Hello! My name is Dylan Brockel and I am a material scientist and engineer. I’ve held a passion for prosthetics since I was young and wanted to transfer that passion towards the world at large. From building amateur prosthetic legs to networking with those who are experts in the healthcare industry, I feel as though I’ve gained experience that could have a profound impact on the future of the medical field. Overall, I hope to be an influential part of the world of healthcare through my unique background in materials and machines.

Michael Flores is a Sophomore Mechanical Engineering student with a passion for research and development. His freshman year he joined the Sotzing Research Group as an Undergraduate Research Student, where he worked on projects regarding polymer chemistry. The summer after his freshman year he worked as a Technology Development intern with Collins Aerospace, as a part of their Space Systems division. As an intern, he worked on projects regarding Environmental Control and Life Support Systems for space. He also designed, prototyped, and tested an energy generation invention, which he submitted for a patent. Recently, he has joined a new research lab with the Kang Research Group and is responsible for programming an industrial laser for piezo-electrochemical battery research.

The NursEng Fellowship will allow him to utilize his engineering skills in a new and unfamiliar way. He is excited to work with an interdisciplinary team and to learn more about the healthcare field. Some hobbies he has outside of school are going to the gym, playing guitar, content creation, and playing basketball.

Lucy is a sophomore at UConn pursuing a dual degree in biomedical engineering and molecular and cell biology. She is an undergraduate assistant at UConn Health's Trakhtenberg Lab and an undergraduate researcher in the NSF INCLUDES program through UConn's Zhang Lab. On campus, she serves as Program Director for Community Outreach's Camp Horizons and as Treasurer for UConn's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

She hopes to one day design medical devices that support those with special needs, and she hopes to jumpstart this goal through the NursEng Fellowship. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and doing yoga.

April Kelly is a nursing and nutritional science dual degree student at UConn who is interested in promoting healthy lifestyles as a way to avoid more invasive and expensive medical treatments. She has had experience working in nutritional education with younger students through the UConn Nutrition and Sport Department. She is also the treasurer of the UConn nursing class of 2027.

Anthony Kepseu is a senior at the University of Connecticut, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering. He is passionate about applying his programming and engineering skills to tackle healthcare challenges and develop solutions that enhance patient care and healthcare technologies.

In addition to his technical work, Anthony is dedicated to writing and tutoring. As a tutor at the UConn Writing Center, he collaborates with students on diverse writing projects, focusing on equity and reflection, and contributes to faculty development for teaching writing across disciplines. His experiences there have strengthened his collaborative skills, which he is eager to bring to the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center as a Fellow.

Biography: Nicole Montalvo is a first-generation Latina student at the University of Connecticut, who is passionate about health advocacy and community service. She is heavily involved on Storrs campus as an active member of the Student Nursing Association and Red Cross Club. One of her most current projects is fundraising for HuskyTHON, a year-long effort at UConn to help fund and bring awareness to Connecticut Children’s (a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital). An eco-friendly movement was started by Nicole at her Learning Community, WiMSE (Women in S.T.E.M), in hopes to collect funds for this event through recycling bottles.

Outside of Storrs, Nicole dedicates her time, as the Junior Vice President of the non-profit organization, "Petals & S.T.E.M", a Connecticut based sisterhood that aims to represent, mentor, and support women of color, who aspire to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering, or math. As a leader and role model of educational values, Nicole uses her social media platforms to share scholarship tips, internships opportunities and academic advice with her young audience members. In 10 years, she hopes to become a surgical nurse and health promotion project coordinator.

Medhita Sinha is a first-year Computer Science and Engineering major at UConn. She has previous experience in biomedical research, having participated in various research programs at medical schools. Her work involved training data frames with annotated pictures, and she gained familiarity with a range of lab techniques and procedures. Medhita is proficient in Java, and Python, and has some experience with R. She is passionate about developing more affordable and inclusive healthcare solutions that cater to diverse populations.

Her goal is to leverage machine learning models and advanced technologies to drive healthcare innovations. She is actively involved in several student organizations, including the UConn Formula SAE Club, the Women in Math, Science, and Engineering (WiMSE) Club, and the Habitat for Humanity Club.

My name is Gabrielle Stanford, I am a second-year, honors student at the University of Connecticut. My degree program is nursing. I joined the Nursing Engineering Innovations Program because I wanted to be a part of something that could positively impact and grow the field of nursing.

Isha is a third-year Honors student at the University of Connecticut pursuing a dual degree in Biomedical Engineering and Nutritional Sciences, with a minor in Anthropology of Global Health. As an aspiring physician, she is passionate about leveraging technological innovation to address healthcare inequities, an interest that led her to apply to the NursEng Innovation Fellowship. Complementing her academic pursuits, Isha conducts research in computational biology at UConn Health and has gained clinical experience as a hospital volunteer and Emergency Medical Technician.

She looks forward to earning an M.D. and pursuing a career in medicine, with a particular interest in gastroenterology. Isha hopes to continue exploring the intersection of research and clinical practice to one-day advance patient care and improve health outcomes.

Esteban Calderon is a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in Physiology and Neurobiology at the University of Connecticut. He is actively involved in various campus organizations, including the Pre-Med Society, the Red Cross, Active Minds, and Model United Nations. Esteban’s previous experiences include a student internship at Yale School of Medicine, where he participated in the Medical Specialty Exposure Pipeline (MSEP) and explored medical careers.

His passion for combining engineering and medicine drives him to seek innovative healthcare solutions. Esteban aspires to become a neurosurgeon, motivated by his lifelong dream of contributing to the medical field.