Juliana Norman is a biomedical engineering major at Wheaton College. She is currently an NCAA D3 student-athlete, on the Wheaton College women's soccer team. She has a passion in exploring the medical field through the engineering side. She is excited to learn more about Type 1 Diabetes and help assist Dr. Vazquez in her search for more knowledge. In her free time, she likes to run, read, and spend time with friends.

Luke Bruno

Major:  Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '27 |  Wheaton College

Luke Bruno is originally from Oahu. He is now a sophomore at Wheaton College studying general engineering with a minor in chemistry. Outside of Luke’s academics he is a member of the Wheaton College Crew Club as well as a barista at My Half of the Sky in downtown Wheaton. Luke has always had a passion for the sciences—specifically as they pertain to medicine and is excited to have the opportunity to participate in the same type of research he read about growing up. In his free time Luke enjoys spending time with friends, hiking, and eating food!

Kaleb Ecklund

Major: Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '26 |  Wheaton College

Kaleb Ecklund is a junior majoring in biomedical engineering at Wheaton College.  Kaleb is also a Nickelback for the Wheaton College football team and involved in his family’s nonprofit, Keyara’s Gift.  Kaleb is excited to learn more about biomechanics and get more involved in the medical field through this research.  In his free time, you’ll find him and his friends exploring new places or just hanging out.

Vivian Zaya

Major:  Biomedical Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '27 |  Wheaton College

Vivian Zaya is a Biomedical Engineering major at Wheaton College. She is a teaching assistant for the engineering lab and the business manager for Society of Women in STEM (SWS). Vivian is excited to join the lab because she wants to learn more about biomechanics. She is passionate about helping people through problem solving. A career goal of hers is to design artificial internal organs and advance the current equipment and medicine to improve human health. When Vivian is not in the lab she enjoys reading, hanging out with her family and friends, or going on walks with her dog! 

Kyle Schauer

Major:  Applied Physics, B.S. | Grad yr: '25 |  Wheaton College

Kyle is a senior applied physics major at Wheaton College. He is also a former member of the Wheaton College Men's Soccer Team. He sees working in a lab as an exciting combination of solving difficult problems and working towards a goal with a group of people. In his free time, Kyle enjoys being active and cheering on the world champion Boston Celtics.  

Kaya Koberstein

Major: Environmental/Civil Engineering, B. S. | Grad yr. '27 | Wheaton College, IL 

 Raised in St. Louis, Missouri,  Kaya is currently an undergraduate student at Wheaton College pursuing an environmental engineering degree. She is involved with the Wheaton Crew Rowing Team as a coxswain and the women's chaplain, as well as the Climbing Club, and the Wheaton Record as their business manager. She hopes that her work as an environmental engineer will influence others to pursue a path dedicated to restoring and sustaining the planet's health. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and reading a good book in the sunshine.  

Sophia Ndjerareou

Major: Biomedical Engineering, B.S. Dual Degree | Grad yr: '29 | Wheaton College, Illinois Institute of Technology 

Raised in Arlington Texas, Sophia is currently an undergraduate student at Wheaton College pursuing an engineering degree and certificate in the public arts and humanities. She is a part of the Crew Club rowing team, Diversity in Science and Engineering Club, Sailing Club, and Aequitas program at Wheaton. She hopes her exposure to undergraduate work will encourage other females and African Americans to see themselves in STEM. In her free time she loves to sketch and paint portraits, as well as take long naps in the sunshine. 

Ella Anderson

Major:  Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '28 |  Wheaton College

Ella is a first year engineering student with a concentration in biomedical engineering. Like many, she has indirectly encountered the fear and devastation Type 1 Diabetes brings to families and individuals each year. She deeply appreciates the lab’s clear intent to cure this disease and hopes to gain more perspective on biomedical engineering through such important research. In her free time, she is involved in her campus discipleship small group and enjoys baking, quilting, and playing the piano. 

Austin Blomquist

Major:  Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '28 |  Wheaton College

Austin is an Aequitas sustainability fellow double majoring in Engineering and Urban Studies at Wheaton College. Austin is fascinated by the intersection of engineering and urban lifestyle, including urban planning, healthcare, and environment. Austin enjoys playing on Wheaton’s club volleyball team, attending international student events, and working with the Society of Physics & Engineering Students on campus.  

Josiah Chen

Major:  Mechanical Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '26 |  Wheaton College

Josiah Chen is a junior mechanical engineering student at Wheaton College, with a keen interest in materials science and its relevant applications in the biomedical field. He is originally from Weddington, NC. Outside of engineering he is an avid hockey player and musician, and currently serves as the captain of Wheaton's ACHA DIII hockey club. 

Caden Spencer

Major:  Mechanical Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '26 |  Wheaton College

Caden is a Mechanical Engineering major at Wheaton College. He hopes to apply his experience researching ABS tensile stiffness to Beta Cell mechanics research in the Vazquez Lab. Caden enjoys bass guitar, audio mixing, and soccer in his free time. 

Carsten Schumm

Major: Aerospace Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '25 |  Wheaton College 

Carsten Schumm is a junior studying aerospace engineering at Wheaton College! Carsten is a member of the Wheaton Thunder men’s varsity basketball team as well as the media coordinator for the Society of Physics Students (SPS). Carsten is looking forward to participating in undergrad research because he enjoys the challenge of helping others through solving complex problems! His free time is spent with friends and family, but his summers are always spent at the Jersey Shore either surfing or boating! 

Abbie Strack

Major: Applied Physics, B.S. | Grad yr: '24 |  Wheaton College

Abbie is a senior at Wheaton College majoring in Applied Physics! She is a teaching assistant for the Engineering Lab and is the VP for Society of Physics Students. Abbie is excited to join research in the lab because she wants to learn more about biomechanics. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, going outdoors, and exploring Chicago.

Kaleb Martiny

Major: Aerospace Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '25 |  Wheaton College

Kaleb Martiny is a junior at Wheaton majoring in Aerospace Engineering! Beyond his academic pursuits, Kaleb is involved in campus life through his participation in Ingenium, where he focuses on Jellyfish Culturing. His passion for research stems from a desire to work on projects with tangible real-world applications, and it also connects him to his family's medical background, making him feel like a valuable contributor to that legacy. When he's not in the lab, Kaleb enjoys spending quality time with friends, exploring new destinations through travel, and engaging in a spirited game of Catan.

Nathaniel Rupert

Major:  Mechanical Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '27 |  Wheaton College

Nathaniel Rupert is a mechanical engineering major at Wheaton College. On campus he enjoys taking science classes as well as singing for the Wheaton College Men’s Glee Club. Science has long been a passion and hobby of his, which is why he decided to both help with research and further his scientific education by joining Vazquez Lab.

Samuel Schutz

Major: Applied Physics, B.S. and Chemistry,  B.S. | Grad yr: '26 |  Wheaton College

Sam Schutz is a pre-med junior majoring in chemistry and applied physics at Wheaton College. As a pre-med applied physics student, he is looking forward to combining these two disciplines into biomechanical engineering research. During the school year, he is also an organic chemistry TA and tennis player. Growing up in the twin cities suburbs, Sam has strong ties to Minnesota sports teams despite their often subpar performances. Some of his favorite hobbies in his free time include juggling and playing chess. 

Samuel Kendall

Major: Biomedical Engineering, B.S. | Grad yr: '27|  WashU

Sam Kendall is currently studying music and biomedical engineering (BS/MS) at Washington University in St. Louis. He is passionate about mechanobiology and biomedical imaging. In addition to his coursework, he spent the last academic school year doing radiology research in an MRI lab at the Washington University School of Medicine, which has ignited a love for health related research. Sam also spent the last year as visiting organ scholar at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, MO. A lifelong dream of his is to one day pursue a degree in Sacred Music.