Bioengineering Student Nominated for Truman Scholarship
Northeastern University has nominated Kerry Eller, BioE’21, as one out of four outstanding students for the Truman Scholarship. This is the most prestigious award for junior-level undergraduate citizens of the United States who possess outstanding leadership skills and are interested in a career in public service. The Scholarship serves as a living memorial to President Harry S. Truman and provides financial support for graduate study (including law school), leadership training, and fellowship for those who are committed to making a difference through public service. All Candidates for the Truman must be endorsed by Northeastern.
Source: Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research & Fellowships
Kerry Eller E ‘21
Studies: Bioengineer with a minor in Political Science
Hometown: Barrington, RI
Kerry Eller is dedicated to ensuring that those in low-income countries have access not simply to the medical technologies that save and enhance life, but also to the apparatus of development itself. Kerry spent high-school summers developing a cell line that could be used to heal tears in the menisci. After her first year at Northeastern, she worked at Brown University developing novel assay techniques that led to an eightfold increase in her lab’s capacity to image fish larvae in search of chemicals that could repair vision impairments currently affecting 253 million people. She next embarked on a project characterizing musculoskeletal effects of obesity, another rapidly increasing threat to human health. Most recently, Kerry completed a global co-op at the Center for Technology for Research and Development with Social Impact at Chile’s Universidad del Desarrollo. There, she worked to improve both the mechanical function and the diagnostic accuracy of a remote mosquito trap. Kerry’s passion for research with social impact is also a distinguishing feature of her extensive extracurricular involvement in organizations dedicated to global health. Kerry aims to complete a PhD in bioengineering and to pursue a career working with communities around the world to develop culturally appropriate technologies that expand access to healthcare.