Michael Shih

Michael Shih is a graduate student at UC San Diego pursuing a Master’s degree in Bioengineering, with prior experience as the Chemical Synthesis Team Lead at the Innovative Biomaterials Laboratory at the University of California, Riverside. In this role, Michael specializes in synthesizing photosensitive polymers and bio-ink precursors, leading a team of five undergraduates to produce high-purity materials for bioprinting and cell culturing experiments. Additionally, Michael has served as an Undergraduate Research Assistant focusing on bioink creation and polymerization, as well as a Program Advisor for Academics, enhancing engineering experiences for first-year students. As the lead game designer for Team MorningBirds, an indie game group, Michael has developed two games involving artwork, music composition, and coding. Michael also held leadership roles within Tzu Chi USA, where responsibilities included being the Student Body President and managing IT operations. Michael earned a Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from UC Riverside, following a high school diploma from Los Osos High School.