What Graduates of the 2004 Class Have to Say…

“Having gone through the program, I am better educated about potential career paths and more knowledgeable about how to approach my own professional development. Furthermore, I can more readily recognize priorities in industry and can make more of a contribution to a company’s goals. As a result, I am better prepared to enter the workforce and more marketable to potential employers.”

Varsha Badal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University

“The program was of tremendous value. It has changed my approach towards finding a job and given me more confidence entering the interviewing process. I feel that I am much more marketable to employers because I can clearly articulate how I can be of value to their company.”

Audrey Bernstein, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

“The program was invaluable. The insights it provided into the culture and dynamics of industry helped me to reevaluate my own interests and solidified my decision to enter the bioscience industry after I complete my PhD thesis. The course also gave me a good sense of what to work towards and how to envision my career in ten years.”

Russell Garman, MS, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University

“One of the great benefits of this course has been to forge a network of new contacts as we transition into industry. Many valuable discussions sprang from the open interaction between students and instructors. I look forward to continued contact with the course directors and my fellow course participants.”

Fredy Varela, MS Biochemistry, Intern, Target Health Inc.

“I made important contacts with industry professionals and landed myself a summer internship. Both the program and the internship will make me more marketable for a career in industry.”

Kristen Twidy, MS, Intern, Center for Biotechnology

“The course was very well done. The course directors took the lessons very seriously, were well-prepared and aided the students in exploring the many professional niches in industry. I wish a course like this had been available earlier in my education.”

Joanna Lem, Scientist, Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals

“The course has helped me identified my specific career path and equipped me with the basic rules I’ll use along that path. I’ve gained some very useful insights into the intersection of science and business.”

Alexandra Eyzaguirre, MS, Associate Scientist, OSI Pharmaceuticals

“I’ve obtained a more complete understanding of how departments with seemingly separate functions integrate to achieve a company’s goals. It’s given greater context and meaning to the work I am accomplishing.”

Ann Li, Analytical Chemist, Forest Laboratories

“The course exceeded my expectations. I found the classes covering the Business of Bioscience, the Product Development Process and Regulatory Affairs particularly useful. I now have a better sense of where my career is headed and how to get there, and that’s a great feeling!”

Andriy Tovkach, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

“The program has had a profound effect on all of us and I am looking forward to staying connected with other course participants and with our industry contacts. I strongly recommend that graduate students in biomedical engineering and similar fields take advantage of this program early in their careers.”

Gary Gustavsen, MS, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University

“My participation in the program marked a very fundamental and critical step in my career development. Although I am still undecided about my career goals, I feel immensely informed and prepared in a way that I could never have achieved by just completing the traditional graduate work of the PhD in Neuroscience. It is unfortunate that this kind of preparation isn’t included in the traditional graduate coursework. I am grateful that the Center for Biotechnology has been able to fill this critical gap in graduate education.”

Sarah Zimov, PhD Candidate, Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University

“The key point in the program was the hard work and effort invested in group presentations that helped foster a better understanding of how decisions are made in industry.”

Alexander Ho, MS, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University

“I met some interesting and influential people and got clear picture of how I can fit in the pharmaceutical industry. There was a substantial amount of theoretical learning and practical teamwork experience that might turn out to be even more valuable in the end.”

Ana Vasileva, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

“I got a great overview of the process of drug development. I have learned some of the lingo of the field and have a better understanding of what it takes to bring a drug to market.”

Debra Morrison, PhD, Cancer Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

“The program has given me a solid working knowledge of how the pharmaceutical/biotech industry works.”

Joseph Abrajano, MS, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

“The program enhanced my understanding of the bioscience industry, and suggested how I can leverage my skills to add value in the industry.”

Kenneth Mbonu, MBA, Portfolio Manager/Assistant Vice-President, FleetBoston Financial Corp.

“The idea that networking is critical was very thoroughly emphasized. In addition, it helped me realize not just that I wanted to go into industry, but also what I wanted to do there - business strategy type things. It helped me define my goals and think about the line of action I must take to achieve my long-term goal.”

Mansi Kothari, PhD Candidate, Cellular & Molecular Pathology, Stony Brook University

“The program has helped tremendously. It gave valuable insights into what the bioscience industry has to offer and provided great networking opportunities.”

Shau Yu Lynch, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

“The course dramatically changed my short-term career goals by providing great depth and breadth of insight into the biotech industry.”

Shifang Zhang, PhD Candidate, Biological Sciences, Columbia University

“While the program provided very useful knowledge about the bioscience industry, I think the networking opportunities are the most important aspects.”

Wenyi Zhang, PhD Candidate, Biochemistry & Structural Biology, Stony Brook University