Testimonial

Rhima Coleman

[MSME 2004, Ph.D. ME2007]
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, New York

I knew I wanted to conduct tissue engineering research and Georgia Tech has an internationally recognized core facility in tissue engineering. I wanted to study bioengineering as it related to my background in mechanical engineering. The Mechanical Engineering Program in the Woodruff School is highly ranked and I wanted to learn in an environment filled with world-class educators.

My experience at Georgia Tech taught me the importance of the multidisciplinary approach to research. The perspective and ideas of faculty and peers from different fields enriched our projects and pointed us in new directions. It is a principle that I strive to integrate into everything I do in and outside the lab.

The major strength of the graduate program at Georgia Tech was its perpetual growth. The administration took into account the rapidly changing rigors of producing top quality engineers and continually expanded the program to take them into account. Georgia Tech also opened itself up to constant review and incorporated external feedback as well as critiques from students and faculty into the day-to-day operations. I found the administrative personnel to be extremely friendly and enthusiastic in helping me address any issues that arose. From the graduate school assistants up to the department chair, people went out of their way to help find solutions in a timely manner. This was especially beneficial to me since I was a Woodruff School student in the Bioengineering program, which required that I fulfill requirements on both fronts.

The flexibility of the program at Georgia Tech allowed me to create my own path toward my doctoral degree with the right amount of nudging along the way. Faculty, staff, and students were more than happy to help me academically, professionally, and personally. The ever expanding core facilities gave me latitude to explore a wide variety of unconventional techniques during my tenure at Georgia Tech. Whether or not it worked, it was always educational.