Francesca LaPinta
Masters in Mechanical Engineering expected May 2022
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
We are excited to introduce another 2022 WE Local Guiding Star Award winner, Francesca LaPinta! Francesca is a member of the Societal Outreach Committee, in the Introducing Engineering Concepts Work Group. She also has experience as the RPI Section President, Treasurer, Co-Summer Arch Representative, Co-Engineering Event Director, and Freshman Representative. Outside of SWE, she is a member of the RPI Phalanx Honor Society for Leadership and Service, a recipient of the RPI Founder's Award, and a member of Tau Beta Pi!
Her research project is investigating/characterizing the mechanical properties of tumor growth. Many researchers use agarose gels at low concentrations for in vitro cell culturing; however, the mechanical properties of these gels are not very well known. Other studies have shown that the mechanical environment that cells grow in affects things like morphology, proliferation, etc, so it is important to understand the mechanical properties of agarose to understand/predict future cell growth. To do this, she has been performing nano indentation experiments with an atomic force microscope (AFM) and utilizing the data output to begin defining some viscoelastic properties at different indentation rates, indentation depths, etc.
For the past 4 years, Francesca has also been a member of the RPI Engineering Ambassadors (EA) organization. They go to local middle and high schools to give presentations and lead hands-on activities to spark interest in engineering. Through this, she has been able to develop a few presentations, including one about electrocardiograms based off of a grant received to purchase educational biosensing devices.
After graduating, Francesca hopes to work as a mechanical engineer in the medical device/biomechanics industry.
Francesca’s hobbies include lifting, baking, calligraphy, and reading.
Fun fact: every August, she and her family make and jar their own homemade tomato sauce that lasts them the whole year!
Find Francesca on Instagram as @francesca__28 (it's two underscores)!
Masters in Mechanical Engineering expected May 2022
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
We are excited to introduce another 2022 WE Local Guiding Star Award winner, Francesca LaPinta! Francesca is a member of the Societal Outreach Committee, in the Introducing Engineering Concepts Work Group. She also has experience as the RPI Section President, Treasurer, Co-Summer Arch Representative, Co-Engineering Event Director, and Freshman Representative. Outside of SWE, she is a member of the RPI Phalanx Honor Society for Leadership and Service, a recipient of the RPI Founder's Award, and a member of Tau Beta Pi!
Her research project is investigating/characterizing the mechanical properties of tumor growth. Many researchers use agarose gels at low concentrations for in vitro cell culturing; however, the mechanical properties of these gels are not very well known. Other studies have shown that the mechanical environment that cells grow in affects things like morphology, proliferation, etc, so it is important to understand the mechanical properties of agarose to understand/predict future cell growth. To do this, she has been performing nano indentation experiments with an atomic force microscope (AFM) and utilizing the data output to begin defining some viscoelastic properties at different indentation rates, indentation depths, etc.
For the past 4 years, Francesca has also been a member of the RPI Engineering Ambassadors (EA) organization. They go to local middle and high schools to give presentations and lead hands-on activities to spark interest in engineering. Through this, she has been able to develop a few presentations, including one about electrocardiograms based off of a grant received to purchase educational biosensing devices.
After graduating, Francesca hopes to work as a mechanical engineer in the medical device/biomechanics industry.
Francesca’s hobbies include lifting, baking, calligraphy, and reading.
Fun fact: every August, she and her family make and jar their own homemade tomato sauce that lasts them the whole year!
Find Francesca on Instagram as @francesca__28 (it's two underscores)!
