{"id":700,"date":"2025-08-15T09:38:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T13:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/bme\/?p=700"},"modified":"2025-08-15T09:38:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T13:38:24","slug":"ut-dabkowski-unlock-passion-biomedical-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tickle.utk.edu\/bme\/news\/ut-dabkowski-unlock-passion-biomedical-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"UT Helps Dabkowski Unlock Passion for Biomedical Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

David Dabkowski\u2019s apartment isn\u2019t the same as the average college student\u2019s apartment. Alongside the couch, television and refrigerator, Dabkowski has a prosthetic hand that he created in his spare time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dabkowski collected some of his father\u2019s old electronic equipment and found space in his apartment to set up a mini lab. He can connect an electromyography (EMG) sensor to his own skin and activate the prosthetic hand to move in symmetry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy big dream would be to work on exosuits,\u201d said Dabkowski, a first-year master\u2019s student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee. \u201cIf people have had some sort of trauma and have trouble walking, being able to completely redevelop and give them back their capabilities would be so rewarding.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"David<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dabkowski grew up in nearby Sevier County with a dream of attending UT. His father was an electrical engineer, and Dabkowski spent his childhood taking apart electronics and tinkering. He competed in robotics and took an interest in blacksmithing and 3D printing as he got older. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he enrolled at UT as an undergraduate student, Dabkowski was deciding between studying for a career in electrical engineering or plastic surgery. He discovered biomedical engineering was the perfect fit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been great for letting me learn a lot about all the different disciplines. I feel like I’m kind of a jack of all trades for a lot of the classes I’ve taken,\u201d Dabkowski said. \u201c\u200b\u200bBME has allowed me to be able to take electrical courses, mechanical courses, biomaterials. It\u2019s very diverse, which has been very fulfilling.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Gaining Research Experience\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dabkowski pursued multiple research opportunities during his undergraduate studies in the Tickle College of Engineering. He\u2019s worked under the guidance of Rigoberto Advincula<\/a>, UT-ORNL Governor\u2019s Chair of Advanced and Nanostructured Materials in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and BME Associate Professor Dustin Crouch<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoth Dr. Crouch and Dr. Advincula have been phenomenal mentors, and they’ve helped me not only understand more about research, but everything that goes on behind it,\u201d Dabkowski said. \u201cThey’ve given me really good guidance and instilled in me a lot of interest in doing research and more hands-on work.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crouch has worked with Dabkowski on two projects\u2014one on designing an artificial tendon graft to repair severe tendon injuries, and another on the design of a skin-covered, bone-anchored prosthetic thumb for amputees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"David<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDavid is an excellent student and researcher. He is very teachable, open and eager to learn new things,\u201d Crouch said. \u201cHe has strong skills and aptitude for computational design and manufacturing, using both traditional machining and additive manufacturing. I think of him as being like an engineering \u2018artist.\u2019 He can quickly whip up a design and prototype for some new gadget we want to test. He’s very creative in that way.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a graduate student, Dabkowski will continue working with Crouch on the artificial tendon graft, specifically to design and test prototype version 2 of the device. He will also work on a project, in collaboration with Crouch\u2019s colleagues at Georgia Tech, to develop and test a wearable exoskeleton for the upper extremity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDavid’s technical skills will be really valuable for these projects, and he will develop new skills in research design, project management, and academic writing that will help him in his career,\u201d Crouch said. \u201cI am excited to work with David in this new role as he works toward his master’s degree.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Making a Home at UT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As part of his senior design project at UT, Dabkowski and his teammates worked on a prosthetic thumb prototype that had a bone anchor and a thump tip that can be connected with a screw. Throughout the process, he was able to interact with surgeons to gain their feedback about the device.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been really cool to meet with all these actual experts and learn what other features we should implement in our ongoing design,\u201d Dabkowski said. \u201cIt\u2019s helped me learn as well, not only their technical skills, but seeing how they carry themselves. Learning this real-world experience has been really beneficial.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"pieces<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dabkowski\u2019s laptop computer is filled with photos and videos from his school-related and personal engineering projects. His curiosity and passion for innovation is obvious whenever he discusses his work. He recently purchased a used milling machine, which he set up in his parents\u2019 basement, \u200b\u200bto start working on more complex projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially a bit reserved, Dabkowski has become more extroverted in college. The projects he\u2019s worked on have pushed him to new places he may not have explored otherwise.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHonestly, looking back now, I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be as emotionally invested as I am in UT. But I definitely feel very at home here,\u201d Dabkowski said. \u201cI\u2019ve been a part of clubs with people who have become like family. I\u2019ve developed a great community that I am so grateful for at UT.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u200b\u200b\u200bContact\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rhiannon Potkey (rpotkey@utk.edu) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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