Representative Branch
Nicole Caballero
EMBS Administrative Committee Student Representative and General Chair of SAC
National Major University of San Marcos, Lima District, Peru (Region 9)
Nicole is a senior Biomedical Engineering student at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM), where she focuses on data science, rehabilitation engineering, and precision medicine. Following these interests, Nicole was awarded the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Scholarship to study at the Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2023. As Chair of the UNMSM IEEE EMBS Student Chapter, Nicole and her team won the 2022 Best Student Chapter Award. Additionally, she participated in the 20th IEEE EMBS Summer School BIO-X. Nicole currently serves as the General Chair of SAC and as the EMBS AdCom Student Representative. Nicole aspires to foster an active network of IEEE EMBS student members globally. She serves concurrently as Chair of the UNMSM IEEE Student Branch. Nicole enjoys table tennis, musicals, and traveling.
Akshay R S
Student Representative for Asia Pacific
Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, India (Region 10)
Akshay R S, a final-year Electronics and Communication student at the Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, strives to make the world a better place through technology, and believes that education should be a fundamental right. To this end, Akshay has been active in a variety of IEEE activities, with the mission of fostering technological innovation for the benefit of humanity. Akshay previously served as the SAC Volunteer Manager. Currently, Akshay serves as the Student Representative for Asia Pacific. Within this role, Akshay aspires to unite the students in Asia Pacific and establish the first Regional Student Activities Committee and promote innovation in the field of biomedical engineering.
Administration Branch
Antony M. Gitau
Administration Chair
Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya (Region 8)
Antony M. Gitau is a final year Biomedical Engineering student at Kenyatta University, where he was awarded a Data Science Africa Research Fellowship (DSA) at the Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAIL). Throughout his studies, Antony has been an active participant in various EMBS activities, including the 19th IEEE EMBS Summer School BIO-X. In 2023, he served as Chair of the Kenyatta University IEEE Student Branch. In 2024, he will serve as the SAC Administration Chair. In this role, he will lead the processes and documentation related to SAC programs and activities. He also serves as the Student Representative for the Middle East and Africa. Upon completing his undergraduate studies in July 2024, Antony aspires to pursue a graduate degree with a focus on machine learning for healthcare.
Technical Activities Branch
Alaa Melek
Technical Activities Chair
University of Texas at Austin, Texas, United States (Region 5)
Alaa Melek (she/her/hers) is a doctoral student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, where she researches how to improve lung cancer radiotherapy outcomes with AI. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biomedical engineering degrees at Cairo University, where she pioneered AI-based methods to predict breast cancer risk with mammograms. Her contributions to the field have been recognized internationally—notably as the Middle East-Africa Finalist in the 2022 EMBC Student Paper Competition. In 2023, Alaa fostered meaningful connections and provided support to emerging scholars as an ambassador for the EMBS Student Mentorship Program. In 2024, Alaa will continue to create enriching opportunities for students as the SAC Technical Activities Chair. Outside of the laboratory, Alaa enjoys yoga, aerial sports, and reading.
Xiaoxiao Sun
EMBC Annual Meeting Team Leader
Columbia University, New York, United States (Region 1)
Xiaoxiao (she/her) is a third-year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. As a researcher, Xiaoxiao is interested in biomedical imaging, bioinformatics, neural engineering, neuromodulation, and brain-computer interfaces (BCI). She has been involved in the Columbia University community, first as the Treasurer of the Society of Women Engineers in 2020, and as a Student Life Ambassador in 2023. She has been an active member of IEEE since 2020, most notably serving as an Ambassador for the IEEEXtreme17.0 event. In 2024, Xiaoxiao will serve as the SAC EMBC Annual Meeting Team Leader. She aspires to contribute to biomedical engineering community outreach initiatives and support her peers.
Ibrahim Mohamed
Regional Conferences Team Leader
Cairo University, Giza, Egypt (Region 8)
Ibrahim Mohamed is a senior undergraduate student at Cairo University, where he is studying Biomedical Systems and Engineering. Ibrahim has been an active member of IEEE and EMBS for several years. In 2020-2021, he served as the Head of Multimedia and as Chairman of the Cairo University IEEE Student Branch. Since 2023, he has been leading the revitalization of the Cairo University EMBS Student Branch as Vice Chairman and Webmaster. Additionally, he is an Executive Member of the EMBS Middle East and Africa Student Activities Committee. In 2024, Ibrahim will serve as the SAC Regional Conferences Team Leader. He aspires to enhance the EMBS Student Member experience and further commit to advancing biomedical engineering. Beyond his academic pursuits, Ibrahim is a Medical Software Engineer at Neureveal, where he develops medical imaging techniques and AI for healthcare.
Firas Hadj Kacem
Technical Communities Team Leader
South Mediterranean University, Tunis, Tunisia (Region 8)
Firas is a fourth-year student studying Software Engineering at the Mediterranean Institute of Technology of the South Mediterranean University, Tunisia (SMU). Firas has been an active volunteer for IEEE and other professional organizations. Firas founded and served as Chair of the SMU IEEE Student Branch. He co-founded and managed the Metaverse Tunisian Summit. He is currently the student branch mentor of the IEEE SMU. In 2024, Firas will serve as the SAC Technical Communities Team Leader. Firas is looking forward to becoming involved with the biomedical engineering field. He enjoys solving problems and facing new challenges, and he has a passion for entrepreneurship.
Negin Jalilinejad
Technical Communities Team Leader
University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (Region 10)
Negin is a PhD student studying biomedical engineering at the University of Melbourne. Negin is passionate about research, teaching, and advising. In 2024, Negin will serve as the SAC Technical Communities Team Leader. Negin aspires to contribute to biomedical engineering community outreach initiatives and support her peers.
Professional Development Branch
Nyi Nyi Tun
Professional Development Chair
Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan (Region 10)
Nyi Nyi Tun earned a Bachelor’s of Mechatronic Engineering at The Technological University (Mandalay, Myanmar) in 2013, and a Master’s of Mechatronic Engineering from Mandalay Technological University in 2016, where he was awarded the Marubeni Myanmar Scholarship. In 2022, he earned a Ph.D. in Information Science at Kyushu University, Japan, where he was awarded the Innovative Asia Scholarship from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and conducted research in the Neuroinformatics and Neuroimaging Laboratory. Nyi Nyi is widely involved in engineering education and volunteer activities. Among other roles, he has served as an ambassador and mentor for the EMBS Student Mentorship Program since 2021, and then as the program Chair in 2023. In 2024, Nyi Nyi will continue to develop initiatives for students to learn and grow as the SAC Professional Development Chair.
Rishi Kant Thakur
Student Mentorship Program Chair
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India (Region 10)
Rishi Kant Thakur is a Senior Mechatronics Engineer and Project Scientist at the Molecular Imaging and Diagnostic Lab of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he researches microfluidic circuits for point-of-care diagnostics. Earlier this year, he earned a Master of Science specializing in Mechanical Design from IIT Mandi. His research focused on biomedical device design. Rishi has been an active IEEE member since 2019, serving in various roles for IAS, PES, and EMBS. In 2024, Rishi will serve as the SAC Student Mentorship Program Chair. In this role, he hopes to foster diverse collaborations between students and professionals, as well as form enriching learning experiences for biomedical engineers around the world.
Madiha Neifar
Student Mentorship Program Team Leader
National School of Electronics & Telecoms, Sfax, Tunisia (Region 8)
Madiha Neifar graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science and Telecommunication. She currently works as the Quality and Security Manager at ZetaBox. Madiha has been a member of IEEE for seven years, and currently serves as Chair of the Power and Energy Society (PES) Tunisia Chapter Section. She is also an active EMBS member, having organized EMBS Day in collaboration with the EMBS ENET’com Committee, and attended the EMBS Forum in TSYP11. In 2024, Madiha will serve as the SAC Student Mentorship Program Team Leader. With her blend of technical acumen, leadership, and dedication to excellence, Madiha aspires to drive quality innovation in engineering and technology.
Mayuri Mehta
International Student Conferences Chair
Sarvajanik University, Surat, India (Region 10)
Mayuri Mehta is a Professor and International Relations Officer at Sarvajanik College of Engineering and Technology in Surat, India. Her research interests include Data Science, AI, Medical Image Analysis, Health Informatics, and Computer Vision. Her 23 years of professional experience includes several academic and research achievements along with administrative and organizational capabilities. Among other activities, she is an active Senior Member of IEEE, IEEE WIE, and IEEE SPS. She served as a mentor in IEEE EMBS Student Mentoring Program in 2023, where she presented an online seminar on “Essential Guidelines to Write an Effective Research Paper.” In 2024, Mayuri will serve as the SAC International Student Conference Team Leader. She hopes that her contributions to biomedical research will enrich the EMBS community and benefit our society.
Piero Miranda Alvino
International Student Conferences Team Leader
Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima, Peru (Region 9)
Piero Miranda is a fifth-year biomedical engineering undergraduate at PUCP University, where he specializes in clinical engineering and medical device management. As a part of his studies, Piero helped to deliver nearly 200 mechanical ventilators to hospitals throughout Peru in the MASI project. He has previous experience operating medical facilities as a member of the Clinical Engineering Team at Sanna Group. Piero has been an active member of IEEE EMBS since 2019, and currently serves as the Chair of the PUCP EMBS Student Chapter. Also, Piero was a geographical finalist in the 2023 EMBC Student Paper Competition. In 2024, Piero will serve as the SAC International Student Conferences Team Leader.
Polat Goktas
Student Summer Camp Chair
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland (Region 8)
Polat Goktas, a distinguished Research Fellow at UCD School of Computer Science and CeADAR, Ireland, specializes in developing artificial intelligence solutions for biological challenges. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Bilkent University, where his research focused on advanced image acquisition techniques for label-free cellular detection. Among other achievements, he completed PhD research activities at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine of Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA as a Fulbright Doctoral Research Fellow. Polat is an active member of IEEE EMBS, having previously served as a mentor in the 2023 Student Mentoring Program. In 2024, Polat will serve as the SAC Student Summer Camp Chair. He is committed to fostering a collaborative environment for students and professionals in the biomedical engineering field worldwide, with an emphasis on mentoring and community engagement.
Zaynab Atwi
Student Summer Camp Team Leader
VivoSalus Ventures, Beirut, Lebanon (Region 8)
Zaynab Atwi graduated as a biomedical engineer from the Islamic University of Lebanon. Zaynab founded VivoSalus Ventures, a medical devices company and healthtech consulting firm, as well as TechNexus Academy, a coding and AI school. Zaynab has been an active member of IEEE and EMBS since starting university studies. Zaynab served as Chair of the Islamic University of Lebanon IEEE Chapter for three years. In this role, Zaynab expanded their professional network and learned about biomedical engineering through EMBS. Additionally, Zaynab organized several conferences and educational programs for the biomedical engineering students. In 2024, Zaynab will serve as the SAC Student Summer Camp Team Leader.
Public Relations Branch
Michael Sommeling
Public Relations Chair
University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy (Region 8)
Michael Sommeling, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor and Master of Science in Computer Engineering. While at Villanova, Michael conducted research on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the Optical Brain Imaging Laboratory. His experience with IEEE EMBS began when he founded Villanova’s Engineering in Medicine and Biology Student Club in 2022. Since then, he was a fellow at the 20th IEEE EMBS Summer School BIO-X, he served as an ambassador for the 2023 Student Mentorship Program, and he started reviewing for the IEEE Open Journal of EMB. Michael is currently a Fulbright Student Researcher in Naples, Italy, at the Augmented Reality for Health Monitoring Laboratory (ARHeMLab) of the University of Naples Federico II (UNINA). In 2024, Michael will serve as the SAC Public Relations Chair.
Aya Kassir
Social Media Team Leader
Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon (Region 8)
Aya Kassir is a third-year biomedical engineering student at the Lebanese International University in Beirut, Lebanon. Since 2021, Aya has been an active member of IEEE, particularly drawn to EMBS. Her passion for biomedical engineering was nurtured through multiple internships at hospitals, where she gained direct experience working in the field. In fact, Aya is currently founding the EMBS Chapter at her university. In 2024, Aya will serve as the SAC Social Media Team Leader. Aya is enthusiastic about leveraging her skills and knowledge to make meaningful contributions to the field of biomedical engineering.
Tony Adel Fawzy
Social Media Team Leader
Higher Technological Institute, 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt (Region 8)
Tony Adel Fawzy, of Cairo, Egypt, graduated as a Biomedical Engineer from the Higher Technological Institute (10th of Ramadan City, Egypt). Tony is currently a Product Specialist at the Nipro Medical Corporation of Gesca, a world leading biomedical company. He is especially interested in the future of AI for biotechnology and medical devices. Tony has been an active member of IEEE since 2019, first as a member of his student branch’s Media and Advertising Committee. Since then, he served as an ambassador for the 2022 EMBS Student Mentorship Program, then as a Senior Ambassador for the program in 2023. In 2024, Tony will serve as the SAC Social Media Team Leader. With his experience in the medical device industry, Tony aspires to help other EMBS Student Members elevate their professional careers.
Senul Samarasekera
Journalism Team Leader
University of Moratuwa, Colombo, Sri Lanka (Region 10)
Senul Samarasekera is a biomedical engineering undergraduate from the Department of Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. An active member of the IEEE EMBS community, Senul is currently Secretary of the University of Moratuwa EMBS Student Chapter. He has previously served as the Assistant Secretary of the same chapter. Senul is an avid reader and an aspiring writer. As such, in 2024, Senul will serve as the SAC Journalism Team Leader. In this role, he hopes to use his passion for writing and reading to benefit and inspire biomedical engineering students globally. Senul eagerly looks forward to working with students and professionals around the world.
Ashley Bishop
Journalism Team Leader
Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States (Region 2)
Ashley is a second-year PhD student at Drexel University in Philadelphia, United States. Ashley is researching how to use neuroimaging devices, such as functional infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), to observe brain activity correlated to cognitive workload and human performance in everyday safety-critical tasks. Ashley has been an active of member of IEEE and SWE since 2019. She is currently leading initiatives to revitalize the EMBS activities in her local branch. In 2024, Ashley will serve as the SAC Journalism Team Leader.
Fizza Nadeem
Graphic Design Team Leader
Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan (Region 10)
Fizza Nadeem is a third-year student studying biomedical engineering at Riphah International University. Since starting at university, Fizza has been an active member of IEEE. Among other things, Fizza serves as the Graphics Lead for both her university IEEE and WIE Student Chapters. In 2024, Fizza will serve as the SAC Graphic Design Team Leader. With previous experiences as a graphic designer, Fizza aspires to offer a distinct perspective and make meaningful contributions to the EMBS community. She is excited to grow to the field of biomedical engineering and support fellow students in their personal and professional development.
Kavindu Weerasinghe
Graphic Design Team Leader
University of Moratuwa, Colombo, Sri Lanka (Region 10)
Kavindu (he/him) is a final-year biomedical engineering undergraduate at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Colombo, Sri Lanka. His current research involves building an AI-powered neonatal seizure detection device. He previously interned on the algorithm team at Synergen Technology Labs, an IoT company in Sri Lanka. Kavindu has led EMBS initiatives for his local Chapter at the University of Moratuwa for the past three years. He was Co-Chair of the Brainstorm competition in 2021. Now, he serves as the 2023-2024 Chapter Chair. In 2024, Kavindu will serve as the SAC Graphic Design Team Leader. In this role, he aspires to increase the media visibility of EMBS for students around the globe. He is an avid chess player and loves photography and music.
Tejas Mutalikdesai
Institutional Partnerships Team Leader
BMS Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, India (Region 10)
Tejas is an undergraduate student from India with a strong passion for medical engineering. He is interested in creating new innovations in radiation oncology and MRI technologies and is a budding entrepreneur. In fact, he is currently pioneering a medical product that has garnered recognition from his central government. In 2024, Tejas will serve as the SAC Institutional Partnerships Team Leader. In this role, he will leverage his technical expertise and leadership skills to foster collaborations with students around the world. He thrives on making a real difference in healthcare through automation and technology, always with the hope of bringing innovative care to those in need.
Anghelo Danny Romero Parra
Institutional Partnerships Team Leader
National Major University of San Marcos, Lima District, Peru (Region 9)
Anghelo (he/him) is a fifth-year biomedical engineering student at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM). Anghelo became an IEEE student member in 2020, and he has been active with EMBS since 2021. Anghelo was a mentee in the 2021 EMBS Student Mentorship Program. During that same year, he served as the Vice President of the UNMSM EMBS Student Chapter. In 2022, Anghelo took the lead as the Chapter President. Currently, he is an auxiliary member of the IEEE EMBS Chapter in Peru. In 2024, Anghelo will serve as the SAC Institutional Partnerships Team Leader. In this role, he aspires to connect EMBS Student Members around the world, and, subsequently, the institutions that support them. Anghelo believes that student contributions to science and technology are fundamental for the future of biomedical engineering.