EK100 Student Advisor Biographies

Name: Aadarsh Arasu

Hometown: Andover, MA

Class Year and Major: class of 2026, Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Concentration

Unique Fact: I have touched something that is on the moon right now

Favorite study spot on campus: my dorm room

One piece of advice: put yourself in situations that will help you thrive

Name: Ada Ucar

Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey (I really don’t know about this one but this seems the most appropriate)

Class year and major: Class of 2027 and Biomedical engineering

Unique fact about yourself: I can speak 3 languages fluently now but I used to be native in 5!

Advice: Don’t be scared of the learning curve when you get to college, you are going to be trying to adapt to so many new things simultaneously, no one expects you to master any of it in one week. You will find your place in this school and will be successful in your own time.

Name: Adina Turner

Hometown: NY

Class Year and Major: Electrical Engineering ‘27

Unique fact about yourself: I love fishkeeping!

Favorite Study Spot on Campus: 4th floor in Mugar and Ingalls

One piece of advice: Be patient with yourself and trust in your skills. College can be trying and it’s important to remind yourself that you are here for a reason.

Name: Alara Baran

Hometown: San Diego, California

Class Year and Major: Biomedical Engineering, 2027

Unique Fact: I am ambidextrous!

Favorite study spot on campus: Law Building

One piece of advice: Rely on the people around you! Engineering is not easy but is so much better when you realize that it’s about supporting one another, not working against each other.

Name: Alek Kimball

Hometown: Mt. Holly, NJ

Class Year and Major: Junior (class of 2026), Biomedical Engineering

Unique fact: I got to hit my AP Calculus teacher with a pie in high school. (It was awesome)

Favorite study spot on campus: Kilachand Study Lounge

One piece of advice: Put yourself out there! Club events are a great way to meet people outside of your major who you wouldn’t otherwise get to interact with.

Name: Alex Mims

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Class year and major: Class of 2026, Biomedical Engineering Major with minor in Chemistry on the Pre-Med Track

Unique fact about yourself: I wear cowboy boots to BU hockey games.

Favorite study spot on campus: Either a random floor on the Upper Levels of CDS or Ingalls Engineering Resource Center

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Go to campus events, you might meet your new best friend or discover something that you find really interesting.

Name: Anum Kotecha

Hometown: London/New York

Class year and major: 2028, Biomedical Engineering

Unique fact: I’ve seen a cannonball from the Byzantine empire whilst scuba diving off the coast of Greece.

Favorite study spot: on BU beach when the sun is out!

One piece of advice: Take a breath and enjoy yourself! It will work out!

Name: Brigid Salib

Hometown: Hampden, Maine

Class Year and Major: 2028, Biomedical Engineering

Unique Fact: I have a twin sister

Favorite study spot on campus: Anywhere but Mugar

One piece of advice: Don’t compare yourself to other people. You’re not behind, we’re all starting at different places based on our backgrounds, and the world won’t end if you don’t meet the high bar you initially set for yourself.

Name: Brooke Carias

Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii

Class year and major: Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2026

Unique fact about yourself: I was born in Texas!

Favorite study spot on campus: CDS with friends

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Take advantage of Boston! It’s such an awesome place to be with so many iconic sights and fun experiences!

Name: Cam Jordan

Hometown: Peterborough, NH

Class year and major: Class of 2026, Mechanical Engineering

Unique fact about yourself: I had the same surgery on both of my wrists

Favorite study spot on campus: CDS

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Remember that you are here to learn, not to get good grades. Focus on learning the content and grades will follow.

 Name: Christian Romer

Hometown: Albany, NY

Class year and major: Sophomore Biomedical Engineering

Unique fact about yourself: I’m in the honors college and love the show Survivor!

Favorite study spot on campus: CDS

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Be patient with yourself! Coming to college presents a completely different set of norms, and you won’t fully understand them until you spend time here. Don’t let trivial grades define who you are, only you are in control of that.

Name: Emma Braatz

Hometown: Pasadena, CA

Class year and major: Junior, Mechanical Engineering

Unique fact about yourself: I started learning to fly airplanes before learning to drive a car!

Favorite study spot on campus: Photonics 7th floor

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Form study groups! They make studying so much more fun, and it’s so useful to learn from other people.

Name: Erin Huban

Hometown: Latham, NY

Class Year and Major: 2027, Biomedical Engineering

Unique Fact: I play club basketball and am in a sorority at school

Favorite study spot on campus: Mugar with friends

One piece of advice: Always stand up for yourself

Name: Eve Cruanes

Name: Irene Skandalakis

Hometown: Queens, NYC

Class year and major: 2027, Mechanical Engineering

Unique fact about yourself: My 3 siblings and both of my parents all have brown eyes, and I’m the only one with blue eyes.

Favorite study spot on campus: CDS 12th floor

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Get into the habit of studying/doing homework at consistent times/places so that it becomes a part of your schedule – this helped me procrastinate less.

Name: Jefferey Sheu

Hometown: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

Class year and major: BME, 2026

Unique fact about yourself: I can move my ears!

Favorite study spot on campus: My dorm usually

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Always read your syllabus thoroughly!

Name: Jimmy Zheng

Hometown: I’m from Queens, NY

Class year and major: I’m a part of the Class of 2027, and majoring in Biomedical Engineering, with a minor in Biology and Public Health.

Unique fact about yourself: If you say Jimmy in a Chinese accent, a bad translation you get is Chicken Rice!

Favorite study spot on campus: I love studying at CDS or Kilachand 9th floor.

What is one piece of advice you have for new students?: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There’s so many resources at BU: the advising office, the career center, ENG tutoring, office hours, etc. Being an engineer is hard so asking for help is a perfectly normal thing to do!

Name: Justin Yu

Hometown: New York City

Class year and major: Sophomore, Electrical Engineering

Unique fact about yourself:  My birthday was 4 hours before Christmas

Favorite study spot on campus: Stuvi II 26th floor lounge

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Rejection is Redirection. It is okay to fall two steps backwards per step forward.

Name: Kayla Ghee

Hometown: Elmont, New York

Class Year and Major: 2027, Mechanical Engineering

Unique Fact: I have 90+ music records in my collection

Favorite study spot on campus: Ingalls/Engineering Commons

One piece of advice: “Go to Office Hours!!”

Name: Kimberly Wong

Hometown: Long Island, NY

Class Year and Major: 2027, Computer Engineering

Unique Fact: I like to longboard dance!

Favorite study spot on campus: Photonics or Mugar

One piece of advice: There’s going to be a learning curve when you transition to college, but just trust the process and also trust yourself because everything will work out. There will definitely be challenges, but you’ll have a strong community to support you. Take advantage of as many resources as you can, make the most of your time here, and also make sure to have fun!

Name: Maddie Tuck

Hometown: Bolton, MA

Class year and major: Junior, Biomedical Engineering on a Pre-Med Track

Unique fact about yourself: I’ve been to over 20 countries

Favorite study spot on campus: Engineering Resource Center

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Don’t forget about the big picture, one low grade isn’t going to prevent you from doing great things!

Name: Nova Midwinter

Hometown: 

Class year and major: 

Unique fact about yourself: 

Favorite study spot on campus: 

What is one piece of advice you have for new students?: 

Name: Oumaima Baitar

Hometown: East Boston

Class year and major: Mechanical Engineering Class of 2027

Unique fact about yourself:  I love crocheting.

Favorite study spot on campus: Stuvi 1 Top Floor

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Manage your time because there will be last minute assignments, be prepared for the end of the semester work load, and make friends in all your classes!

Name: Ozan Ekame

Hometown: Spain , Barcelona

Class Year and Major: Class of 2027 / B.S in Computer Engineering

Unique Fact: I can speak four languages fluently.

Favorite study spot on campus: Mugar Memorial Library, 6th floor ( best view :) )

One piece of advice: Don’t compare yourself to others; compare yourself to who you were yesterday.

Name: Ryan Bernard

Hometown: Syosset, NY

Class year and major: Senior, Computer Engineering

Unique fact about yourself: I can do a pretty good headstand (with one practice attempt)

Favorite study spot on campus: the 7th floor of Photonics

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Take the semester one day at a time. Once you finish what you want to accomplish for the day, don’t forget to take some personal time!

Name: Tatum Swanwick

Hometown: Olathe, Kansas

Class year and major: 2027 Mechanical Engineering

Unique fact about yourself: I am on the women’s rowing team here at BU, but I learned how to row my freshman year!

Favorite study spot on campus: Marciano dining hall

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Don’t be afraid of the learning space between knowing and not knowing something.

Name: Tia Rojas

Hometown: Mississauga, Canada

Class Year and Major: 2027 Mechanical Engineering

Unique Fact: I went swimming with whale sharks

Favorite study spot on campus: CDS 3rd Floor

One piece of advice: Never be afraid to put yourself out there :)

Name: Trisha Shankar

Hometown: Menomonee Falls WI

Class year and major: Biomedical engineering 2026

Unique fact about yourself: i’ve been to 20 different countries

Favorite study spot: mugar 3rd floor

What is one piece of advice you have for new students: work together with other students in you classes. It helps to study with them and it helps to work through classes with them. Remember that the people in your major are your peers not your competition.

Name: Tristan Hou

Hometown: Toronto, Canada

Class year and major: BME 2026

Unique fact: My family and I moved to Singapore from Toronto this past summer.

Favorite study spot on campus: Top of StuVi-1

Advice: Engineering can be hard, but don’t forget to take the time to enjoy yourself. You’re starting a whole new chapter of your life!

Name: Turky Alhargan

Hometown: Saudi Arabia, Riyadh

Class year and Major: Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2027

Unique facts about me: Although it may sound cliché, soccer is my passion—I enjoy playing, watching, and discussing the game in any form. Beyond the field, I’m an avid follower of Al-Da7e7 on YouTube, where I indulge in videos that explore complex topics in an accessible way. Traveling is another passion of mine, with the ambitious goal of climbing Mount Everest one day. Despite a rigorous study schedule, I place a high value on quality time with friends and family, making it a priority to cherish and nurture these relationships. These activities not only enrich my life but also keep me balanced and motivated.

Favorite spot on campus: Mugar Library because I’m always there hehe!

What is one piece of advice that you have for new students? College is a whole new experience compared to high school, both academically and socially. To transition smoothly, it’s crucial to quickly figure out the best study methods for each subject or course. This will help you manage the substantial course load you’ll encounter. Additionally, collaborating on assignments with classmates is a great way to build friendships with people who share your interests!

Name: Victoria Boguslavskaya

Hometown:

Class year and major:

Unique fact:

Favorite study spot on campus:

Advice:

Name: Wilfred Iheuwku

Hometown: Houston, TX

Class Year and Major: Computer Engineering 2028

Unique Fact: I can make bird noises

Favorite study spot on campus: The Towers, Franklin Lounge

One piece of advice: Do what you’re passionate about, not what makes you look good.

Name: Zainab Alalawi

Hometown: Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

Class year and major: Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2026

Unique fact about yourself: I enjoy ice skating

Favorite study spot on campus: Bradford Ingalls Engineering Resource Center

What is one piece of advice you have for new students? Successful people are happy and content, not burned out and sleep deprived.