Sarah Saunders Email & Phone Number

Durham, NC, US

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Richmond, Virginia Area

• Led research team in the conceptualization, creation, and testing of a perfusion seed-and-culture bioreactor for small-diameter tissue engineered vascular graft development with dual axial mechanical stimulation.
• Created SOPs for the fabrication of electrospun PCL scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering, including quality control methods, sample preparation, and sterilization for tissue culture.
• Worked as part of a team to develop devices for tensile and burst pressure testing of synthetic materials. Primarily spearheaded process development but also participated in LabVIEW coding and device assembly.
• Interpret data obtained from materials testing, images and biological assays and present findings at local and national conferences.
• Function as lab manager by processing orders, maintaining inventory and enforcing regulation compliance for 15+ lab members while also training and mentoring up to 4 undergraduates at a time.

Richmond, Virginia, United States

• Graduate Teaching Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA 2017-2019 2019: Nominated by students for Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award and was one of four finalists. Engineering.
• Mentored students in using common programs (MatLab and SolidWorks) for modeling and data representation. Students then used these skills to design a new product based on existing market need and present their design to.
• Taught students to use kinematics and dynamics equations to determine design criteria and implementing those specifications in the creation of common planar mechanisms such as gears, cams and links with basic motion.
• Assisted in teaching students about material properties and thermal processing for property modification, additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques, materials testing, as well as material selection for design.

Cohosted a panel discussion series aimed at increasing awareness of racial discrimination in higher education (Women of Color Need Courageous Allies in the Academy by Insight into Diversity) and enhancing communication between students and the university police force.

Richmond, Virginia, United States

• Coordinated efforts of the executive board to appropriate funds, hold events and assist graduate student organizations in their various pursuits in the midst of a pandemic.
• Represented the graduate student body in meetings with university leadership including the Dean of the Graduate School, Senior Vice Provost of Student Affairs, and the President.
• Led efforts to design and implement a graduate student quality of life survey.
• Collaborate with multiple departments and student organizations. Advocate on behalf of graduate students on important topics like health insurance (achieved Dec 2021), DEI initiatives and Fee distribution.
• Co-established meetings between graduate student leadership at VA-R1 universities (VCU, GMU, VT and UVA) to discuss graduate student response to the COVID pandemic including access to testing, mass communication.

Richmond, Virginia, United States

• Coordinate professional development and social events for graduate students, specifically to encourage community development between departments and ease first-year students' transitions into their new roles.
• Schedule executive council meetings.
• Collaborate with multiple departments and student organizations on larger university-wide events.
• Establish working relationships with local businesses for major events and event-specific merchandise.
• Advocate on behalf of graduate students on important topics like health insurance, housing, and child care.

Richmond, Virginia

• Worked as a part of a research team to collect data on extracellular matrix assembly and inhibition in fibrosis and tumorigenesis.
• Learned aseptic techniques for the culture of adherent mammalian cells including media preparation, thawing, splitting and freezing of cells.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd

Bachelor'S Degree