Peyton King
Peyton King, a Biomedical Engineering student and Learning Assistant at the University of Utah, began her academic journey with a clear vision and a determined mindset. Inspired by her mother’s experience with multiple hip replacements, King knew from an early age that she wanted to pursue biomedical engineering in order to improve the effectiveness of the surgeries: “I want to work towards a future of joint replacements that restore function, decrease pain, and do not need to be replaced again.”
Drawn to the U by its outstanding engineering program and unique access to the outdoors, King plans to graduate with a BS/MS and is contemplating pursuing a Ph.D. or venturing into the industry after graduation.
King’s work as an LA has helped her foster connections with other students on campus, and support them through coursework that can often be stressful: “I try to be available for them throughout other aspects of college as well,” she says of students she works with, “such as stress/time management and scheduling issues,” she says. “LA’s typically understand the students’ perspectives more, and we can translate that into feedback for the TAs and professors.”
The flexibility of the LA position allows King to balance work and classes seamlessly while pursuing her extracurricular interests.
King’s enthusiasm for biomedical engineering extends to research, where she works with Heath Henninger in the Department of Orthopedics. King’s research focuses on studying post-replacement movement, particularly in reverse joint replacements. She hopes her findings will enhance rehabilitation efforts and improve functional outcomes for patients.
But, King’s passion for the field doesn’t end there. She and her team “VaddiPax” recently won Best In Medicine at the Bench to Bedside competition for their innovative solution to the challenges posed by left ventricular assist devices, and were awarded $5,000 in funding to continue the development of their medical device.
Within her busy schedule, King finds balance by playing on her soccer team and fostering kittens for Best Friends Animal Society. With her dedicated work as an LA and her impressive medical research and designs, it seems King is already well on her way to making an impact in her communities and achieving her goals -both on and off the field.
Story by Julia St. Andre