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Before Charity Hosler ’27 and Somya Chakraborty ’28 decided to study biomedical engineering, they were once wide-eyed children discovering science through hands-on experiments and the possibilities in STEM.

Now, enrolled in the (ECS) and serving as the president and vice president, respectively, of the (BMES), Hosler and Chakraborty are doing their part to educate future generations of STEM enthusiasts.

Each year, one of the main events organized by the BMES is STEM Day, which allows current engineering students to teach lessons about the core principles of aerospace, biomedical, chemical and civil engineering to Central New York children in kindergarten through sixth grade.

“Just the excitement of learning about science. It’s really cool being able to give back for the next generation,” Hosler says. “And it’s really cool to think we could be the reason some kid decides to come to Syracuse to study biomedical engineering.”

Hosler, Chakraborty and other BMES members organize activities at four stations, each focused on a particular field of engineering.

During this year’s STEM Day on Feb. 28, students made slime at the chemical engineering station, learning about polymers and the chemical phase changes the substances undergo as the slime is formed. At the civil engineering station, students built structures that were mechanically sound and could withstand the elements like wind and water.

At the biomedical engineering station, students encountered a hand grabber, which simulated the bones and muscles in a hand, using straws and string to depict how hand muscles move. They also participated in a candy DNA activity, where, using Twizzlers and gummy bears, children learned how the base pairs of DNA match up with each other and what DNA looks like and why.

Demonstrating aerospace engineering, students launched cups into the air, observing Newton’s Third Law, that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

“I was brought up being exposed to science at a young age, and that’s part of what made me want to become a biomedical engineer. You can really tell how much these kids love science,” Chakraborty says. “Watching the gears in their brains turn in real time while they’re trying to figure something out is fascinating to me. This brings me a lot of joy because that’s how I felt as a kid when I went to these sessions.”

What Is Biomedical Engineering?

BMES aims to answer that question, helping students connect with each other, discover potential research opportunities, explore possible career paths and develop their networking skills.

Both Hosler and Chakraborty say their organization feels a responsibility to share why biomedical engineering is a timely, important and interdisciplinary specialty.

Biomedical engineers can be responsible for developing, processing and mass-producing drugs and potential life-saving medications, and often they’re tasked with ensuring quality control when a drug is produced. Or they could be charged with improving how medical devices like pacemakers, heart implants and stents that are going to be used by medical professionals worldwide are sanitized. They’re also involved with biomaterials, such as studying how to install a device into a patient without causing negative responses.

“Biomedical engineering is an important field, and I think it’s important for students to get connected with other biomedical engineers and form connections with the people in your major,” Hosler says. “Through the Biomedical Engineering Society, we become more well-rounded, better biomedical engineers who have a desire to serve our communities.”

“I love that this field allows me to be involved in medicine and have an impact on someone’s life behind the scenes,” Chakraborty says. “You’re dedicating your life to solving a problem that a lot of people are dealing with by trying to find a solution.”

Connecting Students to Research and Career Opportunities

BMES holds study nights each semester and organizes volunteer activities in the community each month. The organization also serves as a bridge between academia and the related industries in the medical field, conducting site visits at different local biomedical engineering facilities.

Partnering with the Chemical Engineering Society, members visited Lotte Biologics, a biopharmaceutical production facility in East Syracuse, touring the space and connecting with industry professionals.

BMES also hosts professors for informal gatherings where students can learn about potential research opportunities across campus.

“A lot of our students are interested in doing research, but they don’t really know how to get started. We help bridge that gap, introducing freshmen and sophomores who are looking to start their research journey to faculty who are involved with relevant research,” Chakraborty says. “We’re making a difference by connecting students with each other while helping to advance our major.”