Each week, the College of Engineering highlights an outstanding member of our engineering community. This week, we are featuring Soph Ziemian, biomedical engineering assistant professor.

What brought you to Cal Poly College of Engineering?  

I came to Cal Poly as a lecturer last year and have loved it here. I was originally drawn to Cal Poly because of the great undergraduate-focused education, commitment to hands-on learning and beautiful location. The incredibly kind and thoughtful students and colleagues have been the highlight of my experience so far!

Tell me about your research interests and why you are passionate about this topic.

My research focuses on musculoskeletal biomechanics, particularly how movement mechanics contribute to injury, how mechanical loading influences the development of musculoskeletal diseases like osteoarthritis and how sex- and gender-related differences influence biomechanics and musculoskeletal health. I first became interested in this area as a collegiate cross-country runner after experiencing numerous overuse-related bone injuries. My interest grew while coaching track and cross-country, where I saw many female athletes struggle with similar cycles of recurring musculoskeletal injuries. These experiences have made me passionate about improving our understanding of the interactions between biomechanical factors, sex and gender in musculoskeletal injury and disease.

What is your favorite part of working in engineering education?

I enjoy learning every day along with and from my students. I especially enjoy when a student asks a great question I don’t know the answer to, giving me the opportunity to research it and bring what I learn back to the next class so we can all learn something new. Similarly, I really enjoy one-on-one and small- group mentoring to help students explore their ideas and develop their specific interests.

What is your favorite place in San Luis Obispo County and why?

Estero Bluffs State Park in Cayucos because it is such a beautiful place for a run along the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I enjoy running, biking, gardening, watching and playing sports and spending time with my dog.

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming academic year?

I am excited about developing my research lab and creating meaningful opportunities to work with and mentor students through research. I had a great experience with classroom and lab teaching last year, and now I’m looking forward to supporting students as they develop their research skills and explore their specific interests.

What is the most helpful advice you’ve received?

Failures and setbacks are a key part of improving and challenging yourself. They are the best opportunities to learn, grow and become more resilient, and maybe fail better the next time. This combines several pieces of advice from my college cross-country coach that I still think about regularly and that have helped me maintain a positive outlook through life’s ups and downs.

How does engineering apply to your daily life?

Being in engineering has taught me to be curious and creative when looking for practical solutions to various obstacles. Being a biomedical engineer also seems to have made me the go-to person for my family’s medical questions, even though I regularly remind them that I’m not that kind of doctor.

How do you encourage engineering students to make an impact on the community?

I encourage students to trust their ideas and abilities and to be curious about the problems they see around them. I also try to highlight where the biomedical field has fallen short in adequately considering and addressing the needs of underrepresented groups. By looking for opportunities where creativity, motivation, kindness and a bit of engineering knowledge can help others and address real needs, we can hopefully find meaningful ways to make a positive impact in our communities.