Kavya Shah '29: The right place for bold ideas

As a first-year student at UMass Dartmouth, bioengineering major Kavya Shah '29 took a big swing. She had an idea for a revolutionary product, and with the support of her professors, she set out to find an industry partner who could help bring it to life. 

When her initial outreach to potential manufacturers didn’t lead anywhere, Kavya kept looking for the right connection. Her persistence eventually opened the door to Intrinsic Advanced Materials (IAM), a joint venture between Intrinsic Textiles Group and Parkdale Advanced Materials and developer of CiCLO biodegradable technology. IAM has since partnered with UMass Dartmouth's Biodegradability Lab to help advance Shah's idea for an eco-friendly medical syringe.  

Shah says UMass Dartmouth has given her opportunities to gain hands-on experience and work on projects that she would not have had otherwise. It’s a place where a student with a big idea can get the personal support to pursue it, and the expertise, partnerships and resources to take it from an idea to something real. 

Where ambition meets opportunity 

Shah had big dreams. The first step was to find the right place to begin. "I chose UMass Dartmouth because it is one of the best universities for affordability and the course of study I wanted to take. It was once my ambition to be a doctor, but I realized bioengineering is another way to make a difference in healthcare and help save lives. If we can make medical equipment more accessible and sustainable, we can help prevent loss of life while reducing environmental pollution."  

During her first months on campus, Shah seized the opportunity to get hands-on engineering experience. "I didn't want to waste any time. I got straight to work! 

"Being here is my childhood dream come true," Shah explained. "Where I come from, access to hands-on experience like this is limited; there are simply far more students than there are opportunities available. Here, I have the chance to do things I wouldn't have had otherwise, like working in the Biodegradability Lab."  

While searching for jobs on campus, Shah learned about opportunities for undergraduates at the Biodegradability Lab at the School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST). "I realized it was a good connection to bioengineering," Shah said. "The idea of replacing plastics with biodegradable materials is a huge area to explore."

"The professors here are amazing. They appreciate and support students wanting to learn beyond the classroom."

Where big ideas find the right support 

While the Biodegradability Lab gave Shah the opportunity to explore the intersection of engineering and sustainable materials, it also gave her the environment to pursue an idea of her own. 

"Syringes are one of the most common medical devices, and one of the most difficult to discard," she explained. "Syringes must be sent to a special processing facility and sterilized before they can be incinerated or disposed of. Often, they end up in landfills, or are improperly disposed of, which can lead to contamination and excess plastic waste. My goal is to develop a syringe that can replicate the strength and standard of plastic but can self-degrade under the right conditions, so it won't end up in the natural environment forever."  

Chris Ward, director of the Biodegradability Lab, and Dapeng Li of the Bioengineering Department encouraged Shah to pursue her ideas. "Kavya brought an ambitious idea to the lab, and through mentorship, hands-on research and collaboration with industry, she’s been able to take that idea further. That’s exactly what we hope to provide our students: the opportunity to explore their ideas and the support to see where they can go." 

"The professors here are amazing," Shah said. "They appreciate and support students wanting to learn beyond the classroom. As an aspiring engineer, it's an honor to work in the lab and to be trusted to do this work. It can be intimidating to jump into this kind of hands-on work as a first- or second-year student, but you're not doing it alone."  

But it was Shah herself who reached out to IAM and made the connection that would launch a partnership between the university and the biodegradable technology company. In the spring of 2026, IAM Vice President of Advanced Materials Cheryl Smyre and Director of Strategic Accounts and Global Apparel Brand Sales Chad Bolick traveled to visit the Biodegradability Lab and celebrate their collaboration.  

"I couldn't believe that a company in North Carolina would be moved by the ideas of one student in Massachusetts," Shah said. "Our next steps will be to do more tests and see how far we can take this idea." 

Where connections make a community 

Outside the lab, Shah is similarly ambitious about seizing every opportunity, from the Badminton Club and Indian Students Association to MassPIRG and Society of Women in Engineering. "There's a vibrant international community here on campus," she said. "I'm not someone who wants to be shut in my room all the time – there's always something to do!"  

One of her favorite campus experiences is working as an orientation leader with the International Student Scholar Center: "I'm grateful for the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world and meet their families who have traveled far and wide to be here. Even though we may not speak the same language, I want them to feel welcome and to know their student is in a good place." 

Shah has only just begun her journey, but she’s already making the most of the opportunities around her. At UMass Dartmouth, she has found the freedom to think big, the support to pursue her ideas and a community that makes her feel at home.