Alexis Peña '16
While classes may have kicked off for the fall semester, the summer remained a busy time for Alexis Peña. A junior in the Bioengineering program at the College of Engineering and Computer Science, Peña was wrapped up in the Research Experience and Mentoring (REM) program on campus. She completed a computational investigation of tight junctions, which are cell to cell adhesion structures found in human tissue that protect us against infection and toxins.
Q: Why did you choose to pursue bioengineering as a major?
A: Since I was younger, I’ve always been interested in science and math. I attended the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. I love engineering because I’m passionate about helping others and want to create sustainable medicine to save lives. I also want to continue to do research, so I’m trying to do as much as I can as an undergrad.
Q: Why did you choose to study at Syracuse University?
A: I wanted to attend a private school outside of North Carolina and Syracuse has a great engineering program. I also saw that they were receiving a lot of funding for research and want to be a part of it.
Q: What are you involved in outside of your coursework?
A: Outside of my classes, I am a resident assistant in Lawrinson Hall and the Academic Excellence Chair of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and a part of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) research program. I’m also in the honors program and a tutor. Since freshman year, I have been working in Dr. Henderson’s lab in the Syracuse Biomaterials Institute.
Q: What has your experience at Syracuse University been like?
A: Being so far away from home, I have a really good support group here. My advisor and the College’s PRIDE office helped me connect with the Honors Program, NSBE, LSAMP and others. They are extremely helpful and supportive. The people in the Bioengineering department have helped me to be placed in the research labs. They’ve sparked my interest and I wouldn’t want to be anyplace else. I’m not sure I would have this experience someplace else. I was definitely able to adjust to college life quickly when I started at SU. Before I came here, I was already taking courses with a similar structure to college courses. The Engineering College is relatively small and the University itself is big. I have the close contact, small student to teacher ratio in my engineering classes, but I’m still going to a big university, so I get to have the clubs, the sports, all of the other activities.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I hope to get a Fulbright Fellowship, study abroad for a year, and earn my PhD. I hope to be an entrepreneur. I really want to make sustainable medicine. I’m really passionate about sustainability and think that we could do a lot better with hospitals, so somehow being a part of that would make me really happy.