Stephen Scripp
Stephen Scripp, biomedical engineering student at MSOE, was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from STEM Forward. Through its scholarship program, STEM Forward helps grow Milwaukee’s pipeline of talent. Each recipient has demonstrated academic success in a STEM field, substantial involvement in extracurricular activities and organizations.
Throughout my undergraduate career, I have had some really great learning opportunities with 2 internships, various engineering projects, and other entrepreneurial experiences. Additionally, I’ve developed cultural competencies through my study abroad experience in Italy and leadership skills as founding president of MSOE Robotic Surgery Club. My course work has allowed me to learn useful skills such as SOLIDWORKS, MATLAB, and laboratory procedures to develop more as an engineer. I also play soccer for MSOE’s NCAA men’s soccer team and am a tutor on campus. This summer, I look forward to working as a Product Engineering Intern with Plexus Corporation.
Deciding to pursue biomedical engineering came from watching my mother perform surgeries as a kid. Having a mother as a surgeon had me thinking about medical school for a long time, but then I saw her performing robotic surgeries, and the part that excited me the most was the surgical robot. I realized that medical devices could have a major impact and have a large potential for improvement. Instead of becoming a doctor, I decided I want to help doctors through technology. I’m also very interested in neural engineering and how neural interface devices can improve health care. My great interest in these fields inspired me to start MSOE’s first Robotic Surgery Club, where I work with my classmates and professionals to learn more.
This past summer, I had the great opportunity to be a Virtual Innovation Intern with The Commons and work with a multi-disciplinary team of five interns to work on a technological solution to improve virtual business connections between mentors and aspiring entrepreneurs. In a second internship with Case Western Reserve Biomedical Engineering Alliance, I was able to virtually collaborate with two other biomedical engineering students to design a solution to address the need for enhanced use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in schools.
These internships were great professional experiences where I developed strong communication, project management, and teamwork skills through interaction with my fellow interns, industry professionals, and company CEOs. As an NCAA student-athlete at MSOE, I’ve developed teamwork, time management skills, and a disciplined work ethic. As the Founding President of the MSOE Robotic Surgery Club, I’ve enhanced my leadership and organization skills.
I plan to continually expose myself to more learning opportunities and eventually attend a graduate school program focused on neural engineering. My long-term goal is to design neural interface medical devices that help restore mobility and the senses to those that have lost them. I intend to take every challenge as a chance to get better.
--Stephen Scripp