Student Spotlight: Phineas Ulmishek-Anderson
What brought you to the 91¸£ÀûÉç and attracted you to the BME?
      The classes I was able to take in biomedical engineering during my undergraduate studies really excited me, and it felt like whether it was studying medical devices or biomechanics the work that was being done in this field was on the cutting edge of science which I absolutely loved. It also felt that the work done in this field would be at the forefront of improving quality of life for people of all ages for years to come, and I knew I wanted to pursue a graduate degree to deepen my understanding and skillset in the types of projects that biomedical engineers get to do. As I was looking at different graduate schools, CU really stuck out to me. There was work being done here in all spheres of biomedical research, from immunoengineering to human movement and as somebody who did not have an incredibly specific idea for what research I wanted to do for my thesis the breadth of options was incredibly attractive to me. I also had several friends who had done their undergraduate studies here at CU and they absolutely loved it, with no shortage of incredible stories to tell about favorite professors or moments in class that really made them fall in love with their profession. At the end of the day, I realized it was the only place I wanted to pursue my degree and I've been beyond happy with my decision to do so.
Tell us about your research. What is it that you study?
    I'm working with Dr. Cara Welker out of the Welker Lab to examine the mechanics of gait for individuals with above-knee amputations. Using motion capture data collected and made available through an open-source format in order to make this type of research more accessible, I am determining the differences in mobility between several groups of people who use a prosthetic lower limb to ambulate. I've been able to take that motion capture data and extract joint moments and angles from the lower body, from which I'm able to compare to healthy individuals and determine specific areas where movement is limited. From there I am working to suggest improvements to prosthetic design in order to help improve the mobility for people with these amputations.
How did you first get involved in your research and what drew you to it?
      I took a class with Dr. Welker called Modeling of Human Movement where we learned about the different ways that we can study how people move and how to help them move better. During the course of this class we were introduced to this dataset and I was instantly inspired by the potential for research based on it. As I researched individuals with amputation further, I found that the tools that medical professionals and insurance companies use to assess their movement were outdated and frequently miscategorized people's movement groups. These groupings determine the access that people have to different prosthetics and physical therapies, as well as any financial assistance they might receive to help them try to live a more normal life. I also found that there was little to no research holistically examining their gait and thought that it was incredibly important to have a better understanding of how these individuals move so that we can get them the help they need.
What kinds of challenges do you encounter in your research?
      A big problem in biomedical engineering studies is a lack of availability of large datasets, as it can be difficult to collect data for all the myriad problems that humans face when it comes to their mobility. It is a big part of the reason why we need more biomedical engineers out there doing the work and collecting the data so that we can better understand these problems and how to treat them. Another challenge I've faced personally is the scale of this field. Some of the problems we deal with may only affect a few specific individuals, while others have global ramifications. I have found it important to try and stay grounded in the reasons why we do the research we do. Finding some type of personal connection to try and solve even some of these issues that seem gargantuan in scope one step at a time has really helped me move forward in this field with a little bit more confidence that what I am doing will have an impact.
What advice would you share with a student interested in studying biomedical engineering or your specific field?
      First of all, I would say go for it! Even if you feel that you do not have the background you need or that you do not have a specific area that you want to study, there is so much work to be done in this field and if you have the passion for it there is somebody out there who can help you get there. The work I have gotten to be a part of within this field is absolutely the most rewarding and interesting of anything I have ever done, and I cannot wait to continue to explore everything that this field has to offer. Everybody has some type of connection to a biomedical problem, whether it be a family member who got sick, a friend who was on crutches for a little while, or any of the larger problems that we can see in the world. Studying and working in this field allows you to be at the forefront of people trying to find solutions to these problems, and if that sounds like fun to you then biomedical engineering is a phenomenal way to get involved.
As a PhD/Master student, what role has mentoring played in your work?
      One of the best experiences I have had as a master's student is getting the opportunity to TA for an undergraduate class. In my experience it is very difficult to see the applications of the things we are required to study beyond homework or tests, and it was a lot of fun working with younger students and getting to show them some of the applications of the math we learn to solving real-world problems. I find it very important to focus on the why aspect of the things we learn, and hope I was able to get that across to the students I had the pleasure of working with. I hope to do more work with younger students in the future, who knows maybe I will even have my own class one day!
How would you like your work to help society?
     Since I was a little kid I always liked the idea that if you attack a problem from the right angle, there is a solution waiting to be found. Engineering has allowed me to expand on that notion, identifying the specific problems that people face and finding solutions that help improve the quality of their lives. If I am lucky enough for my work to have an impact on society, I hope that it is to encourage others to spend the time and the effort it takes to understand the problems that people face and how important it is to help each other solve as many of them as we can. 
What do you love best about attending 91¸£ÀûÉç?
      It is really hard to pick just one thing, the amazing programs this school has to offer, the incredible faculty on staff here with real-world experience across industry and academia, being this close to the mountains, it has all been incredible. But I would have to say my favorite thing about CU has been the sense of community I have felt in my time here. Students and faculty alike have been incredibly welcoming to me, and it has felt as though everybody here genuinely wants me to succeed. Whether it has been providing me with resources to find an area of study that I am passionate about, pointing me in the direction of industry experts with the answers to my questions, or even just organizing fun events to make CU feel more like home I truly feel that the community here is one of a kind.Ìý
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