In our alumni spotlight series, learn about Harvard graduates' most meaningful experiences from college, and how Harvard impacted their professional and personal paths after graduation.
Hometown & Current City: Eagan, MN & Menlo Park, CA
House Affiliation: Currier House
Concentration: Biomedical Engineering with Electrical Sub-Track
What was your professional path after college?
During my time at Harvard, I always found myself attracted to the intersection of technology and healthcare. Our society has achieved unthinkable innovations in robotics, software algorithms, and other technologies, and with that comes an amazing opportunity to apply those advancements towards improving patient outcomes. My excitement in this field drew me to work at Auris Health (acquired by Johnson & Johnson) as a clinical engineer, a role that acts as the bridge between the surgeon user and the engineering R&D teams. At Johnson & Johnson, I primarily worked on the Ottava platform, an advanced robotic system for abdominal surgeries. Over the course of my role, I gained experience in surgery and operating room workflow, robotic kinematics, medical device development processes, and tissue lab execution. These skills paired with my engineering background from Harvard allowed me to tailor system design choices to fit the end-users' needs. I recently joined Intuitive Surgical as a clinical research engineer, where I continue my work in the surgical robotics space.
What fills your time now - professionally or personally?
While not in office or laboratory spaces at Intuitive Surgical, I enjoy trying out the various diverse restaurants and wineries in the bay area, fishing, and playing pickle ball. On Sundays, you'll find me cheering for my home state Minnesota Vikings. The rest of the year, I enjoy following the NBA and international soccer.
How did your academic experience at Harvard guide you in your post-grad pursuits?
One of the most valuable aspects of Harvard's engineering program was the balance between generalization and specialization, which laid the groundwork for me becoming a clinical engineer. Not only did Harvard teach me foundational engineering skills, but it also taught me problem solving, communication, scientific writing, and presentation skills which have all aided in the cross-functional nature of my clinical engineering role.
What were you involved in extracurricularly?
One of my favorite extracurricular activities was managing the Harvard men's water polo team. Being an athlete most of my life, I always valued the competition and team aspects of sports. Managing the water polo team allowed me to continue to enjoy that environment. Additionally, participation in the water polo program helped build many meaningful lifelong relationships.