NAME: Jeff Chen
CONCENTRATION: Biomedical engineering
GRADUATION YEAR: 2016
TITLE AND COMPANY: Optics Technical Lead at Formlabs
Q. As an engineer, how are you making an impact?
A. I’m working on the optical systems for a Selective Laser Sintering 3D printer at Formlabs. These printers traditionally cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but we’ve created a benchtop version with the same industrial-grade quality that is available for a fraction of that cost. Our goal is to expand access to digital fabrication so that every designer and engineer can have the power of industrial 3D printing in their hands without breaking their budget.
Prior to this, I worked on creating a medical device for imaging inside the heart at Canon. The device helps diagnose coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death. The collected data allows doctors to accurately assess both the physical geometry and molecular composition of the arteries, which can lead to better treatment for the patient.
Q. What do you love about being an engineer?
A. I love taking on interesting, challenging problems that can help humanity in a sustainable way.
Q. What is unique, special, or interesting about your job?
A. I like the idea of using the tools you've made to make even better tools; we use our 3D printers to design and prototype the next version of 3D printers. It’s recursive and meta at the same time.
Q. What career advice would you give to current engineering students?
A. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Always keep learning and do what you find interesting.
