Tasin Malik is a senior studying Civil Engineering at the University of Michigan. She is the Co-founder and Co-lead for BLUElab Bangladesh, a project team trying to promote technological development in rural Bangladesh through multidisciplinary and sustainable engineering solutions. Previously she was part of BLUElab Green Urban Design, another project team that focuses on researching and implementing stormwater management systems in Ann Arbor, MI. She played an instrumental role in helping the team implement rain gardens in A2-STEAM, a local Ann Arbor school, and assist the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner in researching stormwater runoff after the city installed new rain gardens on Miller Ave. She is also a member of the E-Board of the Bangladeshi Student Association, a student organization at the University of Michigan working to unite students of Bangladeshi background during social and volunteering events and fundraisers that spread awareness of the culture. She is currently working as a drafting assistant at the Architecture, Engineering & Construction department at the University of Michigan.
Derek Tan, Co-Lead & Design Sub-Team Lead
Derek Tan is a senior studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. He is the Co-founder and Co-lead of BLUElab Bangladesh, a student organization that focuses on implementing Engineering solutions in rural Bangladesh. In addition, he is the Vice-president of the Singaporean Student Association, organizing monthly casual sessions for Singaporeans to get together. Also, he had served in the Military for 2 years as an Officer in a mortar platoon for the Guard Battalion, having 35 other sergeants and troopers under his charge. In his spare time, he loves to play the piano and to spend engage with intellectual conversations with his peers.
Faatimah Raisa, Finance Sub-Team Lead
Faatimah Raisa is a senior studying Economics at the University of Michigan. Raisa is a researcher at the Michigan Clinical Outcomes Research and Reporting Program at the UMHS Frankel Cardiovascular Center. Currently, she is working on multiple projects in public health and health economics, including the creation of an international obesity prevention program and juvenile health database with the University of Michigan and Harvard University. She is also working with the University of Michigan to include Bangladesh in the clinical trials of the My Heart Your Heart Pacemaker Reutilization Program. In her spare time, Raisa enjoys teaching at both the Ann Arbor Math Olympiad Co-operation and Project Healthy Schools.
Rumi Deb, Culture/Language Sub-Team Lead
Rumi Deb is a current junior studying Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Michigan. She is working with BLUElab Bangladesh to ensure that members of the BLUElab Bangladesh team are familiarized with the culture of and the languages spoken by the people in Bangladesh. She is also the Vice President for the Bangladeshi Student Association at UMich, helping to bring together and organize events for Bangladeshi students on campus. When she’s not busy, Rumi enjoys cooking and watching shows on Netflix.
Abrar Iqbal, Member
Abrar Iqbal is currently a sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. He works with BlueLab Bangladesh and helps bridge the cultural gap between the students in Michigan and rural Bangladesh. He is an international student from Bangladesh, where he is the co-founder of a startup T-Shirt business. He has worked with multiple NGO’s in Bangladesh namely Jaago, Durnibar Foundation, Ekmattra Society and Spreeha Foundation Ltd. At Spreeha he worked to educate and cater to primary medical needs the underprivileged youth in the targeted urban slums of Dhaka. He is a veteran Scout Patrol Leader and has led his patrol into multiple uncharted hikes earning the Progress Badge. He is a mentor to his high school Math Olympiad Club, Physics Olympiad Club and Debate Club. He is a member of STARX, a student organization at the university that engineers mechanical exoskeletons to enhance physical functions. He holds a diploma in bengali classical music. When he’s not asleep, he loves playing soccer, singing, hanging out with his friends and taking deep dive conversations into any topic whatsoever.
Nathan Hu, Member
Nathan Hu is a junior studying Civil Engineering at the University of Michigan. He is a member of the design sub-team of BLUElab Bangladesh which focuses on the design implementation as well as calculations. Nathan formerly worked in the School of Environment and Sustainability looking at animal interactions to improve ecosystem sustainability as a biology major but after a change of heart and some experimentation decided to pursue engineering. He has worked at his local Boys and Girls Club as a volunteer back home as well as interned in Hawaii in the summer of 2017 tagging sharks. Through BLUElab he hopes to learn more about sustainable solutions as well as familiarize himself with social engaged design in order to nurture his desire to be an entrepreneur. During his free time, he enjoys dancing, exercising, and exploring the outdoors.
Benjamin Wier, Member
Ben Wier is a senior at the University of Michigan studying Environmental Engineering with a minor in Community Action & Social Change. He is from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ben works with the BLUElab Bangladesh design subteam and also helps run the team’s social media pages. Previously, he has worked in urban planning and art promotion clubs. He has also volunteered for local government campaigns as well as a youth center in Inkster. Currently he works in the Batterman Labs to implement a system for monitoring air quality near construction sites in Detroit and Dearborn. In his free time, he likes to experiment in writing and theatre.
Jocelyn Marchyok, Member
Jocelyn Marchyok is a senior at the University of Michigan studying Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Sustainable Engineering. She is a part of the BLUElab Bangladesh design subteam and is interested in finding sustainable solutions to a wide range of problems that people face stemming from food, energy, and water insecurities. She has volunteered and studied throughout the world to learn from a diverse range of people while immersing herself in different cultures. She has previously worked with EKARI, an NGO in Malawi, Africa, to help educate underprivileged secondary school students, done research in the Chemical Engineering department, was a previous member of the Biogas Local BLUElab team, and is a part of the professional environment fraternity, Epsilon Eta. She is currently studying in China to learn about clean energy and has an internship at a Nuclear Power Plant in Shanghai. When she’s not busy, she loves hiking, watching Netflix, and spending time with her loving family and friends.