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Hannah Bhattacharya

985

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Finalist

Bio

Hi, I'm Hannah. As a biomedical engineering student on the pre-med track at Vanderbilt University, I am deeply interested in utilizing innovative ideas to meaningful change. I hope to create impactful solutions that serve the underserved using engineering marvels. I believe that biomedical engineering tools offer substantial opportunities to level access to healthcare, and I aspire to provide all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status, with the opportunity to benefit from biomedical engineering. For individuals with physical and mental disabilities, I hope to help bridge the gap in healthcare using engineering tools.

Education

Vanderbilt University

Bachelor's degree program
2022 - 2026
  • Majors:
    • Biomedical/Medical Engineering
  • Minors:
    • Medicine

East Tennessee State University

Technical bootcamp
2021 - 2021
  • Majors:
    • Biological/Biosystems Engineering

Ravenwood High School

High School
2018 - 2022

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Biomedical/Medical Engineering
  • Planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Medicine

    • Dream career goals:

      Clinician Scientist

    • Brand Ambassador | Retail Sales Associate

      American Eagle
      2022 – 20231 year
    • Medical Scribe

      ScribeAmerica
      2024 – Present11 months

    Sports

    Dancing

    Intramural
    2015 – Present9 years

    Research

    • Public Health

      Vanderbilt University | The Wond'ry — Healthcare Innovation, Design, Equity, and Activism (IDEA) Studio Intern
      2022 – 2024
    • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology

      Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Undergraduate Research Fellow
      2021 – Present

    Arts

    • Tennessee Youth Symphony

      Performance Art
      2021 – 2022
    • Vanderbilt Bhangradores

      Dance
      2022 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      AccentCare — Direct Patient Care Volunteer
      2022 – Present
    • Volunteering

      Adventure Science Center — Lead Instructor
      2019 – 2022
    • Volunteering

      Learning Lighthouse — Founder
      2023 – Present

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Stephen LeCornu Routh Memorial Scholarship
    Illuminated by tube lights, the laboratory desk was my second playground. Growing up, I spent much of my childhood in my father’s lab, gazing at posters of red and green galaxy-like “stars”. Little did I know that I was staring at fluorescent images of signal transduction pathways in cells. My curiosity for science-related explorations stemmed from these moments in my father’s lab. My inquisitiveness pushed me to explore the unknown, always searching for the “why.” As I grew older, my hunger for biomedical knowledge expanded. I realized that seeking opportunities at my local pediatric center would allow me to develop my scientific reasoning skills to satiate this hunger and develop my academic strength. While I thrived in science, my tendency towards perfectionism often impacted my time management skills. However, as I began to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses in biology, chemistry, and physics, I began to realize the importance of balancing time and prioritization. As a shadowing intern under Dr. Susan Thomas at the Brentwood Children’s Clinic, I witnessed numerous soul-stirring patient visits. These patient visits spurred my interest in delving deeper in the research sphere. Stumbling upon Dr. Rachel Bonami at Vanderbilt University’s Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, I was excited to start research in her lab. Alongside her, I created an R-based computational pipeline for B cell receptors isolated from people at risk for type 1 diabetes. Using digital sequence analysis tools, I created a loop in RStudio that identified duplicate B Cell Receptor sequences, a highly unlikely biological phenomena due to the variance among donors. The coalescence of my familial influence, shadowing experiences, and research led to my interest in developing futuristic solutions that address human diseases through the intersection of biomedical engineering and medicine. This career interest was intensified upon hearing of that diabetes impacted my family. My mother had recently been informed that she was pre-diabetic. Double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Medicine, Health, and Society on the Pre-Medicine track at Vanderbilt, I would seek to revolutionize therapeutic approaches for diabetes. The interdisciplinary nature of biomedical engineering inspires me to further develop a non-invasive medical device that remotely monitors blood glucose for diabetic patients. For my professional goals, I dream of conducting ground-breaking research in the medical field and improving the human condition. I dream of identifying medical solutions at the intersection of biomedical engineering and medicine. I want to use biomedical engineering as a tool to level access to healthcare for all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status or disabilities. I believe engineering is a significant tool in creating a more inclusive future, especially in the biomedical field. As per my personal goals, through avid leadership, I aim to use my voice to create monumental social change. My voice will steer me through bureaucracies of injustice and discrimination. My voice will empower cultural groups to inch towards inclusion. My voice will be the pillar of change in my journey to revamp children’s access to education, specifically among underrepresented and under-served communities. My voice will empower females to join science-related endeavors. My voice will advocate for vulnerable populations and create social reform. And I hope to be the beacon of light for women in science, just as my father was for me.