Charles Hong is a 3rd-year Biomedical Engineering major studying medical robotics and medical imaging with Dr. Jun Ueda.

How long have you been an undergraduate researcher at Georgia Tech?

I’ve been an undergraduate researcher ever since I started here at tech. I first started researching on bio signals but switched to robotics and imaging in 2022.

How did you get involved with undergraduate research?

My sister was involved in research when she was in college so when I got to Tech, I knew I wanted to try research too. When I first got onto campus, I started to cold email some professors that aligned with my passions combining biology with sensors and machines. Eventually, I was paired with Maria Sattar, a Ph.D. student at the Bio-Interfaced Translational Nanoengineering Group.

What are you working on?

I’m currently working on my first journal paper and Research Option project at the Biorobotics and Human Modeling Lab. I am investigating the capabilities and effects of using sensors to monitor vibrations within fake model tissues (phantoms). There is an imaging technique called Magnetic Resonance Elastography that uses vibrations to quantify different types of tissue. My project’s goal is to create a laboratory setup to study how to maximize vibrations for the procedure. The project is in its final stages, and I am excited to publish my findings!

What is your favorite thing about research/researching?

There are a lot of things of things that I love about research but since my travels sponsored by UROP, I can confidently say it is the community of researchers. The most valuable learning moments was when I spoke to my mentors here at the lab and this sentiment is reflected within the greater community. As I travelled across the US presenting at conferences such as BMES, the opportunity to connect and learn more about things I never even knew existed fueled my passion for research.

What are your future plans and how has research influenced them?

I think graduate school is the next logical step for me because I want to eventually become a professor and an aid to the medical community. I want to obtain a PhD in robotics focused on developing robots to help physicians perform procedures with greater precision. As I meet more and more of the research community, the number of research directions grows. While overwhelmed, I am also excited because I feel confident from my experience working in the Biorobotics and Human Modeling lab that I can carve my niche and contribute to the scientific community.