Motivation to Innovation: Passion for Improving Lives
Shaghayegh Mesforoush portrait. Photo sourced from LinkedIn.
Shaghayegh Mesforoush, PhD ’26, electrical and computer engineering, is a graduate researcher at eSOIL at Northeastern. Shaqo values hand-on experiences and uses her passion for positive impact to pioneer innovative research in the medical field.
Shaghayegh “Shaqo” Mesforoush is currently pursuing a PhD in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) at Northeastern University. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering at Islamic Azad University and Amirkabir University of Technology, respectively. Between her undergraduate and master’s pursuits, Shaqo worked in industry, but it was during her master’s that she decided to branch out beyond electrical engineering to explore both medical and mechanical influences.
After her master’s, Shaqo returned to industry, working in Spain before next pursuing a PhD. She was introduced to Northeastern through friends that attended, and her admiration grew as she experienced a welcoming community throughout her application process. By connecting with researchers at the university, she realized that their research goals aligned with her own, and upon arrival, she joined the Electronic Surfaces and Organic Interfaces Lab (eSOIL) at Northeastern.
Research and internship
Shaqo trying on her electrodes in the lab. Courtesy Photo.
At eSOIL, Shaqo focuses on the study of organic electronics. Their overall goal is to create electronics for the medical field using organic materials to ensure safer integration between patients and the devices. Shaqo’s most recent project involves designing electrodes for tests like EKGs and EMGs that adhere more comfortably to patients, including a tattoo-like electrode that the patient does not feel. They are also working on a transparent version for people who may need to wear them routinely outside of the hospital, prioritizing patient comfort and user-friendliness.
Beyond her coursework, Shaqo is grateful for the LEADERs program, a graduate student initiative focused on professional development and securing internships. The program taught her valuable lessons about leadership, particularly the importance of self-awareness as a foundation for leading others. Through LEADERs, Shaqo secured her most recent internship at BioSens8 as a research intern. Her main project involved building hormone sensors for targets like progesterone, work that supports her research interests. As she put it, “It aligned with my background and everything that I have done, and everything that I want to do in the future.”
Mentorship and extracurriculars
Shaqo deeply values the connection she has developed with the dean of the College of Engineering, Professor Gregory Abowd. His approachability surprised her—she had not experienced such accessibility from leadership at her previous institutions. Throughout her PhD, Abowd has been a consistent presence. Whether she needed someone to listen when experiments went awry or to celebrate her successes, he was always available. Looking back, she says it would have been “a sad thing” not to have his mentorship during her doctoral journey. As she puts it, “His support was something very meaningful to me.”
Shaqo really appreciates the opportunity she had to serve as Vice President of the ECE PhD Student Association at Northeastern. She joined not only for the camaraderie, but also to have a chance to enhance the ECE program through the development of community activities and events. She helped organize guest speakers’ sessions, escape rooms outings, and themed parties.
One event that particularly stands out was the “Science Slam” she organized — and open-mic-style showcase where students presented their research through brief entertaining stories. The goal wasn’t to impress with technical complexity but to practice communicating science accessibly and engagingly. Shaqo found her time in the organization invaluable for combating burnout. By creating fun, community-focused events, she reminded herself and her peers why they pursued PhDs in the first place: because “science is fun.”
Her future
As she concludes her PhD studies, Shaqo advises other graduate students to understand their lab’s situation before joining and to avoid comparing themselves to peers. She explains that both established and newer labs offer distinct advantages—established labs provide proven infrastructure and mentorship, while newer labs often allow more freedom to explore and share ideas. Ultimately, she emphasizes that every PhD journey is unique, and comparing yourself to others serves no purpose.
Shaqo attending MRS 2025. Courtesy Photo.
She also encourages students to seek out diverse experiences. “Get out and experience things if you’re interested in something”, she advises. “Don’t be afraid to move to different countries, different cities—try to gain as much experience as you can.” Shaqo has pursued numerous internships across various locations and has no regrets. As she reflects, these experiences “help shape your future,” rom her own journey, she’s learned that diverse experiences broaden your understanding of what you’re capable of achieving.
Shaqo needs hands-on experience before committing to a path. Having worked with both companies and academia, she’s discovered she favors the startup environment, where she can see the bigger vision and understand how her projects contribute to that goal. Yet her own non-linear journey has taught her that opportunities can emerge anywhere, and she remains open to different possibilities.
What matters most to Shaqo is knowing her work helps people. As she puts it, “I need to know my work is going to matter.” With her passion for impact and the experience she’s gained at Northeastern, Shaqo will continue creating patient-centered innovations in the medical fieldwork she knows will make a tangible difference in people’s lives.