James Galbraith ’23

As an incoming student, James Galbraith ’23 was undecided on whether we wanted to follow the pre-med track or pursue an engineering degree. The Integrative Engineering bioengineering focus fused his interests into one comprehensive degree. He has found the systems-based approach applicable to all areas of engineering, and has appreciated the flexibility of his schedule, which also allowed him to take interesting biology electives.

One of the courses James found most interesting was ECE 437 Biomedical Systems (ECE 437) taught by Professor Yih-Choung Yu. The course focused on certain human physiological systems, such as the ion channels in the central nervous system, the heart in the cardiovascular system, and the lungs and alveoli in the respiratory system. The course included characterizing, developing, and analyzing analogous mathematical and electrical models to simulate the behaviors of certain aspects of these systems.

For the final project students read a publication characterizing a mathematical model of the heart chambers, ran a simulation of the model using Simulink (a MATLAB-based graphical programming environment for modeling), and evaluated it using the given parameters in the publication by performing fundamental modeling principles such as model implementation, verification, application, and reflection.

James is the President of Lafayette’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB). Working with the Landis Center for Community Engagement, the club works to help meet the needs of local organizations in the Easton community by developing engineering-based solutions to problems they bring to the club’s attention. EWB also hosts guest speakers (including Lafayette alumni and others in engineering fields) to provide members with insight into their industry and what they can do at Lafayette to put them on a path to achieve their goals.

During the summer of 2021, James had an internship at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, Missouri, where he and a graduate student conducted original research concerning the neural network of mice. They delivered a poster presentation to graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and principal investigators at the end of the program.

During the summer of 2022, James had an internship at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, where he shadowed physicians in surgery, anesthesia, emergency medicine, OB/GYN, NICU, pathology, radiology, trauma, and internal medicine. During his time there, he observed surgical operations including thoracic endovascular aortic repair, pleurodesis, gastric sleeve resection, gastric bypass, tumor resection, discectomy, and endarterectomy, learned how medical technology is applied in surgical operations and patient care, and conducted a research project examining the high costs of healthcare in the United States, which he presented to the chairman of surgery and head of research for the department of surgery at the hospital.

Outside of school, James enjoys exercising, playing soccer, playing piano, and listening to music.