Master’s Profile: Jerrod Brown
Jerrod Brown, 2016 BME MEng graduate, is a Medical Device Assembler at Boston Scientific
Current Position: Medical Device Assembler at Boston Scientific
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, 2012
Duke BME Master’s Program Path: MEng in Biomedical Engineering–Bioengineering track, 2015-2016
Why did you choose Duke for your graduate study?
What made me chose Duke was its reputation for academic excellence and its goal of helping each student maximize his or her own potential. Duke is internationally recognized for its BME program, so going to Duke was an easy choice for me. I also wanted to go to a university where there was a lot of diversity, and Duke fulfilled that goal.
What has been the most valuable part of your educational experience at Duke?
The most valuable parts of my educational experience at Duke are the relationships I built with professors, faculty members and fellow graduate students. My professors were mentors who helped to guide me through decisions I needed to make. The time I spent with my other graduate students was incredibly valuable to me. After a long day in lab or working on a project, we would go hang out and grab some food. Duke does a great job of fostering the “one big family” atmosphere.
Which courses have been the most useful to you?
The course that was the most helpful to me was MENG 570 – Business Fundamentals for Engineers. I would like to start my own business one day, and this course was particularly helpful.
What is your research project/ internship?
I chose to intern at Nano Screen LLC, a company located in Charleston, SC, that specializes in the design and manufacture of automated liquid handling systems. My internship involved designing a gripper system that could be implemented into their existing system. The project required that I go through the design process to determine what would be feasible under the set list of requirements. What made my project so great was that I drew on a lot of the information and skills I learned in many of my classes.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying to the Duke BME master’s degree program?
I encourage students to have a few goals in mind and a timetable to accomplish those goals. Your time as a master’s student is so short; you will only be at Duke for 1.5 to 2 years, so it’s important to take advantage of the opportunities and resources you have available.