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Alumni Stories

Where Are BEAM Alumni Now?

What are they doing? What do they have to say about their time in BEAM? Explore our BEAM alumni stories below to find out. 

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    Laura Wegner dressed in graduation regalia.
    Class of 2023: BEAM Outstanding Senior Laura Wenger , article

    Laura is open to and ready for what the future holds, saying, "Growing in the program really prepared me for the lifelong journey ahead and for that I'm very thankful."

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    BEAM alumnus Didier Lefebvre
    Didier Lefebvre

    "I studied engineering science and mechanics when joining Virginia Tech in the 1980s. Thirty years later, I'm a senior scientist in the biotechnology industry responsible for creating engineering solutions to drug delivery and personalized medicine."

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    BEAM alumnus Daniel Surinach, far right
    Daniel Surinach

    “The ability to conduct high-level research at an undergraduate level really complimented the analytical concepts that were covered in class, and granted students the opportunity to apply themselves in areas of novel research."

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    Beam alumnus Mike Fisher
    Mike Fisher

    "I‘m a product development leader for medical devices. My BEAM education experience provided the engineering finesse to approach complex problems, reduce them to manageable terms, and use data to justify design and testing decisions."

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    Alexandra Hyler
    Alexandra Hyler

    “My Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the Virginia Tech – Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences provided me with diverse opportunities and experiences, including a Fulbright year to Denmark, serving fellow graduate students, and investigating cancer progression.”

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    Patrick Thayer
    Patrick Thayer

    "The networks I have developed at Virginia Tech have also continued through ongoing collaborations. The availability of resources from both Virginia Tech and Wake Forest have allowed me opportunities to learn additional topics beyond the bioengineering degree program that I use every day."

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    michele-waters
    Michele Waters

    "Virginia Tech is an amazing place. There are organizations here that are incredibly supportive to help you pursue your goals. The opportunities are out there."

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    Picture of Nora Hlavac
    Nora Hlavac

    “It became very apparent to me when I started graduate school that mentorship was going to be really important during my time here. That came at the research level under my PI, Dr. VandeVord, but also just in the general atmosphere that was created at Virginia Tech and within my department.”

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    Picture of Dean Entrekin
    Dean Entrekin

    "A lot of the coursework I took as an SBES student helped mold my professional path in biologics and synthetic biomaterials, and that’s where I really started my career in industry. My thesis work and internships helped solidify my interest in spine biologics in particular."

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    Picture of Taylor Kerr
    Taylor Kerr

    "With my ESM degree, I've been able to explore my interests in the biomedical engineering field by working in Dr. Vincent Wang's Orthopedic Mechanobiology Lab as well as work full time as a systems design engineer for some of the world's top fighter aircraft."

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