Alternative Careers in Biology: Thinking Outside the Medical School Box (October 2020)

Alternative Careers in Biology: Thinking Outside the Medical School Box (October 2020)

 

This is a recording of a panel hosted by The Biology Department and The Biological Chemistry and Biology Club (BC)^2, in collaboration with Career Education. Discover the many career options for biology, and hear from biology major alumnae with diverse career backgrounds and interests!

Panel Members:

Catherine Caruso '10
Catherine Carusso is a Science Writer based in Boston. She covers everything from the most intricate circuits of the human brain to the vast expanses of outer space. Various works she has published include g STAT, Scientific American and MIT Technology Review. She graduated from Wellesley with a degree in biology, earned a Master of Science degree in Science writing from MIT, as well as a master's degree in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire.

Nora Curran Wilkins '02
Nora Wilkins has worked in the Wellesley Public Schools since 2005. She began her career in Wellesley as a sixth grade science teacher at Wellesley Middle School. and joined the high school science department in 2008. Nora has served as chemistry and biology teacher, assistant principal and now serves as Department Head of Science and Technology at Wellesley High School. Nora graduated from Wellesley College with a B.A. in the Biological Sciences, and holds an M.S.T. and Certificate of Advanced Educational Specialization in Educational Administration from Boston College.

Liz Callahan '83
Liz graduated from Wellesley with a degree in Biological Sciences and earned a master's degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government focused on energy and environmental policy. As the Director of the Policy and Program Development division for Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup, she works on developing regulations and providing guidance/policy support for the assessment and cleanup of hazardous waste sites.

Steph Yeh '18
Stephanie graduated in 2018, with a major in Biological Sciences and minor in Health & Society. During her time at Wellesley, she was involved in the Wellesley News, started the college’s first scientific publication, and was an Albright Fellow. She also participated in off-campus research under the mentorship of Dr. Keith Joung at his lab in Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, where she ultimately completed an independent thesis on developing next-generation CRISPR gene-editing technology. After spending over three years trying to create novel cancer/rare disease therapies, she was inspired to pursue a career in finding ways to make those treatments – and healthcare – accessible to all. After graduation, she joined CVS Health as an Analyst in their Digital department, getting the opportunity to see how digital technology impacted patients’ daily lives and to learn how the pharmacy services industry operated. After CVS formally acquired Aetna, she switched roles into the newly-formed Transformation Strategy & Partnerships team. At this role, she gets to show up to work every day and advocate for innovative solutions to address current challenges impeding patients from receiving necessary care.

Tina Truong '13
Tina completed her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at Wellesley College and received her MMSc in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Emory University School of Medicine. She previously worked in clinical research at Boston Children’s Hospital, investigating genomic sequencing through the BabySeq Project and an undiagnosed and rare diseases program. She enjoys working out, spending time outdoors, and adventuring through cities.