Julia Telischi, B.S. '18

Hometown: Miami, FL

Why did you choose Cornell?
I liked that there is breadth and depth of academic opportunity here.  Even though I was admitted to the top-notch Engineering school, I could still take high caliber courses in almost any subject I desired. Of course, there were considerations outside of academics as well (size, athletics, atmosphere), and ultimately I made my choice after looking through the freshman dorms and imagining my life here.  It just felt right!

Why did you choose to major in BME at Cornell?
I knew I was interested in medicine (I have also followed the pre-med coursework) and was excited about combining that with engineering!

What opportunities has the major given you so far?
Working in the new Design Lab spaces has been incredible and all of the labs in my BME courses have given me exposure to currently used research techniques and real-world applications of my coursework.

What was your favorite class at Cornell BME and why?
My favorite BME course was Signals and Systems.  It allowed me to think about engineering principles and problems in a new way, which made the course particularly interesting and challenging for me. This was also the class where we really came together as a major and started getting to know each other as we worked through the difficult projects.

What clubs/organizations do you participate in at Cornell?
BMES – outreach chair
Varsity Athletics – Women’s fencing (freshman-junior year)
Cornell Prison Education Program

Do you have any advice for other students considering research in Biomedical Engineering?
Do something that excites you! Whatever that is, research or otherwise.

While at Cornell, what did you do for fun?
I’m a regular attendee of my favorite place in Ithaca, the Ithaca Farmer’s Market!  I also enjoy going on day hikes in the area, tasting every flavor of hummus available in college town, and dancing at salsa night at Agava.

Favorite memory?
So many great ones to choose from!  I’ll go with watching movies together as a major sophomore year when we had a 40-minute break between two of our required classes.

What’s next?
Not sure yet!  I plan to take the MCAT in August and have at least two gap years before potentially matriculating to medical school.  During that time, I plan to explore international biotech industry opportunities, but am still in the midst of the job hunt.