BIO
Dr. Bandula Wijay was born in Sri Lanka to parents who were both school principals, and he has two older sisters. From an early age Dr. Wijay was drawn to science and innovation and decided to pursue his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in India. Subsequently, he received the Fulbright scholarship to attend the University of Southern California to complete a masters in mechanical engineering and a PhD in chemical engineering. During his PhD work, Dr. Wijay delved into the medical device industry and was drawn to building cardiovascular medical devices. Through his professional experience, Dr. Wijay focused on pump inflated balloons for balloon angioplasty, nested loop stents, and more. He has built several medical technology startups focused on building innovative class three medical devices, most of which have been absorbed by larger medical technology companies. Dr. Wijay has about 30 inventions to his name and is currently working on more. In this interview, Dr. Wijay speaks about his early childhood in Sri Lanka and how his parents encouraged his educational pursuits. He compares the various educational experiences he has had from different countries as well as how he entered an entrepreneurial role in his profession. He discusses the journey to building his startups and the trials he faced along the way and his role acting as a bridge between American and Sri Lankan scientists. Dr. Wijay also speaks on his culture and faith and advice he has for individuals in deciding their paths.