"I began my career as a product engineer, gaining hands-on experience in product design and development, and later expanded my technical foundation with a brief tenure as a machinist. My passion for biomechanics led me to the University of Utah—one of the nation’s top institutions for biomechanics research—where I pursued a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.

During my doctoral studies, I spent four years working on a Department of Defense contract to develop high-rate viscoelastic material models for the Army’s latest blast-induced traumatic brain injury model. My subsequent research focused on rate-dependent molecular damage patterns of collagen, establishing critical links between molecular and mechanical damage mechanisms.

Following my Ph.D., I transitioned to industry, accepting a role as the Director of Engineering at Bloom Surgical. I was quickly promoted to Chief Operating Officer, where I oversaw product development and strategic operations.

Despite my industry commitments, I remained engaged in academia, teaching Biomechanics I as an adjunct professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah. The University collects feedback from students each semester to ensure quality professors. My reviews averaged 5.83 out of 6, a full half-point higher than the Department of Mechanical Engineering average.

Currently, I serve as an adjunct professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Utah’s School of Medicine. My research investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying pelvic organ prolapse. My long-term goal is to develop a novel diagnostic tool to screen postpartum women at high risk of developing this condition. Paired with a complementary intervention developed by a collaborating research group, this approach aims to prevent the progression to end-stage pelvic organ prolapse—a condition that currently leads to surgical intervention for 1 in 5 women." less...