Rami Niazy '00
DPhil Candidate, Department of Engineering Science &Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Description of your current position:
I am doing research in the field of Functional MRI (FMRI) and Electroencephalography
(EEG). The aim of my research is to better understand how the brain works
by simultaneously taking FMRI and EEG measurements and co-analyzing them.
Necessary education or experience
for your current position:
A BS degree in biomedical engineering, mathematics, physics or related
disciplines with exposure to statistics and the medical sciences.
On MSOE and Biomedical Engineering
Do you think a degree in BE is a good choice?
I think a BE degree is an excellent choice. It exposes you to a wide range
of disciplines and opportunities not available in other engineering fields.
Why did you choose MSOE's BE program?
It provided a very individual approach as the number of students in the
program was small, with the availability of a lot hands on experience in
the labs.
What did you like about MSOE's
BE program?
I particularly liked the emphasis on communications skills and lab work.
I also enjoyed the senior design project.
Now that you are in graduate school, are
you happy with the education that you received in the BE program at MSOE?
I am very pleased with the education I received in the MSOE BE program.
If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.
Key skills that are necessary
to be successful in your position:
I think as in all research positions, the ability to relate one's work to
others is crucial. No matter what area one is conducting his research in,
this work has to be communicated to other to be of any use. In my research
area in particular, I use a lot of DSP, statistics, and time-frequency analysis.
However, the interdisciplinary nature of my research requires knowledge
of physics, anatomy and physiology, which I think is the most exciting thing
about it. A career in research also demands a high degree of independence
and the ability to formulate scientific questions and establish a research
path to answer these them. This, however, parallels the need for the ability
to work in a team, as scientists from many other disciplines are involved.
For example, I have to communicate and collaborate with physicists, medical
doctors, neuroscientists, mathematicians and engineers all working together
to better understand the brain and its functions.
A descriptoin of your path
to your current position:
A Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Engineering
, A Masters of Science in Biomedical Engineering from University of Connecticut
to my present position at the University of Oxford.
Good and bad aspects of your current position:
Good: Working on the cutting edge of technology and exploring the complex
nature of the brain is very exciting.Bad: Well I am still technically a student... so the future is uncertain and I am not paid well! :)
| For information about MSOE's B.S. in Biomedical Engineering program, contact interim program director Dr. Charles Tritt at (414) 277-7421. |