Student Spotlight: Abby Wasielewski

As a junior biomedical engineering (BME) major, Abby Wasielewski has taken advantage of the opportunities Rutgers offers – from a research internship in a faculty lab to a semester abroad in Norway. To her, BME offers a direct opportunity to prepare for a career that uses engineering to help people. 

Why Rutgers? 

I went to a very small high school, so for college I wanted to go to a big school. Rutgers has so many people and campuses that I knew I could get the variety I wanted. And I knew that I wanted to do engineering but was unsure about what kind, but knowing how many options Rutgers had was what drew me in. 

Why BME? 

Freshmen at SOE take Intro to Engineering , a class where we learn about a different engineering specialty from a guest speaker from each department each week. I had always said that I wanted to do engineering but in a way that could help others. The very first slide that the BME presenter put on the board said, “Biomedical engineers are engineers that help people.” I picked BME that day, and I have no regrets. 

Have you been involved in any research projects?  

I had a research internship at Dr. Freeman’s Musculoskeletal Lab, where we worked on 3D printing of bone structures in a way that could allow the body to grow with the bone. 

What do you like about the SoE faculty? 

All of the faculty members are incredibly welcoming and helpful. Professors are very willing and eager to help their students, and advisors are always very kind and knowledgeable. Everybody wants you to succeed. 

What was your semester abroad in Norway like? 

I spent my entire sophomore spring semester in Norway! It was an amazing experience. I made a lot of new friends, and got to experience a new country. I was able to fulfill some of my graduation requirements, such as differential equations and my humanities credits. I can still graduate on time – so I would highly recommend it. 

What do you hope to do in the future? 

I want to be an engineer working with a team in tissue engineering and microfluidics. I want to work for a company right out of Rutgers that would let me work and do graduate school at the same time. And I want to be able to go through several specialties throughout my career and be able to move around the country a lot.  

What advice do you have for new students? 

Freshman year is the year to set yourself up for success! Don’t overload yourself with coursework and burn yourself out in your first year, because it’s not worth it. If you try to do a million different classes, you might lose your passion for school and engineering –so make sure you give yourself mental breaks and take care of yourself.  

Allow yourself to enjoy the courses you take, and make sure you stay on top of those courses, because catching up can be hard. Set some goals for yourself for your next four years and look into them during freshman year to make sure you can build your schedule around making those goals happen.  

What three words best describe your SoE experience? 

Challenging. Rewarding. Community.