Michael Birman's knowledge of chemical processes and other principles of chemical engineering will be valuable as he pursues medical research. Birman's activities included serving as a resident adviser.
By Tony Fitzpatrick
May 18, 2001
Michael Birman's status as an Eagle Scout no doubt helped prepare him for the rigors of the University's academic life. But perhaps it is his immigrant experience that sparked his drive to reach out to others.
Michael Birman's knowledge of chemical processes and other principles of chemical engineering will be valuable as he pursues medical research. Birman's activities included serving as a resident adviser. |
Birman, from Chesterfield, Mo., is the son of Victor and Anna Birman, who emigrated from Russia to Israel. His father earned a doctorate at the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) and worked in the aerospace industry, while his mother continued her studies at the Technion.
Birman came to the United States in 1984 when he was 5 years old. He knew no English when he was enrolled at a New Orleans kindergarten. He was aided by a young friend, a fellow immigrant from Iran named Mehdi, who could sense that the new kid in the class was a bit bewildered. The two became fast friends, and the transition from the mother tongue of Russian to English came so quickly and smoothly that Birman could not remember his native language. He does remember that his first meal in America was at a McDonald's, and he and his sister Shirley, now a sophomore engineering student at the University, found the food distasteful.
Birman is graduating with degrees in biomedical and chemical engineering and carries a 4.0 grade-point average. He plans to be an orthopedic surgeon and is looking forward to attending Baylor College of Medicine this fall.
His University years have been highlighted by extraordinary community service and an inexhaustible intellectual curiosity that drove him to work three summers in three different medical laboratories to garner as many medical experiences as possible. For four years, he has volunteered his time and services with the Campus Y. Through the Y's Alternative Spring Break program, Birman has gone to a Navajo Indian reservation, the tiny Caribbean country of Belize, and to a small town in Louisiana, helping in a variety of community service projects. His spent his senior year as a resident adviser (RA) on the second floor of Danforth Hall, a freshman residence.
"It's been lots of fun being an RA," Birman said. "You start out helping students to adjust to new surroundings, and over time you develop true friendships with them. I've learned so much from them and am so glad I had this opportunity."
To help the freshmen he guides appreciate the beauty of Missouri, this spring Birman arranged a trip to Johnson Shut-ins and Elephant Rocks state parks to savor the Ozarks, a region he has loved since coming to the St. Louis area as a 10-year-old.
"This is my favorite place in Missouri, and we had a great day," he said. "Lots of times, students just stay in St. Louis for four years and miss out on the bigger picture of what it's like to be here."
When he started his studies at the University in 1997, Birman decided to pursue majors in both the biomedical and chemical engineering fields. His interest in these fields was ignited during high school when he shadowed an orthopedic surgeon and observed how biomedical engineering affects medical progress. It was also clear to him that the knowledge of chemical processes and other principles of chemical engineering would be valuable in successfully pursuing medical research.
Birman's interest in medicine strengthened with his various research and service activities at the University. These include volunteering at St. Louis Children's Hospital and working as a researcher in the cardiovascular biophysics laboratory in summer 1998; in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in 1999; and in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology in 2000.
"Such broad exposure to various aspects of medicine was invaluable," Birman said. "My experiences varied from learning how to infer information from the four basic sounds to dissecting cadavers to understanding spinal disease.
"My experiences at Washington University also have been very valuable in making me a better leader and organizer. I've been influenced by many wonderful people, and I treasure my time here. I am indebted to many outstanding professors whom I learned from during my studies."
After the demanding pace Birman set for himself at the University, he plans to take a natural retreat this summer, serving as a camp counselor at Camp Taum Sauk in Lesterville, Mo.
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