Howdy!  My name is Amy Lebanoff, and I am a senior Mechanical Engineering major with minors in Bioengineering and Mathematics.  I graduated from Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, FL.  Go Mustangs!  This is where my love for STEM was fostered.  I joined a robotics team and decided to pursue a career in biomedical engineering where I would design and build medical devices.

My most meaningful college experience was this past summer I spent doing research in Germany. In addition to matching me with a PhD student at a top university and funding my travel, the German Academic Exchange Service provided a two-week language course to help me acclimate to my new environment. Over the summer, I traveled with fellow interns to Paris, Berlin, and Amsterdam among other cities. This internship also provided the opportunity to present research at a national conference in the US.

Being a STEM Ambassador is a way for me to pass on the guidance I was given.  It can be stressful and confusing trying to figure out what you want to do before you’re even twenty years old.  Through talking with students and providing information about my experience, I hope to ease this process and increase interest in STEM.

To students considering a STEM education and career, I would say do it!  It will certainly be a challenge but one which is worthwhile.  For those who are still unsure about what you want to study and/or pursue, that’s okay too.  Be open, and allow yourself to try new things while you search for your passion.

Outside of school, I enjoy running trails, petting dogs, and baking anything that includes chocolate.