Hayley

Hi! I’m Hayley, a third year Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry double major in the Commonwealth Honors College. I began my endeavors in research here at UMass in the fall of my first year and have been participating in groundbreaking projects spanning multiple fields since then. My current research in the Schiffman Lab combines my passion for chemistry with life sciences in engineering living systems.  

Outside of the innovative research I’ve pursued at UMass, I’ve interned at Blueprint Medicines in Cambridge, working on optimization of pharmaceutical formulations of drug products. This industry experience enhanced my ability to apply techniques and knowledge outside of the classroom and expanded my network within the workforce.  

This past summer, I participated in an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) at the Colorado School of Mines, and learned a vast amount about full-time graduate level research in computational biochemistry. I spent 11 weeks creating simulations to model and measure factors in bacterial metabolism of intermediates derived from carbon containing compounds in our atmosphere. This immersive experience working in a novel field has exposed me to real-world problems that can be modeled and solved in academia.  

Becoming involved in research at UMass has been the cornerstone of my academic and professional development, and I aim to guide other students in building their foundation for success.