Page 9 - UD Research Magazine Vol5-No2

Who has inspired you the most?
My family. I can’t say a specific member because
they have all played a role. My parents set me on this path, my sister challenged me to think about political issues that I hadn’t considered, my grand- parents provided never-ending praise, my cousins kept my
ego in check, my godmother pushed me to always lean in. I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of them. They are the people that made me.
How do you feel when you’re put- ting your talents to work for others?
I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m putting my talent to work— I think it’s more about simply acknowledging that there are people in this country and around the world that haven’t been as privileged as I have.
I enjoy serving others, but it’s more about the knowledge I gain from the experience.
What are your next steps?
I am in the midst of applying for the Marshall and Rhodes scholarships, so graduate school is “to be determined.” I am currently working for Salt Lake Community Action Program
and Head Start, and I would love to work for the Department of Health and Human Services (the federal agency that oversees Head Start) at some point. The one thing that’s certain is that I will be working and living with my fellow Truman Scholars at the Summer Institute in Washington, D.C., next summer.
What’s your dream job?
That’s hard for me to say.
I am very passionate about public health, and I would
like to work in health policy, specifically on health care reform. I also love politics. The vague dream job is working for a Democratic party leader in the United States Senate. The even more vague dream job is to make a difference in the lives of everyday Americans while residing in Washington, D.C.
Backbone of
DUANE PERRY
the profession
With age, your spine’s “shock absorbers”— intervertebral discs—degenerate, often leading to low back pain. Surgical treatment options are extremely limited and don’t restore disc function, so there is tremendous interest in new treatments such as surgical repair and tissue engineering.
Dawn Elliott, chair of biomedical engineer- ing at UD, has been studying the biomechanics of intervertebral discs and other orthopedic soft tissues for the past 20 years using mathematical models, mechanical tests and advanced imag- ing technologies. She’s working to develop a better understanding of tissue function and the mechanisms for degeneration—and for healing.
Dawn Elliott, chair of biomedical engineering, has been recognized nationally for her leadership, research and mentoring. She’s shown at the celebration of the program’s 2015 graduating class this past May.
The American Society of Mechanical Engi-
neers recognized Elliott for her contributions
to the field by awarding her the 2015 Van C.
Mow Medal. She was cited for her research, her
student mentorship with a focus on mentoring women, and her leadership in ASME’s bioengineering division.
But that’s not all. The Orthopedic Research Society also presented its Inaugural Outstanding Achievement in Mentoring Award to Elliott. She is credited with encouraging and helping numerous students through ORS webinars and workshops focused on how to prepare for the academic job market.
Grace O’Connell, who earned her doctorate working with Elliott, refers to her as “an exemplary mentor to her graduate students and an inspiring role model to many others, in particular, academically bound young women.”
In her letter nominating Elliott for the award, O’Connell writes, “Dawn’s advice and mentorship of her graduate students continues well beyond their time in her lab.... [She] has been the backbone for a group of female faculty and postdocs that have crossed paths with her at various points in their career.”
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