Impact. > 2019 top ten > Lars Neuenschwander

Lars Neuenschwander

Academics

  • Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Bioengineering, Spanish
  • Pullman, Washington

Involvement

Member of the Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute and president of the Harold Frank Entrepreneurship Club. First place winner in the 2018 WSU Medical Hackathon. Won the Grand Prize at the WSU Business Plan Competition and second place in the University of Washington Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge for Appiture, a handheld device with integrated camera and software that can screen for autism-spectrum disorder in minutes and works for children as young as two years old. Member of the Biomedical Engineering Society, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the WSU chapter of AiCHE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers). Student ambassador for the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture.

Favorite WSU experience

I loved being a student ambassador for the Voiland College. Being able to interact with incoming students and share some of my amazing experiences at WSU has been so rewarding. It’s wonderful to see how much potential future WSU classes have.

Another one of my favorite experiences was the summer I spent working as a volunteer in the FIZ (Frank Innovation Zone) in 2015, when it was still being built. I helped set up the shop and got to play with so many different things that are engineering oriented—I think that’s where I discovered my passion for engineering and design. The fact that all students, regardless of major, can use this space to be creative and translate their ideas into reality is something that can never be overvalued. It’s incredibly rewarding to have been a part of it.

My experience in undergraduate research at WSU was the catalyst that determined my career plans. Being able to work on everything from jellyfish tanks to the origins of antibiotic resistance has allowed me to explore my interests and realize that I’m truly passionate about bringing engineering and medicine together.

Future plans

I’ll be applying for medical school this summer and working at the WSU College of Medicine in Spokane. I’m taking a gap year to work as a research assistant with the professor who mentored my senior design project, which is a device to screen for autism-spectrum disorder, and bring it to market.