Students
Rachel Bartel
Curiosity and Compassion Drive Rachel Bartel
Rachel Bartel worked with us in our engineering test lab as a co-op student while attending Canadian Mennonite University since 2023. She stayed on after her co-op term to work with our team to execute hip and ankle wear tests on our joint simulators. She has become an expert in explant processing of retrieved implants gathered from Concordia Hospital. She also has been part of maintaining our quality system by performing internal audits. She will graduate from CMU in April 2025, in Natural Sciences (Biology) . She was also a member of the Operation Walk Manitoba in 2024 working in the MDR area that supports the surgeons.
- How did you end up at Concordia working in our research lab?
“One of the researchers at Concordia knew my high school chemistry teacher and recommended me for a student co-op position. I had no idea what orthopedics was at the time, but I was interested in a part-time and summer job in the science world. The opportunity came at a perfect time.
I am learning so much and gaining immersive experience. I have also taken my volleyball and sports experience to the lab here at Concordia since it is all about teamwork and collaboration that gets things done.”
Rachel has recently completed her MCAT exams and plans to apply to the U of M med school. This process typically takes 6-8 months. She will interview with the admissions department in February 2025. The U of M has increased its medical school trainee spots from 125 to 175 this year, focusing on training new doctors in MB. We are all rooting for Rachel and her determination to pursue a career in medicine. Read more about Rachel here; Curiosity and Compassion Drive Rachel Bartel – The Concordia Foundation
Jessie Robertson
“I hope to improve patient care through my research and with the support of a great engineering and clinical team.”
Jessie recently started her Biomedical Engineering Master’s program at the University of Manitoba and is currently working at the Orthopaedic Innovation Centre (OIC) as a clinical analyst on a part-time basis. In her role at OIC she will be working on radiostereometric analysis (RSA), and her Master’s thesis work will involve validating the next generation technology for RSA: using CT scanners (Advanced CT Based Image Tracking for Next Generation Research).
During her undergraduate degree at the University of Manitoba, Jessie was exposed to the work of the Orthopedic Innovation Centre by her instructor, Sara Gustafson, who taught a course on the Applications of Engineering in Medicine and who is one of OIC’s technical leads.
Jessie is excited to be working with the team of Biomedical Engineers at OIC. “Biomedical Engineering is a small community that is strong and driven within Manitoba.”
We welcome Jessie to the Concordia Arthroplasty Research team and look forward to sharing our values and goals with her and others as we focus on training the next generation of researchers.
Sophia Matricardi
Sophia Matricardi, completed her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering at Carlton University in Ottawa in 2024. She joined the research team in August 2024 and has shown determination to work with Concordia and OIC because of the reputation that we are building in the industry. Her determination and persistence to work with us are only part of our attraction to her.
Sophia will lead three significant projects that are groundbreaking, impactful, and crucial to our team’s progress.
Sophia focuses on custom test development and execution for an array of interesting biomechanical studies. We know Sophia’s passion and enthusiasm for biomedical engineering in orthopedics will support medical device companies that require cadaveric testing while expanding OIC’s expertise in this field and fueling the research with the Concordia Arthroplasty Research Chair.