About Me

Hi! My name is Lia Gomez-Perez and I am a fourth year Eminence Fellow and Goldwater Scholar at The Ohio State University. I am originally from Montevideo, Uruguay and immigrated to Shaker Heights, Ohio when I was 6 years old.

I will be graduating in the Spring of 2023 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, minors in Computer & Information Science and Business through the Integrated Business & Engineering Honors Program, and Honors Research Distinction. In the future, I plan to attend graduate school for a PhD in Biomedical Engineering specializing in bioimaging and machine learning. During my undergraduate research career, I have been part of 4 different biomedical imaging labs at Johns Hopkins University, Case Western Reserve University, and The Ohio State University, confirming my interest in this field. Throughout graduate school and my future career, I aim to apply my scientific knowledge and research skills towards the invention of low-cost medical technologies that are accessible on a global scale. In order to directly impact clinical practice and improve patients’ quality of life, I also aim to take my research from bench to bedside through opportunities within the medical device industry or entrepreneurship.

I am also Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Vocalize Columbus, a nonprofit dedicated to improving health outcomes and patient experience for limited English proficiency (LEP) patients. Studies have shown that LEP individuals are more financially vulnerable than the average American, affecting their access to quality healthcare. Tens of thousands of limited English proficiency individuals live in the Columbus area, many of whom rely on free clinics that cannot adequately provide for their linguistic needs. The language barrier hinders effective caregiver-patient communication, negatively impacting health outcomes and medication compliance, and causing other health disparities. Thus, we provide free video interpretation services to help free clinics better serve their LEP patient population.

Please feel free to contact me at gomez-perez.3@osu.edu. Thanks for reading!