Most scientists are curious, but only some scientists work towards application, and this is where my professional intentions lie. I am a scientist motivated by the problems of modern healthcare. I seek to identify these problems and use science, engineering and technology to research and develop innovative solutions. I would like to further develop myself as a scientist by enrolling in Stanford University's PhD program in biomedical engineering. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Stanford is a leading institution in translational biomedical research, which is highly interdisciplinary. This collaboration of scientists, engineers, and physicians can lead to the rapid production of tools, devices, techniques, and procedures to improve healthcare. To be successful in this endeavor, an individual must have aptitude for their field and the ability to conduct research, collaborate with other fields, and identify problems or opportunities. My academic and professional career has been a diverse mix of bioengineering and entrepreneurship. These experiences have allowed me to develop and put into practice the aforementioned essential skills for translational biomedical research. I graduated from Washington State University (WSU) with a degree in Bioengineering in May 2014. Throughout my undergraduate career, I have demonstrated high aptitude in the field of bioengineering. I have received several scholarships and awards. The most notable were those from the WSU College of Engineering and Architecture: Junior Bioengineer of the Year and Bioengineering Teaching Assistant of the Year. This shows that I can both learn and communicate in my field. I believe this is a strong indicator that I can help advance the field of bioengineering in my current research and in the future. Since receiving my bachelor's degree, I have worked at my alma mater's Center for Muscle Biology, where I gained considerable research experience. We are conducting a comparative in situ muscle mechanics study of wild-type mice versus the P448L 2I (LGMD2i) mouse model of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Under the guidance of Dr. Dan Rodgers, associate professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and director of the Washington Center for Muscle Biology, and Dr. David Lin, associate professor in the School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, I designed and conducted the experiments. We use a dual-control force and length transducer to take measurements on surgically isolated hindlimb muscles. From this we can deduce important relationships between muscle strength, length and velocity, which are indicators of muscle architecture and kinetics. As a scientist, I had to learn to handle, administer anesthesia, and perform surgery on live animals. As an engineer, I had to practice instrumentation, data analysis, and computational programming. The project is still young, so we don't have any publications or proposals yet. However, I was able to create a new technique to stabilize and test the medial gastrocnemius muscle of a mouse in situ. This appointment confirmed both my desire and ability to conduct research. Over the past two years I have participated in some significant projects that showcase my abilities to identify problems or opportunities and then collaborate with multiple fields to develop a solution. The first example was my senior bioengineering design project. Our team identified the persistent presence of pressure ulcers in healthcare settings, designed a solution, ha.