Mark Barahman, a Macaulay Honors College (MHC) graduate who received his BS in Biochemistry, has been accepted into the Albert Einstein College of Medicine MDPhD program. During his time at CSI and MHC, Barahman received a number of prestigious honors, including a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, a first in the history of CSI, and a Phi Beta Kappa Associates Award. He worked in two laboratories at the College—the neuroscience lab of Professor Abdeslem El Idrissi and the chemistry lab of Professor Alan Lyons, performing research related to super-hydrophobic surfaces. One of Barahman’s most notable accomplishments under Dr. Lyons was the construction and programming of a robotic printer that prints in three dimensions (3D) on a microscopic scale.

Barahman grew up in Israel, working as a teenager as a first responder for MDA (Magen David Adom, or Red Star of David), an emergency medical organization, which is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He immigrated to Brooklyn in August 2006. During the summer of 2010, Barahman participated in NYU/Bellevue Hospital’s prestigious Project HealthCare summer program, in which he was able to work in the emergency room and operating room, where he interacted closely with patients and the hospital staff, as well as assisted with clinical research projects and work on the annual Bellevue health fair.

Looking back on his experiences at CSI and MHC, he said, “My time with the Honors College has been the most self-constructive in my life. I have learned, experienced, traveled, presented my work to experts, won awards, and most importantly – enjoyed the company of a terrific group of individuals. Every facet of my experience with the Macaulay Honors College at CSI has helped me shape my career aspirations – especially my research at CSI and clinical experience at Bellevue Hospital. Both of these were facilitated by the Macaulay Honors College and CSI staff dedicated to orienting students in their careers. Other accomplishments, such as winning the Goldwater Scholarship and gaining acceptance to one of the most prestigious graduate programs in the country, came from the breadth of opportunities provided by the amazing experience Macaulay is responsible for and the guidance of dedicated staff and faculty.”

Although he said that he can’t predict his exact career path after Albert Einstein, Barahman noted that he is “interested in working in the field of biomedical engineering – especially tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. I am hoping to work both as a scientist, making discoveries and contributing significantly in these fields,
and also practicing medicine in a capacity that allows me to utilize my findings – effectively translating basic research into true clinical impact.