Senior Allison Dockum majored in bioengineering so she can create medical devices that help others.
Life-Changing Experience Shapes Students’ Studies Senior Allison Dockum is
used a device called an external
“I would like to work either in
new bone formed. Her legs are now
assistive technology—prosthetics
fixator to slowly stretch the limb as about the same length.
majoring in bioengineering to
“Growing up, I was fascinated by
has first-hand experience in the
and her surgeon took the time to
change lives for the better. She
how the fixator worked,” she says,
impact of this expertise.
explain his work with the surgical
Surgeons and bioengineers “gave
physician.
life, and I want to do the same for
Dockum knew bioengineers also
me the ability to live a semi-normal
tool developed by a Russian
others,” she says.
often develop such devices, and
Dockum was born with proximal
was born. “What I like about
meaning her left leg was about
of the body through an engineering
She underwent multiple limb-
on solutions to physiological
her interest in bioengineering
industry or research and focus on and biomechanical devices, says Dockum, who is earning a BS in
bioengineering in combination with an accelerated master’s degree in data analytics engineering. Dockum worked two years
as a research assistant in the
Biomedical Imaging Lab under the direction of professor Siddhartha
Sikdar, whose team is investigating a new way to operate prostheses using ultrasound waves to sense
femoral focal deficiency,
bioengineering is the understanding
half the length of her right leg.
lens. It expands your perspective
“Dr. Sikdar encouraged me to
lengthening surgeries in which
problems,” she says.
she says. “He has provided help
a surgeon cut the bone, then
muscle activity.
pursue what I’m passionate about,” and resources and mentorship.” g
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