High school students from Mongolia tour the Fischell Institute

The Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices welcomed 15 high school students from Bright Future Global Academy in Mongolia on Tuesday, April 8, for an immersive visit focused on the American university experience and the institute’s mission of advancing the public good.

The visit, organized by Assistant Research Professor Eungkyoung Kim and Postdoctoral Researcher Chen-Yu Chen, introduced students to higher education opportunities, as well as American culture and society, with the goal of inspiring them to become future leaders in their home country.

"Despite the language barrier, I was happy to be able to spark the students’ interest in scientific research,” said Kim. “I look forward to the day when they will come here to study and research with us."

Kim kicked off the visit with an overview of UMD and the Fischell Institute, highlighting its role as a unique environment for the in-house development and prototyping of biomedical devices.

Chen then led the group on a tour of A. James Clark Hall, including the research labs of Fischell Institute Fellow Greg Payne and Fischell Institute Director Bill Bentley.

During the tour, Kim presented her recent work on detecting single amino acid variations using electrochemiluminescence, while Chen demonstrated his study of fluorescent, micro-sized particles using a 3D-printed device and microscopy techniques.

The visit concluded with a message from Payne, who encouraged students to use what they learned during the tour to make a meaningful impact in their country.

Published April 18, 2025