She’s inventing medical devices, helping babies and the elderly, getting her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, and founding a start-up company – all at the age of 24. Sanna Gaspard, recently named one of IEEE’s “New Faces of Engineering,” has been described by her coworkers as an “energizer bunny.” It’s true that she gets an incredible amount done, but she’s also driven by her compassion for others. Her pediatric technology may soon be helping infants – especially those born prematurely – stay healthy and happy.

A Ph.D. candidate at Carnegie Mellon, Gaspard has recently been working to develop a device that monitors the health of newborn babies and soothes them at the same time. She is also researching innovative ways to detect pressure ulcers, a common affliction that affects many elderly and bedridden hospital patients. Gaspard even founded a start-up company called TLneoCare, LLC to make sure these inventions will be available in hospitals and nurseries.

Of her recent recognition as one of the New Faces of Engineering, Gaspard said in a press release:

“I hope this award will encourage young engineers to explore the wealth of career options that exist for engineers ranging from entrepreneurship to field research. Specifically, I also hope that this award will encourage young women to pursue careers in the transformational field of engineering.”

Filed under: Biomedical, e-News

Tags: Biomedical, People