About Us

Our chapter’s mission is to create a community of bioengineers, and those in related fields, oriented around enriching its members’ understanding and access to the field of bioengineering. We do this by targeting opportunities and events towards enough aspects of the field to provide a holistic view of bioengineering.

We have our large events, MIC, BE Day, and Lab Expo targeting medical engineering, student bioengineering projects, and student academic research respectively. These events bring academic, industrial, and interdisciplinary viewpoints on bioengineering together to maximize the information and opportunities provided by each event.

We have our project committees Project Team and BioWorks. Both of these committees focus on enriching BMES members through workshops and year long initiatives that teach members integral engineering skills while working towards a larger goal. Through these committees we provide our members with ample opportunities to grow as bioengineers and future professionals.

We also have our community support and enrichment committees Outreach, NSC, and Social. All three work to pay our bioengineering educations forward to enrich the San Diego community, UCSD Bioengineering community, and our BMES community respectively. All of these committees create opportunities for our members to do good and have fun while also enriching their connection with their major and peers.

Overall, our BMES chapter exists to provide a foundation upon which those interested in bioengineering can build a community for those who share our common interest. We work together to ensure our members not only have a place in our community, but a home. We hope that some piece of our efforts has piqued your interest enough to learn more.

Executive board

Kate Reimold (She/They)

kreimold@ucsd.edu

Hi everyone! I'm Kate, a Senior BENG:BTECH student and Co-President of BMES for the 2025-2026 school year. I've loved being involved in BMES throughout my undergraduate career, having previously served as Outreach Chair for two years and as Freshman Representative before that! Outside of BMES, I am a student researcher in the field of Cardiac Biomaterials at the Christman Lab, and am working as an R&D Intern at a diagnostic medical device company. In my free time I love to read, paint, thrift, and play D&D with my friends! Feel free to reach out any time, as I'm always super happy to chat about anything at all :) Don't be a stranger!

Simon Joseph (He/Him)

sejoseph@ucsd.edu

Hey y'all! Thanks for taking the time to check out our board! My name is Simon, I'm a fifth year BENG: BTECH student and I'm a Co-President of our chapter. I am pre-MD PhD and am particularly interested in nucleic acid therapies. I started out on the BMES board two years ago as a MIC co-chair and last year was an Outreach chair. I am currently studying RNA in the Mali lab and work part time at Starbucks so hit me up for a 30% discount ;). In my spare time I love to play DnD and cook. Feel free to reach out to me about anything at all, I'm excited about getting to know you!

Jenna Cecil (She/Her)

jececil@ucsd.edu

Heyo! I’m Jenna, a 4th-year Bioengineering: Biotechnology major with a Biology minor, and I’m excited to be serving as Vice President External this year! I’ve loved getting hands-on experiences both in research and industry: at UCSD, I’ve worked in the Shi Lab on imaging metabolism in cells and in the Wilkinson Lab studying how microRNAs affect cystic fibrosis cell function. I also interned at Werfen, where I helped develop and validate blood management assays for diagnostic devices. In my free time I love sewing, crafting, hiking, and trying out new matcha spots. Always happy to chat, so feel free to reach out! IG: @jenna_lynn27

Nikaash Bahl (he/him)

nibahl@ucsd.edu

Hi! I'm a third year BENG:BTECH Major, currently serving as the VPI of our BMES chapter. Feel free to message me if you have any questions about our org!

Pranav Chigullapalli (He/Him)

pchigullapalli@ucsd.edu

Hi there! I’m Pranav and I’ll be serving as the VP Finance External for BMES for the 25-26 school year. I’m a third-year Bioengineering: Biotechnology major and an international student from India. I was Bioengineering Day Co-Chair last year and Keynote Speaker Sublead on the Bioengineering Day Committee the year before that. I currently work at the Zengler lab where I study the airway microbiome of people with cystic fibrosis. I’m also currently an International Representative on the Thurgood Marshall College Student Council. In my free time, I enjoy baking (super fun fact- I can bake macarons), crocheting, hiking, and going out to enjoy all kinds of sweet treats. I’m excited to get to know you!

Benjamin Bridgelal (He/Him)

bbridgelal@ucsd.edu

Hey, I'm a Senior BENG: BTECH major currently serving as VPFI for BMES. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or want to send me money.

Documents

Below are documents outlining past work, and there’s more information to be found on each of the committee pages. There is also the link to our current constitution and bylaws below for your perusal. You are also more than welcome to contact any of the officers whose emails can be found on their respective committee pages. We’re excited to meet you!