Engineering students and faculty presented cutting-edge research at the 2024 Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, this past October.
Among the presenters were Associate Professor Isaac Macwan, PhD, Assistant Professor John Drazan, PhD, Elia Haghbin ’26, Leslie Abbott ’25, Ryan Jaworski ’25, Zuzanna Janusz ’27, and Luke Bornstein ’25.
Dr. Macwan, biology major Haghbin, and computer science and biology double-major Abbott shared findings on bacteriorhodopsin — a bacterial protein embedded in a purple membrane —exploring its potential as a biological memory device when combined with graphene and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to create nanofibrous scaffolds for bioelectronics.
Engineering students Jaworski, Janusz, and Bornstein presented a poster titled “A Novel Approach to Enhancing Efficacy in Biomedical Engineering Research Prior to Access to Human Subject Data.” Their work, under the guidance of Dr. Drazan and in partnership with Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon Donna Pacicca, MD, of Connecticut Children’s Hospital, focused on limb length discrepancies in pediatrics — a condition in which children’s legs are of unequal length.
The conference also highlighted Fairfield’s STEM outreach efforts. Students from Central High School in Bridgeport, Conn. — Titus Graham, Gabrial Vargas, Zi’Ayanna Mason, and G-brown Gervil—presented related summer research conducted with Assistant Professor John Drazan, PhD.
Dr. Macwan described the conference as “a transformative experience for our students, offering a platform to connect with leaders in biomedical engineering, explore cutting-edge research, and ignite their passion for innovation.”
“It’s more than a conference,” he said, “it’s a launchpad for their future and a celebration of their research accomplishments within this field.”
Charlotte Savigny ’26, along with her engineering peers Irene Kandilas ’25, Donna Ismail ’24, Bella Fuierer ’26, Kylie Wistran ’26, Erin Gibbons ’26, Noor Khattak MS’25, and Ibnath Saboor MS’26, joined assistant professor of biomedical engineering Ana Estrada, PhD, at this year’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Conference, a gathering of more than 20,000 female engineers.
Beyond career preparation, the SWE was about embracing their shared identities as women engineers and knowing they were part of a larger, supportive community. The Fairfield students returned home feeling energized and more connected to one another. “The conference was so much more than I imagined,” said Savigny. “We got to network, gain real career skills, and meet other like-minded students. Together, we really did rise.”
This fall, David Camayo Ocampo ’25 attended the 50th Annual SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) National Convention in Anaheim, California, where he gained invaluable insights into his future career in aerospace. “Being able to get advice from industry professionals and other students about how to make my future aspirations achievable has made me feel more confident in my goals.”
The SHPE Convention featured sessions on topics like choosing graduate programs and résumé building and provided Ocampo with new tools and perspectives. “My biggest takeaway was the importance of networking and building strong industry connections, especially within the aerospace industry,” he said. “Meeting representatives from companies like Pratt & Whitney helped me understand the potential career paths ahead of me and gave me insight into what qualities and skills are most valued.”
