Biomedical engineering student receives J. Fred Muir Memorial Scholarship in Engineering

Gabrielle Booth, a third year student in the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering Biomechanics and Biomaterials research stream, has been awarded the J. Fred Muir Memorial Scholarship in Engineering.

The scholarship was established through a bequest in memory of J. F. Muir by Lillian Muir. It is offered to engineering students who have been recommended by the Faculty of Applied Science.  

Booth is currently working on a proof of concept prototype for a biofidelic neck model with Peter Cripton at the Orthopaedic and Injury Biomechanics Group (OIBG). The team pursues the development of a better neck model in the hopes that it will aid in preventing catastrophic spinal cord injuries. The surrogate neck, which demonstrates good biofidelity in its initial testing, has the potential to help accurately evaluate injury prevention strategies and test the efficacy of devices that have been designed to mitigate or prevent injury.

Booth is well aware of the impact that this work will have. “I’m incredibly grateful to have received an Undergraduate Student Research Award to continue my work with the OIBG on our model this summer,” she says.

Studying biology was Booth’s original plan, but she was immediately drawn to Biomedical Engineering after taking part in active research in a biophysics laboratory. “I recognized that I was more interested in applying the results of research in a meaningful way,” Booth recalls. “I’m fortunate to have the privilege to not only study Biomedical Engineering at UBC but also to be in a class which is pioneering this new multidisciplinary department.”

Gabrielle Booth’s path at UBC certainly embodies what many other students value about their opportunities in the School of Biomedical Engineering. The field of biomedical engineering brings together multiple disciplines in close collaboration, which gives students like Gabrielle Booth broader opportunities for direct, significant and lasting impacts on the health and well being of our societies.

Hear Gabrielle talk more about her SBME program experience in detail.