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Introduce yourself...
My name is Delaram. I’m 27 years old. I am originally from Iran. I moved to Canada after high school in 2009 and have been a UBC student ever since! I got my Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering in 2014, Master of Applied Science Biomedical Engineering in 2016, and am currently in the third year of my PhD program in ECE, supervised by Dr. Purang Abolmaesumi and Dr. Rob Rohling. You could say “I am UBC!” I am also the Graduate Vice Chair of UBC Women in Engineering (WiE).
Why did you choose engineering?
When I was a kid, my family had a company involved in the production, maintenance and sales of electronic test and measurement devices. So I grew up around a lot of electrical engineers, including my father. I loved watching the engineers design circuits on the computer, try to troubleshoot printed circuit boards (PCBs), calibrate devices, etc. So I always knew I wanted to become an electrical engineer when I grew up!
What are you researching and what do you hope comes out of your research?
I have been in the Robotics and Controls Laboratory (RCL) since 2014, working with Dr. Abolmaesumi and Dr. Rohling. My research involves using artificial intelligence (AI) on medical images of various modalities, such as ultrasound, CT and MR. I have been involved in several projects at RCL, mainly revolving spine and heart imaging. My PhD thesis focuses on developing machine learning algorithms for analysis and understanding of echocardiographic (echo) images (ultrasound images of the heart). We are working towards making echo accessible for anyone affected by or at risk of heart disease. My hope is for my research to be integrated into the clinical workflow to assist clinicians with diagnosis and management of cardiovascular diseases, which affect millions globally.
How did presenting in 3MT help you, and what does it mean to you to win first place and people’s choice?
I'm glad I did the 3MT. To be honest, sometimes I hesitate to participate in whatever is referred to as a competition – it makes me nervous. I wanted to challenge that. It was pretty fun and it meant a lot to me that I won, really. I definitely celebrated (killer dance moves!) when I got home that day!
I also very much enjoy storytelling, and I thought it was kind of ironic that my PhD research addresses a global problem that is also very prevalent to my own family.
What has your experience been like being a woman in STEM?
I love what I do. I’ve definitely met a lot of very awesome people, both women and men, in the process. That being said, I think there’s definitely still room for improvement in terms of implicit biases against women in STEM. People still get impressed sometimes when they see a female engineer! But I’m very optimistic because data tells us things are objectively getting better and fairer for women in STEM.
What advice would you give to young girls or women who are considering a career in STEM?
● You can do it.
● You’re going to love it!
● Invest time and energy in learning effective communication skills and assertiveness.
● There’s a ton of support out there for you. You just got to reach out and get to know your resources. It’s big bonus if you can find role models and mentors.
● If you don’t find/see the change you want in the world, be it!