was the most valuable aspect of the experience for you?

I am currently an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Li’s lab (Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab), and I’ve been working in his lab for 2 years. My research focuses on the effects of immunomodulation and electrical stimulation on direct cardiac reprogramming. Overall, research has been the most important part of my undergraduate bioengineering experience. I’ve been able to explore topics that I’m very passionate about and learn a lot about how to approach scientific problems. More importantly, I’ve challenged myself, and as a result have grown to be a more confident person. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in research to get involved and email professors asking about open positions! 

If you could instantly become an expert in something, what would it be?

I’d have to say color theory. I love painting, but sometimes mixing the perfect shade can be really challenging! If I could, I’d want to be as talented as the painters on social media who can match the color of any random object within a minute or two.

Meet Rohan Chawla! Rohan is a 4th-year Bioengineering major and one of the current academic chairs of the 2022-2023 school year!

How have you been involved with BMES?

I’ve been a member of BMES since freshman year, and I’ve been involved in a lot of ways! I was a member of Build Team my first year and Design Team the next year. I was also a Committee Member in my second year, as part of the Community Outreach Committee. I was then Community Outreach Chair last year, and now I’m one of the Academic Chairs!

What are your primary responsibilities as academic chair this year?

As an academic chair, my main goal is to connect undergrads with the resources they need to succeed, both as students and future professionals. This mainly involves hosting workshops and panels for students to ask questions and speak to experts in areas like resume development and class planning. I am also in charge of maintaining our club’s alumni network, and oversee our club’s alumni mentorship program.

Favorite BMES memory?

Hmm, this is pretty hard, but I would probably have to say BMES Bake-Off last year. It was super fun to not only make super yummy deserts but also eat everyone else’s food and hear all the commentary from the MCs. One of the best events of the year, and I highly recommend all members go!

One class that you enjoyed and would recommend?

I used to say BE 175, but now that it’s required, I guess everyone has to take it and it doesn’t count. I personally really liked learning about how really complex biological data can be analyzed and all the different inferences it is possible to make, as well as Dr. Meyer’s teaching style. Outside of that class, the other BE class I really enjoyed was BE C147: Applied Tissue Engineering. The class is super interesting, and you get to learn about the industrial applications of tissue engineering and all the cool products out there that use actual cells and tissues to treat people. Dr. Tawil is also such a great guy, and there are so many cool guest speakers! Outside of BE, I would definitely recommend taking Ling 1, which I thought was super cool and taught me a lot about how languages and words work.

If you have had a research or internship experience, what was the most valuable aspect  of the experience for you?

I’ve done both research and an internship! I’ve been a member of Dr. Kamei’s lab since my freshman year and I was a Digital Sciences Intern at Genentech last summer. In terms of research, I would probably say that the most valuable part of my experience was learning how to tackle open-ended problems with basically no prior experience in that area. So much of research is learning things on the fly, and systematically attacking problems that you usually have never dealt with before. But, it is definitely super rewarding, and it can be so fun to see the tangible impacts of all the concepts you learn in your classes. For my internship, I thought it was super cool to learn more about the industrial applications of our degree, and how pharmaceutical companies actually work. There are so many different steps involved in discovering, testing and manufacturing a drug, and it’s so rewarding to be able to have a hand in that process. It was also super informative to learn about all the different roles outside of bioengineering that exist in biotech, and how different technologies are involved in improving current standards of practice.

If you could instantly become an expert in something, what would it be?

Hmm, another hard question. I would honestly love to be super good at surfing. Even though I went to high school in SoCal, I’ve never learned how. And I feel like it seems so fun + you look super cool :) 

Meet Kelly Tamura! Kelly is a 1st-year Bioengineering major as well as one of our new Mentorship Heads for the 2021-2022 school year — read on to learn more about her!

How'd you hear about BMES?

I got an email about the first general meeting and I decided to check it out!

How long have you been involved with BMES?

This year I was a permanent member on the BMES cell team and I was apart of the Adenine family. I had so much fun meeting all the other bioengineers that I decided I wanted to be more involved for this upcoming term. 

What are your primary responsibilities as a Mentorship Head?

Making dope social events for members to get to know each other!

To what are you most looking forward about your position?

I'm really excited to meet a ton of new people - I think that's the greatest.

What's one thing you've learned from BMES this year?

I'm starting to learn from the past mentorship heads about how to create a fun community so that has been cool.

Which family are you in?

Adenine!

Favorite BMES memory?

I loved the Holiday Party - that was so so so fun. The activities were great!

Favorite class you've taken at UCLA?

Bioengineering 10! I loved reading the articles and hearing researchers talk. It was very inspiring!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love listening to music and doing anything active (one of my favs is looking like an absolute fool playing tennis).

Describe yourself as a Care Bear.

I'd be an orange Care Bear (my fav color) with a planet or something celestial as my belly badge, and I'd like the power of teleportation.

Anything else you'd like to share?

​Cream cheese frosting ruins red velvet cake and I stand by that.

Meet Anya Bekhtel! Anya is a 4th-year Bioengineering major and one of our Cell Team Project Managers — read on to learn more about her!

How'd you hear about BMES?

Before I started college, I was looking at the list of engineering clubs to figure out what orgs I wanted to join and found BMES! I then got to talk to some of the current board members when I went to the Enormous Activities Fair the Fall Quarter of my freshman year.

How long have you been involved with BMES?

I've been involved in BMES since my first year, largely through technical projects! I joined EKG Build Team my first year where I learned the basics of circuitry and coding, then expanded on those skills through Robotic Hand Design Team my second year. I've also been involved in mentorship and love passing on advice and talking about my experiences with first year BioE's trying to figure college out :)

What are your primary responsibilities as Cell Team Project Manager (PM)?

As Cell Team Project Manager, I help underclassmen gain confidence in their wet lab skills and get prepared to join a research lab. This year, we have modified the curriculum to include presentations on lab techniques, worksheets to practice lab skills, lab protocol walkthroughs, and journal clubs.

What do you enjoy most about your position?

I love having the opportunity to connect with all the underclassmen and help them be better prepared for their time at UCLA :)

What's one thing you've learned from being in your position?

To be VERY creative. The task of turning a lab-based technical project into something worthwhile in a completely remote learning environment was a little daunting at first. But it's been such a privilege to work closely with Justin Chen (the other Cell Team PM) and find ways to pass on what we know virtually and get students prepared for research.

Which family are you in?

Guanine!

Favorite BMES memory?

Technical Project Presentations at the end of my sophomore year. The structure was kind of like Capstone Symposium, and it gave me the opportunity to talk about my work to my friends and wander around to learn about the cool projects the other technical teams had been working on. 

Favorite class you've taken at UCLA?

BE 188 (Biomedical Instruments) with Dr. Gu. Half of the class involved lab experiments and learning about different sensors, which the other hand was lecture on different instrumentation techniques. The class gave me a good basis on the different types of imaging techniques available to physicians and what the limitations are with the current technology. I also really liked the content in Dr. Kasko's Introduction to Biomaterials course (BE CM178) and Biochem 153A.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I'm a big coffee fan, and love trying new coffee shops in LA. In the last year, I've gotten into cooking and yoga, and rediscovered my love of reading and embroidery.

Describe yourself as a Care Bear.

I would want to be a purple Care Bear with a flowers belly badge that allows me to keep my plants alive! I'm really not good with house plants :/

Anything else you'd like to share?

If you read this far I hope you have a lovely day and get some time to recharge <3 

Meet Linnet Chang, a 4th-year Bioengineering major as well as our one and only President. Read on to learn more about her!

How' d you hear about BMES?

I heard about BMES as a wee child (a senior in high school) during the BE Open House. I loved how approachable and helpful everyone was and getting to participate in the hilarious, informational, and infamous BEngo (and of course, the free Subway lunches).

How long have you been involved with BMES?

I've been involved with BMES since my first year through Build Team, community outreach events, and mentorship family events (s/o to Greg, Ryan, Cole, Nicole, Meagan, and Veronica for making my first year experience amazing). These experiences really shaped my trajectory in BMES, since I went on to serve as both as Community Outreach and Mentorship Chair and received an opportunity to co-teach a summer E96 class on EKGs!

What are your primary responsibilities as president?

My main responsibilities are to guide the direction the club grows in and to help support all of the chairs with their event-planning.

What do you enjoy most about your position?

I really enjoy the unique perspective I get to have on the organization. It's a very different experience taking a birds-eye view of event logistics than being immersed in the work myself, which is kind of a liberating process to just observe how moving parts of the club fit together. It's also very heartwarming to see everyone succeed and push the boundaries of their positions to put on better and larger events than we've had before!

What's one thing you've learned from being president?

Learning how to lead a team effectively was really challenging, and something I'm constantly trying to get better at. Really thankful to have had such a great board to work with this year, since I've gotten such a meaningful opportunity to develop strong virtual collaboration skills and a deep-rooted trust in others' work and my own beliefs.

What's your favorite BMES event?

One of my favorite events is BE Ball! It's a great excuse to get dolled up and to snack on delectable finger food while dancing with all of your BEst buds.

Favorite class you've taken at UCLA?

I am a big fan of BE C175 and a creative writing class called Essays in Journalism. 175 changed my perspective on what being a bioengineer is, since I think that in the first few years of college, it's easy to interpret bioengineering as synonymous to device work or tissue engineering only. 175 instead focuses on computational modeling and applying that to other fields like pharmaceuticals or physiology! I've also loved the creative writing class since a part of me has always dreamed of being an English major, and it has exposed me to a new style of writing and viewing my own life.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy playing my guitar, baking desserts, writing/reading, and playing Stardew Valley!

Describe yourself as a Care Bear.

​I'd like to be a baby blue colored Care Bear, with a sunflower belly badge! I hope that my belly badge gives me the power to instinctively know when a good candid photo op is about to happen so I can snap it for the memories.

Meet Thamira Skandakumar! Thamira is a 4th-year Bioengineering major and our very own External Vice President (EVP). Read on to learn more about her!

How'd you hear about BMES?

Mandy Hung was my MentorSEAS mentor, and as president, she convinced me to join the club. During GM, I learned that freshmen could be committee members and decided to apply to be more involved. And that’s how it all began folks(:

How long have you been involved with BMES?

I have been a part of BMES since my freshman year of college. I first joined as a regular member and that same year, I became a member of the Industry Committee. Freshman year, I stayed heavily involved in BMES through the EKG build team as well as Euracil, the greatest BMES family to ever exist. Sophomore year, I became industry chair and was a part of the BMES Design team. I then transitioned to be Mentorship Coordinator my junior year and I am now the External Vice President.

What are your primary responsibilities as EVP?

The primary responsibility of the External Vice President is to manage all external affairs of the organization and support all chairs with funding for large-scale events. I oversee industry, academic and community outreach chairs in event planning and communications. I also collaborate with the Treasurer to manage the Finance Committee to create budgets for all chairs, track BMES expenditures and acquire funding for all major events. Lastly, I coordinate collaborations between BMES and other engineering organizations as well as communicate with company representatives for the acquisition of financial and participatory sponsorships.

What do you enjoy most about your position?

My favorite part of this position is that I get to be a part of the planning process for most industry related events. I love getting to be involved in discussing logistics and communicating with company representatives. I also love learning about the ins and outs of the bioengineering engineering world and what the industry has to offer.

What's one thing you've learned from being EVP?

How to think on my feet~

I'm definitely grateful that this position has helped me get better at decision making. I have dealt with a lot of last minute situations where decisions have had to be made on the spot, either in relation to finances or industry related events. In the beginning I felt like I had a lot of pressure on me and didn't want to affect the club negatively in any way. But after getting more exposure to these time-sensitive related situations, not only has it been easier, but it has shown me that I'm not necessarily alone and that I have other members of BMES I can discuss things with to do what's best for the club.

Favorite BMES memory?

Definitely BMES Ball 2020. As someone who loves dancing, any event where I can get dolled up and be up on my feet for hours on end puts me in a good mood. And it was definitely better because I was surrounded by some of my favorite people on this planet (insert simp emoji here). And how could I forget the yummy samiches and live DJ?!?! My friends and I ended that night at Parsa’s apartment and just chilled with some good ol’ Westwood Hangry Moon’s. Truly one one the best nights I had before the pandemic took our lives away /:

Favorite class you've taken at UCLA?

Music History 68: The Beatles. 

This class is easily the best class I’ve taken at UCLA. We spent the majority of class listening to The Beatles' albums and watching some of their films.  Our take home midterms/finals required us to analyze one of their albums for its relation to history and musicality. As a past music nerd, this class brought me utmost happiness so I definitely recommend this class to anyone who enjoys listening to music and wants an easy A.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to dance, rave to EDM, work out and hang out with friends (socially distanced of course)! Since the pandemic, I have found a new love for enjoying some personal time, binge watching New Girl, and going on walks ~ the normal things you can do during a pandemic.

Describe yourself as a Care Bear.

I'd be a light blue/turquoise Care Bear. My belly badge would probably be a lightning bolt so that I could recharge whenever. I mean like who doesn’t love a good nap but is sleep really that essential?

Anything else you'd like to share?

​hi(: if u made it to the end, I hope you have a wonderful day <3

Meet Griffith Hughes! Griff is a 3rd-year Bioengineering major as well as one of our Academic Co-Chairs. Read on to learn more about him!

​How'd you hear about BMES?

I first learned about BMES after playing BEngo at the discover engineering day, and again at the Fall General Meeting my freshman year.

How long have you been involved with BMES?

I've been involved in BMES since freshman year (I have awkward photos from that point in my life to prove it). I started out as a general member on the pulse ox build team and applied to join the finance committee in the Fall. Even though it didn't work out, I joined BMES board as a family head my second year. I applied because of the amazing experience I had in my BMES mentorship family freshman year (Shout-out to Natalie and the rest of Alanine). Now, I am one of the two Academic Chairs in BMES.

What are your primary responsibilities as Academic Co-Chair?

The BMES Academic Chairs help students figure out their four-year and postgraduate plans. We connect undergraduates with alumni and host panels to learn from professors and graduate students.

What do you enjoy most about your position?

I enjoy meeting people and learning more about bioengineering from our undergraduates, alumni, and professors. It's also great to talk with the freshman and sophomores and help them plan their schedules; I remember how overwhelming it was.

What's one thing you've learned from being Academic Co-Chair?

Everyone's path through college is different. It's easy to get caught up in what — and how much — everyone else seems to be doing. Take the time to think about what makes you feel fulfilled; you need a why to make a how.

Favorite BMES memory?

​A tough question; I feel like there are a bunch that immediately come to mind. I think the most memorable was eating KBBQ at the beginning of Fall quarter, freshman year. I got to meat –hehe– a bunch of new people and it helped me transition to college. Good food and good people.

Favorite class you've taken at UCLA?

This is another tough question. I'd like to exercise my fifth amendment right to avoid self-incrimination.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to cook food and then eat it :) — especially desserts. I also enjoy running, surfing, reading, hiking, and generally just being outside. I started to juggle this summer and I've been practicing so that I can do it while looking someone in the eye; the ultimate power move.

Describe yourself as a Care Bear.

You know the color of the sky when it's tinted with grey clouds? That's my Care Bear Color™. My belly badge would be a cloud and it would give me the power to make it rain. I would use it to clear the air and get that amazing rainy smell.

Anything else you'd like to share?

My favorite poem is called "The Man in the Glass" and I highly encourage everyone to read it.