Undergraduate institution: William Paterson University
Collin DeMan is a PhD student in bioengineering. With a mother from East Germany and a father from Guadalajara, Mexico, this combination of starkly different cultures has reinforced the importance of diversity in his upbringing. During his undergraduate education at William Paterson University, Collin headed a project focused on molecular biological research on two bacterium present in the microbial community of a harmful dinoflagellate. Collin also completed two internships. These internships included a biomedical-focused program at Rutgers University and a plant molecular biology-focused project at Cornell University. Collin’s overall goal in pursing biological engineering is to innovate drug production/discovery techniques in order to allow for easier and more equitable access to previously rare or difficult to produce compounds. Forging ahead, Collin looks forward to collaborating with a diverse group of intelligent peers to learn and innovate. In his free time, Collin enjoys lifting weights, reading and walking his dog. His research interests lie mainly within molecular biology with a focus on synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.