Global Ambassador: Claudia Benito Alston

Claudia Benito Alston is a Global Ambassador from Spain and the United States. At Purdue, Claudia is pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Engineering.

Ambassador Q & A (Questions and Answers)

Why did you choose Purdue?

I chose Purdue because of the resources that it provides, the cross-departmental collaborations it promotes, its entrepeneurship opportunities and because close friends told me how much they enjoyed attending Purdue.

Please briefly describe your research.

My research consists of methods to increase bioavailability of drugs to cells.

How did you decide what to study?

I decided to pursue biomedical engineering for a similar reason as many other people, I appreciate the crossover of engineering and medicine. I want to contribute to society in a way that is meaningful to me and that is through research that contributes to the medical field.

What was your process for selecting a graduate school?

I weighed schools based on if I’d have funding for my full time there, if it would propel me in my efforts to pursue an academic carreer, if it would have good resources and if the Principle Investigator I’d be working for would be someone I would enjoy working for during the extent of my PhD studies.

What is your favorite fact about Purdue?

That Purdue is home to 23 NASA astronauts. I loved jumping on the re-creation of the first footsteps that were on the moon.

How did you decide where to live?

I chose a place with roommates that seemed nice, a price that wouldn’t consume too much of my income and somewhere with a yard, for my dog.

What does your travel from home to Purdue look like?

My travel home to Spain consists of a 1.5 hr bus or car ride to the Indianapolis Airport or 2 hr bus or car ride to the Chicago airport, then 2 flights to get home. On average it takes me 20 hrs to get home because I always get flights with large layovers. There’s nothing worse than being stranded in a random state because you missed your flight.

What’s the biggest difference between your home country and Purdue?

We have more history in Spain. Buildings are older, with primarily Mozarabic and Spanish architecture decorating the landscape.

What’s one thing prospective students from your home country should know about Purdue?

You need a car for most necessities. Grocery shopping, going anywhere outside of campus, and going to graduate student’s homes since most live off campus.

How do you de-stress in your free time?

I bake, make pottery, mountain bike, and I’m learning how to rock climb. When I’m too tired, I watch tv shows or play videogames.

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