This fall, UW BioEngage—an organization within UW Bioengineering—continued its mission of connecting Bioengineering trainees and faculty with the biotech and medical device industries. Founded in 2015, BioEngage is committed to building meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships between UW and industry, and this fall saw two major initiatives: the launch of a new Industry Job & Internship program and the hosting of a well-attended fall mixer.
As part of an effort to increase internship and career opportunities for UW Bioengineering students, BioE faculty and staff partnered with BioEngage students to create an industry job and internship program, bringing biotech and medical device companies to campus to actively recruit UW Bioengineering students for open positions. Industry participants included Gore, Biosense Webster, Abbott Cardiac Rhythm Management and Medtronic. Through this program, BioEngage helped facilitate 19 on-campus interviews with UW Bioengineering students, and more interviews are expected as the program continues. This initiative underscores BioE’s commitment to supporting students in securing valuable industry experience and connecting companies with promising new talent.
In addition to the job and internship program, BioEngage hosted its annual fall mixer in the Foege Building, which brought together a diverse group of industry representatives and students. This season’s event welcomed 14 companies and 158 attendees, providing students with an informal yet valuable setting to network, learn more about industry developments and explore potential career paths in the biotech and medical device fields.
BioEngage is building on this fall’s success with more upcoming events. On November 14, they’ll host a career planning seminar for international engineering students, featuring guest speakers from UW’s International Student Services and immigration firm Ryan Law, who will discuss H1B and F1 visa considerations. Additionally, a winter mixer is tentatively scheduled for the week of February 17–21, 2024, providing yet another opportunity for UW students to network with industry professionals.
Through these programs and events, BioEngage continues to bridge the gap between UW Bioengineering and the biotech industry, empowering students to explore career opportunities and build sustainable relationships with leading companies.