SBME Interfaces

In our second episode, we interface with Laia Shpeller and Nadine Truter on balancing school and life, virtual learning, their road to Biomedical Engineering, environmentalism, founding the CUPEC conference, hockey and Irish dance.

GUESTS:
Laia Shpeller
Co-President, BMEUSA 3rd Year BME Student

Laia Shpeller is a third-year biomedical engineering student at The University of British Columbia. She is passionate about increasing healthcare accessibility in communities with limited resources and advocating for sustainable design within the biomedical field. As the Co-President of the Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student Association (BMEUSA), she works alongside SBME to provide the best possible experience for undergraduate students. Currently, Laia is in the midst of planning the Canadian Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Conference (CUBEC), building a machine learning model to help with cognitive assessments for Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and developing an improved sustainability model for UBC’s Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS).

Nadine Truter
Co-President, BMEUSA 4th Year BME Student

Nadine Truter is a fourth-year student at UBC in Cellular Bioengineering and has been co-president of the Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student Association for two consecutive years. With UBC’s biomedical engineering being such a new, innovative program, she wants to be influential in creating a driven, inclusive, and collaborative community for all of its students, one that thrives for years to come. Outside of her role as co-president, she is also a co-founder of the Canadian Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Conference (CUBEC), which focusses on connecting biomedical engineering students across the country with each other and industry leaders. Nadine’s passions lay in helping others and she hopes to develop a product, service, treatment, or therapy that positively impacts people’s lives. Nadine has a passion for environmental sustainability and strives to bring this with her wherever she goes.

HOSTS:
Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, School of Biomedical Engineering

Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.

Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering

Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.

In our first episode, we interface with Dr. Peter Zandstra on the future of medicine, the promise of the school, competitive rowing, and his flamingo-pink office as a first-time PI. We also discuss SBME’s new home, a state-of-the-art facility that is agile, ever-evolving, and devoid of scientific or academic boundary.

Working with partners across UBC, the SBME is building Western Canada’s new hub for transformative Biomedical Engineering education and research.

Learn more about Canada’s Living Laboratory here

Guest Bio: Dr. Peter Zandstra
Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Engineering
Director & Professor, UBC School of Biomedical Engineering
Director & Professor, Michael Smith Laboratories

Dr. Zandstra is internationally recognized for his distinguished contributions to the field of biomedical engineering. His research is advancing our fundamental understanding of how cells process information to make developmental decisions, while also leveraging this understanding to develop new cell-based biotechnologies to treat diseases such as leukemia. Dr. Zandstra is also driving the development and clinical testing of new therapies through Canadian biotechnology companies. A leader in cell and gene therapy manufacturing, Dr. Zandstra is catalyzing the growth of BME research, awareness and education across Canada and around the world.

Hosts
Payam Zahedi
Strategic Planning & Operations Director, School of Biomedical Engineering

Payam is a born problem solver and dot connector who believes that real impact only occurs when everyone is given the means to chase it. He's the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering and holds a BASc in Biomedical Engineering and an MSc and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, from the University of Toronto. He believes we are better together and is an advocate for equity and inclusivity. In his spare time, when he's not chasing his two sons around, he's experimenting in the kitchen, reading crime fiction and untangling the mechanisms of effective leadership.

Miguel Eichelberger
Communications & Engagement Manager, School of Biomedical Engineering

Miguel is an unflinching optimist. He is a communicator and writer whose work has appeared in literary magazines and on stages around the world. His most recent publications include Harpur Palate, the Literary Review of Canada, Plainsongs Magazine, and Soliloquies Anthology. He believes in authenticity; in doing and saying what you actually believe, and he is an obsessive student of leadership from the biological and anthropological perspectives. You've likely heard him rant about it, and he's not sorry.