Undergraduate Research

The Biomaterials and Bioengineering laboratory is committed to provide experience based learning to undergraduate students by providing undergraduate research opportunities. Most undergraduate students who have conducted research in our lab have been supported through research grants, college of engineering and various programs supporting undergraduate research at WSU. Contact Anil Mahapatro if you are interested in pursuing undergraduate research within our group.

Undergraduate Researchers (Summer 2013)
Photo of the Summer 3013 Undergraduate Researcher team.

Undergraduate Student Projects

Jordan Bontrager: (summer 2012),
Research Area: Design of Dynamic Corrosion Test Bench for Evaluating Potential Cardiovascular Biodegradable Stent Materials. Current Position: Pursuing MS at University of Arizona

Anosh Gomes: (Summer 2012 – Summer 2014),
Research Area: Biocorrosion Evaluation of Organic Coatings on Magnesium. Current Position: Hospira, McPherson, KS

Alan Nguyen: (Summer 2012-Spring 2013)
Research Area: Organic coatings on Magnesium Alloy.

Laura Elson: (Summer 2012)
Research Area: Organic coatings on Magnesium Alloy. Current position: pursuing doctoral program at the University of Colorado at Denver, Department of Bioengineering with full scholarship (tuition plus yearly stipend).

Justen Crane: (Summer 2013)
Research Area: Metallic coatings on Magnesium Alloy

Kayla Jensen: (Summer 2013, Fall 2013)
Research Area: Polymeric coatings on magnesium alloy

Josue Palacious: (Summer 2013-Summer 2014)
Research Area: Computer aided design of drug delivery systems. Current Position: pursuing doctoral program at Georgia Institute of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering (ranked #2 in 2014 US news rankings) with full scholarship (tuition plus yearly stipend).

Courtney Krugh: (Fall 2013)
Research Area: Metallic foams

Christianna Powell: (Summer 2014- Spring 2015)
Research Project: Mathematical modelling

Hailey Lundin: (Summer 2014- Fall 2014)
Research Project: Design of dynamic corrosion test bench

Sandra Olekanma: (Summer 2014)
Research Project: Surface Coatings

Alexandra Myers: (Summer 2014)
Research Project: Scaffold porosity evaluations using Image Processing

Martina Salerno: (Fall 2014- Spring 2017)
Research Project: Surface modification of medical implants

Shawn Hughes: (Spring 2015)
Research Project: Computaional Materials Engineering

Jessica Gayle: (Summer 2015-Summer 2018)
Project: Dynamic electrochemical corrosion in physiological enviornments

Jesus Gonzalez: (Fall 2015- Fall 2016)
Project: Thermal Spray Coatings on Magnesium

Herra Hameedi: (August 2016-January 2017)
Project: Biocompatible and biodegradable inks for stereolithographic based 3D printing

Kaetlyn Byers: (Summer 2019-Spring 2020)
Project: Materials for Bioprinting

Significant Undergraduate Student Accomplishments

Photo of undergraduates receiving awards.

First place project, Society of women's Engineers, Anosh Gomes Biocorrosion Evaluation of Organic Coatings on Magnesium Alloys for Cardiovascular and Orthopedic Applications, Poster presentation, WSU Engineering open house, WSU, May 2013

First place bioengineering project, Jordan Bontrager, Design of Dynamic Corrosion Test Bench for Evaluating Potential Cardiovascular Biodegradable Stent Materials, Poster presentation, WSU Engineering open house, WSU, May 2013

Photo of an Undergraduate receiving an award.

First place poster presentation, Anosh Gomes, Biocorrosion Evaluation of Organic Coatings on Magnesium Alloys for Cardiovascular and Orthopedic Applications, WSU 13th Annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum, WSU, April 2013

First place poster presentation, Josue Palacios, Computer aided design of drug delivery systems, Poster presentation, McNairs Scholars program Annual research symposium, WSU, August 2013

Travel Award, Josue Palacios, Mathematical Modeling of Drug Elution from Polymeric Microspheres, Poster presentation, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, (ABRCMS), November 2013.

Third place, Outstanding Project- Wichita Council of Engineering Societies, Kayla Jensen, Poster presentation, WSU Engineering open house, WSU, May 2014

Second place bioengineering project, Kayla Jensen, Poster presentation, WSU Engineering open house, WSU, May 2014

Outstanding Senior Award-Bioengineering Class 2014, Joshua Palacious, Served as research and faculty mentor to Joshua Palacious as part of the McNairs Mentorship Program since summer 2013. May 2014

Second place, Outstanding Project- Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Justen Crane, Poster presentation, WSU Engineering open house, WSU, May 2014

Photo of an Undergraduate receiving an award.

Third place, Oral Presentation, KINBRE Annual Research Symposium, Kayla Jensen, Biodegradable Polymer Coatings on Magnesium: Effect on Corrosion and Cell Growth, Kansas City, January 2014.

First place, Outstanding Project- Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Kayla Jensen, WSU Engineering open house, WSU, May 2014

First place, Outstanding Project-WSU High Performance Computing Center, Shawn Hughes, Modelling and Simulation of Fluid Flow through a Dynamic Electrochemical Biodegradation Test Apparatus, WSU Engineering open house, WSU, May 2015

Poster Presentation, KINBRE Annual Research Symposium, Hailey Lundin, Bio-corrosion Evaluations in Accelerated Dynamic Electrochemical Conditions, Kansas City, January 2015.

Travel Award, Martina Salerno, Laser Surface Modification of Orthopedic Bio-metals, Poster presentation, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, (ABRCMS), Seattle, WA, November 2015.

Photo of an Undergraduate receiving an award.

Poster Presentation, Martina Salerno, Laser Surface Modification of Orthopedic Bio-metals, Poster presentation, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, (ABRCMS), Seattle, WA, November 2015.

Travel Award, Jesus Gongalez, Thermal Spray Coatings on Magnesium, Poster presentation, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, (ABRCMS), Tampa, FL, November 2016.