Benjamin Staedicke

Growing up in Arizona, Benjamin Staedicke always saw Arizona State University as an essential part of the Phoenix community. So when it came time to choose a college, selecting the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU felt like a natural selection.

“With over 300 days of sunshine a year and the opportunity to be a part of Barrett, The Honors College, the choice was clear,” Staedicke says.

His personal and family experiences with health care led him to pursue biomedical engineering, blending his engineering skills with a desire to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Staedicke was surprised by the variety of course opportunities offered within the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering. “I’ve taken courses ranging from physics, organic chemistry, coding and systems and yet all these topics come together in biomedical engineering,” he says.

His biggest aha moment came during a summer internship at Northrop Grumman, working in the Mission Assurance Manufacturing Launch Vehicle Division.

“At first, I was nervous because biomedical engineering isn’t aerospace, but I quickly realized that everything would be fine because engineering teaches us how to think critically and solve various problems,” Staedicke says.

As a Grand Challenges Scholar, Staedicke successfully completed a biomedical engineering capstone project and honors thesis.

His dedication to his academic pursuits has been recognized through numerous awards and recognitions including, the New American University President’s Award, the Sun Devil State Award, the Samantha Stachel Play Big Scholarship, the Northrop Grumman Employee’s Children Scholarship and the Fulton Schools Graduate Scholarship.

He credits Michael Sobrado, his capstone professor, as a key mentor.

“Professor Sobrado has always been there to listen to ideas and provide feedback that improved my designs,” Staedicke says.

In fall 2024, his capstone team won the best team award for their research on rapid heating of fluids for robotic surgery.

Staedicke also volunteered at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and joined the hospital’s summer intensive volunteer program, working closely with patients and staff.

Additionally, he participated in many leadership experiences, including being an intramural softball team captain for three years. He was also part of the ASU pickleball club, where he perfected his serve.

Staedicke’s next step after graduation will be continuing at ASU to earn an Accelerated Master’s degree in biomedical engineering. “I want to combine creativity and problem-solving to tackle real-world problems, especially in health care,” he says.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ spring 2025 class here.