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February 26, 2026

When she was younger, IEEE Senior Member Suelia Fleury Rosa dreamed of becoming a doctor. But she didn’t think she would be able to go to college. A scholarship to a college preparatory program changed that. Today, she builds the tools that doctors use to save lives.

For Fleury Rosa, there wasn’t a single spark that changed everything. Instead, she progressed in her studies and began to see that developing new solutions was actually within her reach.  

How did you decide to pursue your field of research?  

I work in biomedical engineering now. I always wanted to be a doctor. As a minority student with few resources and parents who didn’t go to school, college didn’t seem like a good idea at first. 

Someone kindly offered me a scholarship to attend a college-preparatory school, which changed my mind about that. I attended an intensive college-preparatory program during the day and finished my last year of high school at night because of this opportunity. I came to understand that I could really get a higher education during that time.

What ultimately guided your career choices? 

I chose an engineering degree because I thought it would be a more realistic and useful career choice. After I got my engineering degree, I really wanted to get back in touch with my natural calling to help others. That quest for meaning eventually led me to biomedical engineering, where technical rigor and human impact come together naturally.

What advice would you give the next generation on how to build an enduring career?

The most important thing about my work is my students and how they affect other people’s lives. I don’t think that anything we make is really transformative unless we also help people become better people in the process.

Interested in becoming an IEEE member?

Suelia de Siqueira Rodrigues Fleury Rosa headshot

Suelia de Siqueira Rodrigues Fleury Rosa

IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society

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