Maria Erquiaga

Mechanical Engineering, The Catholic University of America

Maria Erquiaga is originally from Sarasota, Florida. In 2024, she earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. While there, she became the first undergraduate student to be invited into both Tau Beta Pi and Phi Beta Kappa, the engineering and arts and sciences honor societies, respectively, and she was recognized with the President’s Award, the highest honor bestowed on a graduating senior at CUA.

She served as chapter president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, president of Tau Beta Pi, and vice president of CUA’s academic quizbowl team; she also assisted with material design and characterization efforts in the Integrated Biomicrofluidics Laboratory and developed a novel sensing prosthetic with her senior design team. Beyond academics and research, Maria spearheaded volunteer programs with women’s clinics and maternity resource centers in the D.C. area and volunteered as a vocalist at multiple community events.

Maria came to EnMed in the hopes of integrating her engineering background within her medical education to crosslink her existing and developing skills and to innovate solutions for patients in need. Considering medicine to be care for the whole human person, Maria holds that engineering and applied solutions are an integral aspect of caring for people as well as possible. She plans to continue her engineering and other interests in tandem with medicine in pursuit of personal and professional excellence. Outside of engineering and medicine, Maria enjoys hiking, reading, and working odd jobs as a volunteer and professional vocalist.