UW Bioengineering welcomes B.S. Bioengineering student Brittni Burgess into her new role as undergraduate peer advisor. She joins Julio Pineda, a senior, to serve on the department’s peer advising team. Julio became a peer advisor for BioE in 2015. Learn more about Julio.
BioE peer advisors help prospective students gain an inside perspective on the department’s undergraduate experience. Peer advisors answer questions about applying to the major, course scheduling, curriculum and life as a BioE student.
Brittni, a junior who is also pre-med, has witnessed the impact of bioengineering first-hand through her significant – over 500 hours – clinical shadowing experience. “This enables me to directly understand how bioengineers are innovating medicine, and where there are opportunities for improvements,” she says. “I chose the BioE major because I wanted to be part of a program that is actively improving health care.”
In the summer of 2016, Brittni gained clinically-based research experience at the Seattle Science Foundation. She worked with a team of researchers to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients who had received the same spinal procedure administered different ways. “This study enabled us to see which method had better long-term results in regards to pain, swallowing ability and fusion,” she explains. This fall, she plans to apply to research labs on campus, and gain experience to prepare for her BioE capstone project.
As a result of her clinical experience, Brittni brings a unique perspective to the peer advisor position. She is excited to share her knowledge about the diverse opportunities available to bioengineers with other students, and to help them apply to and succeed in the major. She also hopes to participate in educational outreach activities that engage future bioengineers and promote public awareness of BioE’s mission and vision.
In her spare time, Brittni enjoys exploring new places, trying new foods and participating in the UW Women’s Lacrosse Club. She is an avid snowboarder, hiker and Seahawks fan.
Both Brittni and Julio look forward to working with and helping new students discover UW Bioengineering in the coming year. Contact the peer advisors via our online contact form.