Brown’s Institute for Biology, Engineering, and Medicine (I-BEAM) is excited to welcome our five new Marketing, Communications, and Recruitment Assistants. 

Avinash Babre is a Master’s student in BME focusing on biomechanics and rehabilitation engineering. He is a technology enthusiast and enjoys exploring his interest in robotics by creating simple robots and connected devices. Avinash also enjoys motorcycling and trekking. As an I-BEAM assistant, he looks forward to developing connections with experienced BME professionals and gathering insights on problem-solving and decision-making in BME. 

Raquelle Barasa is a sophomore concentrating in Bioelectrical Engineering and working towards her Entrepreneurship Certificate. She’s involved with the Brown Medical Entrepreneurship Society, Brown Outing Club, and Brown Formula Racing. She also enjoys volunteering with Brown’s clinical partners at Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children's Hospital. Barasa hopes her role at I-BEAM will allow her to raise awareness about I-BEAM’s mission and spotlight the incredible research conducted at the Institute. 

Punarva Harapalli Beliappa is a first-year Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering (BME) interested in neuroscience research and neuronavigation. Her passion for science extends beyond the lab—in her free time, she loves exploring traditions and myths and finding scientific explanations behind them. As an I-BEAM Assistant, Punarva hopes to gain communication skills that will complement her studies in BME, while supporting the administrative needs of the Institute.

Our new Assistants join Ciara Meyer. Ciara has been an I-BEAM Assistant since February 2024. She’s a sophomore concentrating in Statistics and English on the non-fiction writing track. Ciara writes for the Brown Daily Herald and Brown Noser. When she’s not busy typing up stories, she loves drinking coffee, going for long bike rides, and scrapbooking. At I-BEAM, Ciara produces written content about the inspiring individuals and groups in our BME and I-BEAM communities. 

Prottoy Roy is a freshman concentrating in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. He is a Researcher at the Brown Journal of Healthcare Advancement. When he’s not immersed in science, Prottoy enjoys going to the gym, traveling, and taking photos. As an aspiring translational researcher, he hopes that working at I-BEAM will enable him to learn more about the research conducted at Brown and hone his scientific communication skills. 

Lizeth Sanchez is a senior concentrating in BME and an undergraduate researcher with Dr. Theresa Raimondo. She is involved with MEChA de Brown—a club that advocates for Mexican students at Brown—and enjoys crafting, cooking, baking, and exploring beaches around Rhode Island. At I-BEAM, Lizeth will focus on initiatives related to the Alliance for Relevant and Inclusive Sponsorship of Engineering Researchers (ARISE).