This article was written by Christopher Williams and Kathleen Clardy for Joint Communications at NC State College of Engineering.

Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering caught up with recent graduate, Tyler Lotz, who is walking the stage at our graduation ceremony this May. Tyler is a biomedical engineering transfer student to the NC State College of Engineering, served as a Lampe Biomedical Engineering Student Ambassador, and spent a semester at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, taking full advantage of the joint departments dual-university offerings to complete his degree. 

Tell us about your background. 

I was raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and moved to Holly Springs, North Carolina, in 2019. I earned an Associate in Engineering from Wake Technical Community College in December 2022 before transferring to NC State in August 2023.

When did you realize you wanted to study Biomedical Engineering?

Just before applying to NC State as a transfer student, I realized I wanted to study Biomedical Engineering. I had originally planned to pursue mechanical engineering, but at the time I was training as an outdoor emergency care technician and became deeply interested in patient care, anatomy, and physiology. I ultimately applied to Biomedical Engineering, and the rest is history.

What drew you to transfer to NC State?

NC State’s “Think and Do” philosophy is what drew me in. I have been a maker for as long as I can remember. My passion for creating started as a child, taking apart old electronics and hoping my dad would not notice, and building rudimentary furniture that my mom assured me was “beautiful.” In middle school, my favorite store was RadioShack, and I would spend my weekends building projects from Make: Magazine and making LED flashlights out of Altoids tins. 

Needless to say, I quickly outgrew Legos, but not the drive to build and improve. That tinkering mindset carried into college and aligned naturally with NC State’s “Think and Do” philosophy. Coupled with the amazing engineering opportunities on Centennial Campus, it was a perfect fit.

What was one of the best experiences you had at NC State?

Hands-on engineering experiences throughout sophomore, junior, and senior design with Dr. Ross Petrella and Dr. Bruce Wiggin were among the most valuable parts of my time at NC State. I not only developed technical skills, but also learned how to solve challenging problems quickly and creatively. In engineering, that skill is critical and is best developed through practical experience, which NC State provided.

Is there anything that surprised you over your years at NC State?

How quickly the time passes. It feels like I walked onto campus for the first time yesterday. People always say, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” but no one tells you how fast it goes when you are constantly thinking and doing. 

Did you have a favorite class or area of study?

Computing Methods (BME 201) with Dr. Naji Husseini was hands-down my favorite course. The programming assignments were challenging but fun, and I often started them the day they were released and submitted them weeks early. In that class, I had firsthand experience with code that failed immediately, and I quickly learned to let go of my fear of failure as an engineer. Instead, I learned to embrace failure as part of the process, using it as motivation to push forward, keep iterating, and figure things out.

What activities outside of your classes did you get involved with?

I was fortunate to connect with fellow Fall 2023 BME transfer students, as well as students at UNC, during the BME Sophomore Orientation. We stayed connected throughout my time at NC State and met at least once each semester. It was a great reminder that we are “Better Together.

As a junior and senior, I served as an ambassador for the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. I wanted to give back to the department and share my enthusiasm for biomedical engineering with others. My interactions with department visitors were valuable reminders that engineering is not only about solving problems, but also about inspiring the next generation and passing along what once inspired you.

Outside of campus, I dedicated much of my time to volunteering as an outdoor emergency care technician and ski patroller at Beech Mountain Ski Resort in North Carolina. During the ski season, I typically worked multiple shifts each month and managed several incidents per shift. It was a meaningful way to develop soft skills and deepen my understanding of anatomy and physiology in a real-world setting.

What advice do you have for students considering Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering?

For students considering the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, take full advantage of being a joint student at UNC and NC State. I attended UNC during the Spring 2024 semester, and I strongly recommend taking at least one class there. It broadens your perspective and gives you a firsthand understanding of what makes the program “Better Together.” That said, be prepared for one real challenge – filling out a March Madness bracket. 

For all students, do not give up. Take a lesson from the 2024 NC State men’s basketball team and their “Why not us?” mentality, and ask yourself, “Why not me?” Alongside “Think and Do,” these ideas are calls to keep pushing forward by thinking bigger and doing better than before. When you inevitably encounter one of engineering’s core truths – that all systems can, and eventually will, fail – do not get discouraged. Find strength in the Pack and keep going.

What’s next for you?

I am working as an embedded software engineer at Nocturnal Product Development in Durham, North Carolina. Nocturnal is a small company that specializes in low-power electronics for Class II and Class III medical devices and has a strong engineering culture, demonstrated by multiple devices achieving “in-human” status. At a smaller company, I have the opportunity to grow as an engineer by wearing many hats and learning the full lifecycle of medical device development, from an idea on a napkin to implantation in a patient.

How do you plan to celebrate your graduation?

An engineering mentor once encouraged me to seek opportunities beyond my comfort zone and to push my limits fearlessly. I view travel in the same way, as a chance to expand my perspective through new environments. I plan to celebrate by spending a week in Iceland with my partner, navigating the Ring Road and taking in some of the most striking landscapes in the world.

This post was originally published in the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering.