Class of 2026: Cole Stelter aims to engineer better human health
Name: Cole Stelter
College: College of Engineering
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: Engineering Science and Mechanics
Hometown: Daleville, Virginia
Plans after graduation: Continuing his research with the Kim Lab as he works toward his master's degree in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Cole Stelter came to Virginia Tech ahead of the game. Born in South Dakota, he moved to Virginia in 2012 and found his passion for biomedical engineering — and Virginia Tech — early on.
“I’ve always loved Virginia Tech,” Stelter said. “We went to games all the time growing up, and once I toured the biomedical engineering department, I was completely sold. I haven’t had a single regret.”
Research that makes an impact
Through his high school’s engineering program, he became interested in bioprinting. “We worked with a bioprinter and even printed materials using algae,” he said. “That was my first exposure to the idea that engineering could directly impact human health.”
Now that's become his passion.
As a sophomore, Stelter joined the Kim Lab, led by Oleg Kim, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. “Dr. Kim was the first professor who responded to my email, and we met that same day,” Stelter recalled. “Once I met the lab and the graduate students, I knew it was where I wanted to be.”
In Kim’s lab, Stelter researched the effects of saliva on blood clotting mechanics in oral wound healing, discovering that saliva significantly reduces the time required for clot formation. Those findings could inform future clinical approaches.
For his senior design capstone project, Stelter focused on an innovative solution for peripheral nerve injuries. Collaborating with clinicians from Carilion Clinic orthopedics, his team is developing an implantable nerve-stretching device designed to improve recovery outcomes after nerve severance.
“Instead of relying on nerve grafts, which often only restore about half of motor and sensory function, our goal is to allow the nerve to reconnect naturally,” Stelter explained. “That could dramatically improve recovery.”
Balancing work, service, and academics
Outside the lab, Stelter stays busy serving as vice president of the Virginia Tech chapter of Project S.E.R.V.E. He joined the group during his freshman year and quickly moved into leadership roles.
“It was the perfect blend of engineering and service,” he said. “Being able to design something that directly helps someone is incredibly motivating.”
He has also worked about 25 hours per week at a local Sheetz, often starting his shifts at 5 a.m. He credits careful time management, and strong support from faculty, for making it possible.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have professors who want their students to succeed,” he said. “The support in this department is something special.”
What’s next
Stelter ultimately found his passion in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, a field he plans to continue to study here at Virginia Tech and in the Kim Lab, after graduating in just three years. Eventually he hopes to earn a Ph.D.
“I came in knowing I wanted to go to graduate school, but it wasn’t until I got hands-on research experience that I knew a Ph.D. was the right path,” he said.
Stelter’s long-term goal is to enter industry. He’d eventually like to start his own consulting company. “I want to take research and help translate it into real-world solutions,” he said.
