Student Profile: Chimkasinma Mbakwe
Congratulations to Chimkasinma Mbakwe, May 2026 graduate and recipient of the 2026 Bioengineering Service Award! This award recognizes one graduating senior for exceptional achievements and dedication to serving the community, in addition to maintaining high academic performance.
An international student from Nigeria, Chimkasinma loves people, loves giving back, and found that bioengineering is where all of her passions intersect.
“In BioE I didn’t feel boxed in compared to other majors. I was very interested in math at some point, and biology, and chemistry, and I really like public health. The things I’m interested in tie into one – being impactful, and BioE can be a very impactful field. Giving back to the world should very much be a priority.”
Coming to Berkeley was in some ways a leap of faith for her. While other schools were offering more support up front, she chose to come here trusting that she would figure out scholarships, opportunities, and support systems when she arrived. Acceptance to the Bioengineering Scholars Program (BioESP) her freshman year helped her feel welcome and provided early experience with intensive research.
“There isn’t a lot of Black representation in research, and sometimes you have to be your own inspiration. The invitation to BioESP felt like encouragement to step in and take up space within the bioengineering program. Without that, I might have felt like those opportunities weren’t meant for me. Instead, it showed me that I could do it, and that I belonged here. And being here, I’ve really valued the support and the work experiences I’ve gained.”
Giving back is a constant theme in her life, most recently becoming a leader in student organizations that she relied upon as a freshman, including the Nigerian Students Club and Biomedical Engineering Society, and being a Resident Assistant.
“Berkeley can be difficult, and people do struggle at times. Because of that, it’s important to me to support others. I try to make sure they feel like they belong and know that they deserve to be at the school, regardless of how they may feel about their abilities.”
Outside class, Chimkasinma volunteers with the Berkeley Free Clinic Medic/Extreme Medicine team and does research in the Royle Lab on natural killer cells, specifically studying their mechanisms, such as sensitization and desensitization. She also continues to work with partners in Nigeria on a nonprofit she started during COVID called the Kid in Need Society, which provides resources like laptops and learning tools to students who need but can’t afford them. The Center of African Studies provided funding this year to expand the project.
Now that she has graduated, she plans to work for a year or two and then go to medical school, with the long-term goal of returning to Africa and helping to improve the healthcare system.