Kara Peak is a PhD student in the bioengineering department.

From North Texas, Kara is in the sixth and final year of her PhD program. After defending her dissertation, the last step in her journey to earn a PhD, Kara will become a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota. She currently works in Dr. Victor Varner’s lab within the bioengineering department, researching developmental biomechanics of lung airway branching morphogenesis, the process that causes an organism to develop its shape.

Before she came to UTD, Kara earned her undergraduate degree in chemical and biochemical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

In her time at UT Dallas, Kara has loved becoming involved with activism groups to affect positive change. She was heavily involved with the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA), which is the governing body for graduate students at UT Dallas that works to improve the grad-student experience.

Outside of her research, Kara likes to visit with friends and walk her 7.5-year-old rescue dog, Ruby, who helps her de-stress and get outside when she’s not at work.

Follow along to see Kara’s day and discover some of what UTD has to offer.