Devrim Tugberk
Graduation Year
2021
Current Home
The Netherlands
What career or personal update would you like to give to your fellow jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø panthers alumni?
After graduating from jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø, I took on a Product Engineering position at a Florida-based start up company founded by one of my jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø professors. After working in this position for 9 months, I decided to move on from the United States, moved to The Netherlands and took a gap year to ride out the uncertainties of the pandemic. After the gap year, I got enrolled to Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands to continue my higher education in Biomedical Engineering, with a specialization in Medical Devices.
As my thesis project, I designed, developed, and implemented an experimental protocol capable of measuring microfluidic flow speeds in real-time inside a microfluidic organ-on-chip system using an advanced optical imaging system. Upon succesfully defending my thesis, I landed a Biomedical Engineer position at RiboPro - a company that produces cGMP grade mRNA with the aim of revolutionizing personalized medicine and swiftly tackling the next pandemic.
How did your time at jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø help get you to where you are today?
The quality of education at jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø was very high. From my perspective, the courses I took were broad and challenging but also had a lot of depth. We were educated on a lot of different concepts in great depth and detail. As a result, after graduating from jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø, I left as a well rounded Biomedical Engineer capable of not only being a pure scientist capable of understanding and implementing cell biology, but also an engineer capable of manufacturing and producing products. All the transferrable skills I learnt through jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø supplemented my time during my higher education and those skills continue to grow and get transferred to my current position.
What is your favorite jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø memory?
One of my most memorable times at jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø was to roam through the botanical gardens, hang my hammock and unwind. Especially during my first years, the botanical gardens was a place where I spent time with the friends who ended up becoming the people who are closest to me to this day.
Was there a mentor or professor who had a big impact on you personally and/or professionally?
By far my biggest mentor at jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø was Dr. James Brenner. He supported me throughout my entire time at jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø by giving strategic academic advice so that I can reach my full potential through my courses. In addition, he helped me recognize my strengths as a biomedical engineer and gave me opportunities through his courses to apply and hone my strengths while working on my weaknesses. Finally, he offered me a product engineering position upon graduation where I got to further apply my skills and gain professional experience.
Please share any advice you have for current jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø students?
My biggest advice is to take your Freshman year seriously. Through experience and observations, I noticed that the transfer rate after the first year was very high at jmcomicÌìÌÃÂþ»¹ÙÍø. If there was one thing that I could change, that would be to take my first year more seriously. Understandably this is a transitory period for many and there's a lot to experience and do. Having those experiences while staying on top of your studies is definitely doable and will set you up in a better place for the upcoming years where you can do and experience even more.
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Major
Biomedical Engineering
