Laboratory Members
Dr. David Long, Associate Professor
Dr David Long joined the Department of Biomedical Engineering on January 3, 2017. Dr Long moved to Wichita State University from Auckland, New Zealand. From 2009-2016, he was a Principal Investigator in the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, a Lecturer in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Auckland, and an Associate Investigator in the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery. Prior to that, he was a NIH postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University where his research focused on cardiovascular mechanobiology. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where his doctoral thesis research centered on microvascular hemodynamics and the endothelial glycocalyx. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University.
His current research goals are focused on mechanobiology and cell-tissue biophysics, with the aims to better understanding the determinants of disease, to develop instrumentation/devices to better understand cell and tissue mechanobiology, to identifying novel surrogate markers of disease, and to contribute to the development of therapeutic interventions. Dr Long currently collaborates with researchers in Germany, Denmark, and the USA.
Will Bachman
Will graduated May 2018 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Wichita State and is currently pursing his M.S. degree in BME. Will was as K-INBRE Semester Scholar during his final academic year as an undergraduate. Will is currently a Bioengineer in the Cell Therapy Division at Bristol Myers Squibb while finishing his M.S. degree.
Rex Hafenstine
Rex is a first generation, non-traditional, returning adult, PhD candidate. Rex graduated from Wichita State University July 2019, Cum Laude, with his Bachelor’s degree. He majored in Biomedical Engineering and minored in exercise science. While at Wichita State Rex was a Ronald E. McNair Post baccalaureate Achievement Participant, Osher Reentry Scholarship Recipient, a Jayne and Glenn Milbern fellow, a McNair Scholor EOF, and a honorable mention for the 2020 GRASP symposium for his work on Flexible Electronics for a Skin Wearable pH Sensor. Rex has participated in multiple research positions while at Wichita State. Rex was a research assistant to Dr. Yongkuk Lee working with Flexible Electronics for a Skin Wearable pH Sensor and a research assistant to Professor B.J. Lehecka working with Gluteal Muscle Activation which is currently being reviewed for publication. Previous to Wichita State he attended Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA and received his Associates of Arts degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry, Medical Technologies, and Interdisciplinary Studies. While at Fullerton College Rex was the recipient of the Boeing Corporation scholarship, William Mohr Patton scholarship, Southern California Edison/Osher scholarship, SCE STEM scholarship, Stack/Reynolds scholarship. Rex participated in multiple research positions while at Fullerton College. Rex was a research assistant to Dr. Sean Chamberlin working on Fueling the Future (an algae for biofuel project), and an intern to Dr. Lee Brown at California State University Fullerton working with Specific Joint Angle Assessment of the Shoulder Rotators. The research on shoulder rotators was published in Isokinetics and Exercise Science 2014. Rex was also a Man of Distinction at Fullerton College in 2015. Rex is currently a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society, Mu Omicron Delta, and Phi Theta Kappa. Rex is native to Kansas.
Jess Prudence
Jess is a first-generation student pursing a Master of Science. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wichita State in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Biological Sciences. While in their undergraduate program, he was the recipient of the Richard D. Muma and Rick A. Case Equality Scholarship as well as the Bill Wilhelm Engineering Scholarship. Jess is from Council Grove, Kansas.
Miguel Contreras
Miguel graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering in May 2020 from Wichita State. During the last year as an undergraduate student, Miguel was an NIH K-INBRE Star Trainee entering. Before getting admitted into Wichita State, he completed an Associate of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, MA. During his stay at WSU, he has been part of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Biomedical Engineering Society. He will also be serving as ACE mentor for the upcoming Fall semester. Miguel is originally from Venezuela.
Tabatha Polk
Tabatha, a Wichita native, and is in the accelerated B.S. to M.S. degree program in Biomedical Engineering. Tabatha earned her bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering in May 2020. . She is involved with the Wichita Honors Events and Activities Team (WHEAT), Honors College Student Council, Golden Key International Honor Society, Biomedical Engineering Society, and Tau Beta Pi. Tabatha was a College of Engineering Summer Researcher and was a K-INBRE Semester Scholar for 2019-2020 academic year.
Hanah Denning
Hanah is a M.S. student from Kansas that graduated from Wichita State University in May 2021, Summa Cum Laude, with her Bachelor’s degree. She majored in Biomedical Engineering, minored in General Business, and completed the Emory Lindquist Honors Scholar track. While at Wichita State, Hanah was a Presidential Merit Scholarship Recipient, Cohen Enhancement Scholarship Recipient, and WSU Alumni License Plate Scholarship Recipient. Furthermore, Hanah served as an ACE Engineering Program mentor to incoming freshmen and as the Treasurer for Engineers Without Borders. She also studied abroad in Rome, Italy for a summer semester. Her senior design project, a device to assist children with articulation disorders, was awarded the Clark Beck Award for Excellence in Communication, the Judges Discretional Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers International Awards, and 1st in the Biomedical Engineering Department. Her project was also awarded the Healthcare Innovation Award in the Shocker New Venture Competition. Hanah is currently a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society and Society of Women Engineers.
Lia Savage
Lia is on the accelerated master's degree track for biomedical engineering and graduated summa cum laude from Wichita State in May 2021 with her bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering. As an undergraduate, she completed minors in chemistry and Spanish, held the distinction of a Wallace Scholar, and applied herself as an Emory Lindquist Honors Scholar. Lia has conducted two research projects in the field of biochemistry and was a K-INBRE Semester Scholar throughout the duration of her neurochemistry project on Parkinson’s Disease. On campus, she worked with the College of Engineering student engagement team, the Student Ambassador Society and Office of Admissions, and as an executive member of the Biomedical Engineering Society. For her involvement and leadership, Lia was named the WSU 2021 Distinguished Undergraduate Student and awarded the Senior Honor recognition.
Zachary Rodriquez
Zach is a second-generation Cuban immigrant and Kansas native. Zach is set to graduate from Wichita State University in May of 2022 with a major in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in chemistry. Prior to attending Wichita State, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Goddard High School and was a Kansas Honors Scholar. While at Wichita State he was a recipient of the Chief Manuelito Honors Scholarship for Native Americans and worked in multiple industry positions in the materials science field. Zach was an advanced lab tech for the National Institute for Aviation Research in their non-destructive inspection lab and is currently an intern engineer at Textron Aviation’s Materials and Process department. Zach is currently working towards his master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering through Wichita State University’s accelerated bachelor's to master’s degree program.