The Right Stuff

Christina Davis ’22 was only one month into a new job when both engineers and clinicians with her new company agreed she was ready to lead an on-site clinical research trial at a teaching hospital in Texas.

In the role as clinical engineer for Raydiant Oximetry, Davis oversaw testing the prototype of a noninvasive sensor technology that measures fetal oxygen saturation levels of a child during labor.

Russ DeLonzor, president and chief operating officer at Raydiant Oximetry, said he and his team felt completely confident tasking Davis with this level of responsibility, despite her being a recent college graduate, because the interaction he’s had with Davis while he served as a member of the External Advisory Board for the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

“She demonstrated that UC Davis had prepared her for a dynamic work environment,” he said.

Industry week

DeLonzor met Davis during a career networking event hosted by the Biomedical Engineering Society student group called Industry Week. DeLonzor, who has been a member of BME’s advisory board for nearly 10 years, was motivated to participate because he was eager to share what industry professionals are looking for with potential employees, thus helping to prepare BME students for their future career hunts.

“I think that’s one place all of us can really help. When you have an industry week, volunteer some time and answer questions,” DeLonzor said.

Persistence pays off

DeLonzor said many of the questions he fielded were students wanting to know how to get their first job. DeLonzor gave his direct phone number, email, and a piece of advice—be persistent.

Davis heeded this advice. DeLonzor was impressed with Davis' ability to clearly express her interests that aligned with specific goals to the company, as well as her involvement in things outside of the classroom, including BME clubs, mentorship opportunities and make-a-thons.

“That’s how I look at most internship resumes. The coursework is pretty standard, but you’re really looking for those things that students do outside the classroom with their free time,” DeLonzor said.

An interesting internship

In April 2021, Davis received an internship with Raydiant. In that role, she worked as part of a team to set up and collect data in a clinical setting on prototype systems for improved fetal monitoring. She also worked on collaborative project gathering data on dolphin brain activity using a Raydiant prototype, working on dolphins from the Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage in Las Vegas.

During the internships, the team at Raydiant were impressed with Davis’ engineering knowledge, work ethic and ability to stay “cool and calm under fire.”

DeLonzor continued, “For example, when things don’t work like they should in the clinical environment and temperatures start to rise, she doesn’t buckle under the pressure.”

Because of this, when it came time to grow their team, Raydiant started recruiting Davis for a full-time position even before she graduated.

Multi-disciplinary, hands-on experience makes Davis stand out

DeLonzor also noted that Davis’ experience at UC Davis working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and in a research lab made her stand out among other candidates.

“UC Davis has a good, broad degree in biomedical engineering, so she had a lot of general engineering knowledge that was important. But one of the things that got my attention was she was a research assistant in a neuromuscular lab there,” he said.

Perks of serving on EAB

In the competitive labor market, DeLonzor said he was glad to be connected to the College of Engineering because it gave him the chance to meet students and pre-screen potential candidates for open positions at Raydiant.

“Because I was on the advisory board it gave me the opportunity to be a part of Industry Week,” he said, “and that’s what really opened the door to finding good candidates.”

Finding good employees is just one of the perks of serving on the BME advisory board, according to DeLonzor.

“I definitely recommend serving on the board. I’ve met a lot of really interesting people. I always enjoy those meetings,” he said. “Discussing general trends, not just at UC Davis but across the industry. Plus, seeing the BME discipline grow and evolve since I first got involved, has been really fascinating.”