Molly Bird, STEM Scholar

Major(s): Biomedical Engineering School: McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa

Molly’s goal is to do biomedical research “to make the world a better, healthier place.” She is on her way! In her Engineering Design and Communication class in the fall (2011), her team won the Design Award for its portable wheelchair ramp. This involves determining a design, a prototype and a presentation to two judges. In Winter quarter she did CASPiE* lab research through her Accelerated General Physical Chemistry course. The team is responsible for designing the research, as well as doing it.

*CASPiE “Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education The Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education is a multi-institutional collaborative effort designed to address major barriers to providing research experiences to younger undergraduate science students.

Is it possible to effect a renewed interest in the physical sciences by including more research experiences in the education process, especially early on when many students are making or adjusting their choice of majors? Can programs be designed that are especially suited to retaining women and minorities as well as other segments of the undergraduate population?”

From the web site: www.caspie.org