From Classroom to Breakthroughs: Recent Alumni, Lily Williams’ Academic Journey in Bioengineering

Spring 2024 Bioengineering graduate Lily Williams reflects on her remarkable academic journey. After earning numerous awards at The College of Engineering, Design and Computing, Lily shares her story in her own words.

As a proud graduate of CU Denver’s Bioengineering program, my journey has been anything but conventional. It all began in high school when I was steered toward engineering, medicine, or law because those were considered the only “legitimate” career pathways in my immigrant household. Opting to blend my passion for medicine with family expectations, as well as following in my older brother’s engineering footsteps, I chose bioengineering at CU Denver. This was one of the top programs in the state and also a school that was practically in my own backyard. Little did I know, this path would test my resilience and redefine my aspirations for life.

Facing an intense course load and working part-time to support myself, I struggled during my first fall semester (2019) and decided to switch to a pre-med track the following semester. Struggling was a rather “unusual” feeling for me yet something I was going to need to get used to quickly. Some of my peers were already expressing dreams of filing patents and curing diseases in their futures, and I didn’t even know what a patent was, nor could I come up with a decent enough reason to persuade myself to keep going in this program. However, despite my initial fears of not fitting into engineering, I soon realized how much I missed nerding out over calculus problems with my peers and solving complex coding problems. Though I wasn’t struggling in my pre-med classes any longer, I was bored, unchallenged, and could feel that something was missing. Little did I know that my heart was still set on integrating technology with medicine. This period of self-discovery was further complicated by the onset of COVID-19, which moved classes online, and shortly thereafter, I experienced the profound loss of my father, who had been my primary motivator and cheerleader. His passing left me feeling isolated and uncertain in my decision to keep moving forward with my degree. While these challenges were deeply difficult, pushing me back an entire year in school, they ultimately led to unexpected opportunities for growth and reflection. An extra year allowed me to spread out my coursework, add another summer to the list for potential industry experience, achieve stellar grades, and even be the first student in the bioengineering program to study abroad in Italy. (Now, I might have studied everything but bioengineering in Italy, but I’m now an expert on the Roman Empire and Italian mafia. Definitely a unique skill set, right?)

Upon officially beginning my upper-division coursework at Anschutz, I embraced the opportunity to work as a BioCad Tech intern at 3D Systems Healthcare in the summer of 2022. Here I gained valuable experience in various CAD programs designing custom orthognathic splints and was exposed to an intensive, cross-functional engineering environment. This internship, though challenging, prepared me for the rigorous demands of my junior and senior years, where I joined an outstanding new cohort and engaged deeply with campus organizations like the Bioengineering Empowerment Program (BEEP) and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) where I then held an official position as Industry Coordinator.

In the summer of 2023, I had the honor of working as a research assistant in the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California Locomotor Control Lab. Here, I had the opportunity to work directly with post-stroke patients, helping set up and run experiments, collect data, and analyze it using various programs and MATLAB code. I honed my skills in scientific writing, data analysis, and user-centered design, which proved instrumental in my senior capstone project. Specifically, my team, Twistomy, alongside Dr. Steven Moulton (M.D.) from Children’s Hospital Colorado, developed a novel ostomy device, filed a provisional patent, and won the senior capstone exhibit in May 2024. This achievement was not just a personal milestone but a testament to our collective dedication to improving patient lives. Truly, the goal wasn’t to win the exposition or to stand out in any way, but really to help a lot of people and to turn our passions and skills into a reality.

Our journey didn’t end with graduation. Team Twistomy has continued to advance the project, securing grants and lab space at CU Anschutz. We are now in the process of submitting proposals for significant funding opportunities such as the Midwest Pediatric Device Consortium (MPDC) and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) Baby Shark Tank to bring our device to market in the following years.

Reflecting on my journey, I’ve learned two crucial lessons: 1.) Trust the timing of your path and never quit, no matter the setbacks. 2.) Commit fully to your endeavors, giving them more than 100%, and the results will follow. You’re either all in, or all out. There is no in-between. My achievements, including being named the top graduating student in Bioengineering and receiving the Silver Medal from the Colorado Engineering Council, validate the power of perseverance and hard work. As a freshman, I could hardly imagine reaching such milestones or feeling worthy of them. Now, knowing what a patent is and filing for one, this represents a profound full-circle moment in my journey.

As I look forward to the future, my goal is to make a meaningful impact in the field of medicine, using innovative technologies to enhance patient care. My journey has been a testament to the power of dedication and perseverance, and I am excited for what lies ahead in my career.