Ashley Hawkins

Hi, I’m Ashley, and I am in my second year of Bioengineering here at Oregon State. I hope to work in medical devices as a quality control engineer, or work in pharmaceuticals. I aspire to make meaningful change in the world and leave a positive impact on people’s lives. In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, biking, photography, and hanging out with my cat Suki. 

A fun fact about me is that I started as a business major at Oregon State and made the transition to Bioengineering  and have been loving it since. I strongly believe in pursing a degree that you are truly passionate about, and don’t be afraid to change your major or add a minor. At the end of the day your degree is for you, and it’s important to believe in yourself!

I was a first-year Johnson Intern at Oregon State in the Wastewater Surveillance Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Radniecki and Dr. Kelly. I contributed to research focused on detecting Avian Influenza A(H5) using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling methods. This experience involved field sampling, laboratory processing, and presenting findings related to environmental surveillance and public health.I learned a lot about the steps it takes to turn a scientific research idea into a reality.

As a first-year student, there were so many resources that were extremely valuable to me. A  few I recommend: The Academic Success Center, CAPS, Center for Advancing Financial Education, ASOSU,  CAPE, Student Health Services Samaritan, Career Success Center, MSLC, the Mole Hole, and Disability Access Services.