Katherine Kerr

2022 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Grantee

Hometown

Monaca, PA

Major

Biomedical Engineering

College

College of Engineering

 

Katherine has been offered a 2022 grant from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to conduct research in Frankfurt, Germany. With this 10-month grant, Katherine will be one of the newest members of a multi-generational Fulbright legacy. Dating back to 1946, this prestigious program facilitates intercultural exchange by supporting American students to go abroad to teach English, earn graduate degrees, or pursue independent research.

In Frankfurt, Katherine will apply the skills and experiences she has cultivated as a Biomedical Engineering major to study the biomechanical markers that indicate cardiovascular risk factors, particularly those that indicate increased potential for aortic ruptures. Katherine will conduct this research alongside Dr. Christopher Blase at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, where she is excited to learn from the Blase Group’s expertise in cardiovascular biomechanics and computational modeling, both of which are essential to the success of Katherine’s research.

Outside of her research project, Katherine will give back to her community in Frankfurt by continuing to advocate for public health awareness, and she is particularly excited to drive awareness of cardiovascular disease, something that is close to her heart—rather literally—given her personal connections to the matter. An avid runner, Katherine plans to join a local running club, which will create plenty of opportunities for her to practice her conversational German.

When her sneakers are back on US pavement, Katherine plans to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, which she will harness towards a career dedicated to innovative cardiovascular research. Katherine knows that her time in Frankfurt will be essential to achieving higher heights in her future career, and she looks forward to continuing her partnerships with German researchers for decades to come.