Speaker: Crixelda Joseph
Introduce yourself and tell us about your co-op this semester.
Crixelda Joseph: Hi, my name is Griselda Joseph. I'm a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, and I'm currently working as a biomedical lab technician at Wentworth for my spring co op. What I do is I assist the current lab technician and I learn how to manage the lab space and equipment. I set up for professor's labs or if we're having a tour, I do inventory for the parts and equipment. I also learn how some of our newer equipment works or troubleshoot old equipment that isn't working, and I also help students with gathering equipment for their design projects.
While on co-op, what is a project that you've been a part of that has inspired you?
Crixelda Joseph: One project that really inspired me is getting to help a professor implement a new project into her curriculum. She's actually doing a test run on her current students and asked for my input on certain aspects, and it made me feel really important. It took me out of the mindset of a student and kind of put me in the headspace of a respected colleague, and I feel really good knowing that I'll make an impact on future students that will go through her class. And as a student, I kind of know what students expect and what experiences are useful, and I can help make sure that future students will still get the skills they need to be successful.
What have you learned that you will use in your career?
Crixelda Joseph: One thing I can say that I've learned is to Google things that you don't know. In the biomedical lab, there are so many pieces of equipment that need to be fixed or operated that I've never seen before, and I can say that I've found most of the solutions by just Googling the problem or pulling up a YouTube video, and there won't always be a supervisor you can ask or someone to shadow. So definitely best advice is don't be afraid or intimidated to search for the answer online. There are just so many resources available that you can use.
