Graduate Student Spotlight: Aratrika Pan

Where is your hometown?      

I was born in Kolkata, India but raised in Tokyo, Japan.

What is your area of study and what made you pursue it?

My research is on abnormal aortic aneurysms and aorta mechanics. I have always been interested exploring the union of Mechanical Engineering and Medicine, specifically contributing to cardiovascular research.

What brought you to Ohio State?

The faculty, and primarily my advisor. I was very inspired by how OSU fosters the synergy of Engineering and Biology, and I was particularly interested in the research projects of my current lab focusing on using microscopy techniques to study the extracellular matrix.

What do you like most about the major and opportunities OSU allows?

I love how diverse my major is and how we are not confined to a particular field. Being a Mechanical Engineering major, you can hone in on biomedical, aeronautical, automotive specialties, or whatever you are passionate about. Additionally, OSU has plenty of opportunities both in pursuing both industry and faculty positions post-graduation.  

What is the best class you have taken so far and why?

It’s hard to choose but I would say medical device development because we had the opportunity to learn about the real world and industry applications of our field.

What advice would you give high school students considering pursuing engineering as a major?

Don’t hesitate to explore the major, there are so many different branches as it is a very broad field. Take the time to dabble and work out where your passion lies.

What is an important decision you made during your time at MAE?

Selecting the right number of courses per semester that aligned with my project, while also balancing research and co-curricular activities was important and took some time to achieve.

What was your favorite activity to do as a kid?

I loved to play just about any sport, mainly tennis, swimming, and skiing and I also loved to travel.