March 2023 - BME Blaze: Amy Wu

Get to know the alumni, students, and scientists of Columbia's Department of Biomedical Engineering in this monthly spotlight. Read what our BME folks are up to, from our labs' latest research to our students' plans for the future, to our teams' innovations, start-ups, and other career successes.

We loved catching up with Columbia BME graduate Amy Wu, who told us about her experience at Columbia BME and her exciting plans to change the world.⁣ Read below to get to know Amy!

Amy Wu

Education

• B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 2019

Where are you from?

New York

What drew you to the field of Biomedical Engineering?

I always liked science as a kid—science days, science fairs, science museums, you name it. The discipline of science that I found most interesting was biology. The complexities of the human body that lay beneath the surface of our skin was amazing to me. The idea of being able to use this knowledge to make something around the human body was even more amazing. I wanted to learn all about tissue engineering, nanomedicine—the stuff that seemed only possible in scifi. I also love a challenge.

What is your current role?

Medical student

Why did you choose Columbia BME?

Columbia Engineering is very special. It’s not only that is at the cutting edge, it also offers unparalleled exposure to the humanities within the cultural hub of NYC and the tradition of the Core Curriculum. You can’t run from the lab down to the Met Opera for class anywhere else.

What were some of your favorite projects/memories from the program?

The Smart Laryngosocpe project, which started in senior design is definitely a memorable project. The foundational idea is to translate tactile expertise to facilitate learning.  Being able to further refine this project by competing in Columbia’s BiomedX and navigating the patent process were incredible learning experience.

The fried chicken biomechanics assignment was fun (and tasty) in Biomedical Engineering Lab! 

What was your proudest moment at Columbia?

It was pretty cool to go on stage at BMES to present our Smart Laryngoscope project to the director of the NIBIB, who also left us with encouraging words about our work.

How has your experience with Columbia BME contributed towards your goals?

I think being able to think like an engineer, being able to break a problem down into its components, is invaluable in medicine. Being challenged also provides you confidence for future challenges.

What are your thoughts on the strength of Columbia BME's alumni network and how has that influenced your career path?

I would not be where I am without it! Columbia BME grads in medicine seem to be drawn back to research down the line. Being mentored by Columbia BME alumni in medicine really demystifies the path of the physician-scientist.

Any words of wisdom or tips for prospective BME students?

It’s the best major! You’ll learn more than you think you think you can handle!

What are you excited about?

Currently I’m looking forwards to starting my first clinical rotation (“clerkship”) this March, which is in Surgery.