Career Exploration Summit

MayLin Howard ’16 (Chemical Engineering)
Associate Principal Scientist in Oral Formulation Sciences Team, Merck & Co, Inc


MayLin is an associate principal scientist in the Oral Formulation Sciences team at Merck & Co., Inc., where she works on drug product development of oral solid dosage forms (tablets, capsules). She also leads the Merck Pharmaceutical Sciences & Clinical Supply Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion outreach team. MayLin started her career journey at the University of Rochester, where she earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biology and a concentration in Chinese language. During her time at UR, she served on the executive board of Tau Beta Pi for 2 years and completed two internships: one in industry at Xerox and one in Professor David Wu’s lab in the Chemical Engineering department. She was very active in teaching and mentorship, leading workshops/TA-ing for organic chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and chemical engineering 9 times. She also spent a summer developing workshop content for the Biochemistry Honors course at UR. While at UR, she received the ACEC NY Scholarship Award and was inducted to the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and the Order of the Engineer. After graduating from UR, she earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering at MIT in Professor Paula Hammond’s lab, with research focusing on controlled delivery of growth factor proteins from biodegradable implants for craniomaxillofacial bone regeneration. She also completed business & economics classes at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Outside of classes and research, she was heavily involved in DE&I initiatives: she served on the executive board of Graduate Women at MIT, volunteered in a peer counseling group in the Chemical Engineering department, and collaborated with the Harvard Graduate Women in Sciences & Engineering group to develop & deliver mentorship programing for young students in India interested in STEM.

Bryce Davis ’20 (Economics & Music History/Theory)
Associate Director of Institutional Giving, Orchestra of St. Luke’s


Bryce Davis is a creative, dynamic non-profit professional based in New York City. Bryce is Associate Director of Institutional Giving for the Orchestra of St. Luke's, where he is responsible for millions in corporate, foundation, and government grants each year. Prior to his move to OSL, he oversaw institutional partnerships and special projects at the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for a half-decade. As a member of the RPO team, Bryce secured the largest gift in orchestra history for an endowed education staff chair, led the development of the vision and priorities for the RPO & Centennial Campaign, and brought in significant seed gifts from organizations including the Mellon Foundation for new, high-impact community programs serving tens of thousands of Rochesterians each year.


Bryce graduated in 2020 with a BA cum laude in Economics & Music History/Theory. While on campus, he was a member of the Midnight Ramblers and ROC Players. He also held a work-study role at the Greene Center for four years and participated in the Humanities for Life internship program. Outside of work, you can find him on a trail, singing with friends, or rooting for his beloved Buffalo Bills.

Samantha “Sammi” Becker ’23 (Anthropology & English)
Paralegal, Manhattan District Attorney’s Office


Samantha Becker is a paralegal at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. She works in the Rackets Bureau where she assists in the investigation of complex white-collar criminal cases. Prior to her work at the DA's Office, Samantha interned at the Middle East Media Research Institute, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, and worked as a Research Assistant for the Smith's Island Archaeology Project. Samantha received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Rochester and graduated with honors as an English Literature and Anthropology double major. Samantha was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received the Research Initiative Award, Schwarz Discover Grant, and Samuels Award in order to fund her honors thesis research in Bermuda. While a student, Samantha maintained several leadership roles within Delta Gamma, worked as a Research Assistant for Dr. Daniel Reichman, and conducted independent research in Robbins Library. Samantha plans to continue her education and will be enrolling in graduate school next year.

Pat Manuel ‘06 (Economics)
President, Novem Group

Pat Manuel ’06 is currently the President of Novem Group, a Rochester based investment management company which works with independent advisors across the country. Pat currently serves on the boards of CDS Life Transitions, The Italian Heritage Foundation, and is the co-founder of The Novem Foundation, which aims to help families in the greater Rochester, NY area break the cycle of poverty for their children and families. While at Rochester, Pat majored in Economics and was an active member of the varsity football team. Pat’s time at the University of Rochester was critical to putting him on his career path, and understanding the need to give back to his community.

Evan Coleman ’13 (Business & English)
Updates Editor, Forbes Advisor


Evan Coleman began his career as an intern at Forbes Advisor, where he wrote over 60 original pieces on personal finance, credit cards, and travel. He then transitioned into a full-time editor role, splitting his time between the company's Legal vertical and the Data & Automation team, editing content, collaborating with freelance writers, and leveraging data and AI tools. Evan also freelance writes for the Rochester Beacon, a nonprofit news organization he began writing for during his final semester at the University of Rochester. Evan graduated in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Business and English and a minor in Legal Studies. On campus, he worked as a Writing Fellow, Resident Advisor, and TA for Principles of Marketing and Digital Marketing Strategies. He was also a Student Alumni Ambassador and active in student theater, working on 12 productions and serving as Artistic Director of ROC Players.

Conor McNamara ’13, E5 ’14 (Chemical Engineering)
Director of Beyond Beer Operations, Anheuser-Busch

Conor completed his BS in Chemical Engineering in 2013 and, in 2014, participated in Rochester's e5 Program, where he worked on developing a product line of zero-waste soap. As a student, Conor took full advantage of everything that the UofR had to offer. He was a Meridian, an SAA, an RA on the First-Year Quad, and a founding member of Mariachi Meliora. Inside the classroom, he utilized the Rochester curriculum to explore his interests in Engineering and Sustainability while also discovering what he didn’t like through experiences in Undergraduate Research and a course in Organic Chemistry. Originally on a path to work in the field of Alternative Energy, an Anthropology course on Market Research in his senior year helped him discover a new interest in Consumer Packaged Goods. As a result, he became determined to apply his degree to the production of goods that impact the lives of people.

Currently, Conor works as the Director of Beyond Beer Operations for Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, MO. He leads a cross-functional supply chain team responsible for the production planning and execution of AB's Beyond Beer portfolio. Conor joined AB immediately after graduating from Rochester and has worked his way through a variety of roles in brewery operations, corporate planning, and supply chain innovations.

Participate in a 5-minute resume workshop, LinkedIn photo booth, and update your Handshake and Greene Center profiles.

Ulrik Soderstrom ’16, MS17 (Environmental Studies)
Cofounder, Benchmark Labs


Ulrik is the cofounder of Benchmark Labs, a climate tech company that provides point specific environmental forecasts. Ulrik has a Master of Science in Data Science and became an operations practitioner at McKinsey & Company, where he led projects in their Operations Advanced Analytics practice across a number of industries. Ulrik also has researched with NOAA’s Environmental Modeling Center to develop wave algorithms, Cornell on geophysics, and more. At Benchmark Labs, Ulrik leads strategic partnerships, sales operations, and overall operations. Ulrik is also a Venture Partner with Marvins Ventures where he leads the McKinsey & Company alumni founders network and helps invest in startups. 

Ulrik attended the UR for his masters degree and undergraduate degrees. While on campus, he was engaged in SA government, class council, and more. 

Michael Chavrimootoo ’20, MS21, PhD24 (Computer Science & Political Science)
Researcher in Electoral Attacks and CS Theory, Assistant Professor, Denison University

Michael Chavrimootoo is an Assistant Professor at Denison University and an enthusiastic researcher with publications with professional experience in software/web development, algorithm design, and process optimization. Michael’s research center in AI and TCS, focusing on the intrinsic properties of preference aggregation schemes and established relationships between attacks on those schemes.

While pursing his computer science and political science dual undergraduate degrees at the University of Rochester, Michael was active in the Minority Male Leadership Association (MMLA), Newman Catholic Community, Rochester Africa Business Conference, Kwetu African Entrepreneurship, and served as a RA and Community Assistant.

Jacob Hall ’23 (Environmental Health)
Community Prevention Curriculum Coordinator, Trillium Health

Jacob Hall (He/They) graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.S. in Environmental Health and a Certificate in Community Engaged Learning in 2023. Throughout his time at the University of Rochester, Jacob was active within the public health sphere, taking leadership roles within GlobeMed, TAing public health courses, and assisting in healthy homes research, earning him the Dr. Holly Atkinson award for public health advocacy. Currently, Jacob works for Trillium Health as their Community Prevention Curriculum Coordinator. Through this role, they teach a wide array of topics regarding sexual health and harm reduction at various organizations in the Rochester/ Finger Lakes region. Jacob’s main goal through his work is to empower a diverse group of individuals and communities to make informed decisions regarding their own health and increase overall well-being.  In addition to their work at Trillium Health, Jacob is a commissioner on the City of Rochester's Planning Board and serves on the University of Rochester's Young Alumni Council. Jacob's passions further extend to community advocacy and are frequently engaged with the local queer community.

Daler Beisenbayev ’22 (Business, Finance Track)
Senior Associate, EY-Parthenon

Daler Beisenbayev is Senior Associate at EY-Parthenon, a management consulting firm under the Ernst & Young umbrella that helps clients address their most pressing strategic challenges (e.g., market entry studies, growth strategy, commercial due diligences, etc.). Daler is based in the Boston office and is part of the Life Sciences practice, working with both corporate strategy and private equity clients across biopharma, clinical services and technologies, and medical devices spaces.

Daler graduated from the University of Rochester in September 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Business (Finance) and minors in History and Economics. At the UR, Daler was involved in a variety of roles, including serving as the Executive Director of the Meliora Finance and Investment Group, a TA for Corporate Finance, an RA for Susan B. Anthony, and a tour guide for the Meridian Society. During his senior year of college, Daler was also a Software Strategy Consultant for NextCorps, a local business accelerator that seeks to advance the Rochester business community.

Outside of work, Daler authored "Consulting on Consulting," a guide to help candidates secure an offer in the industry and is more than delighted to talk about modern era history, soccer, guitar, creative writing, classic and fantasy literature, 60s /70s and indie rock.

Chuck Chimera '21 (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Electrical Engineer, Unither Pharmaceuticals

Chuck is currently an electrical engineer at Unither Pharmaceuticals in Rochester, NY. He works on the building and optimization of new and current pharmaceutical manufacturing lines. Before joining Unither Pharmaceuticals he worked as an engineer at a materials research startup. After graduating from the UR he worked at Toptica Photonics as a field service engineer where he handled all equipment repairs and installations across the North American market. Chuck received a BS in electrical and computer engineering in 2021 from the University of Rochester. He is a first-generation college student and participated in undergraduate research at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics as well as a semester abroad in Madrid, Spain. He was the president of Beta Theta Pi, a TA for electromagnetic waves, a LEAP tutor, and through work-study the alumni volunteer program assistant at the Greene Center.

Participate in a 5-minute resume workshop, LinkedIn photo booth, and update your Handshake and Greene Center profiles.

Farrell Cooke ‘14 (Neuroscience)
Assistant Nurse Manager, URMC

Farrell is an Assistant Nurse Manager in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Strong Memorial Hospital.  Prior to Nursing, Farrell was a clinical research associate at NewYorkPresbyterian-Weill Cornell Medicine in the Dept. of Anesthesiology where she published numerous scientific papers and presented at international anesthesia conferences.   Farrell holds two Bachelor degrees, one in Neuroscience and the other in Nursing from the University of Rochester as well as a Master of Business Administration from Simon Business School.  Farrell was a student-athlete at the University of Rochester, serving as Captain of the Varsity Women's Swimming Team. She was Vice President of Delta Gamma and served on various philanthropic committees during her undergraduate years. At the University of Rochester School of Nursing, Farrell became a member of Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society and served as the class speaker. As an alumni, Farrell has served on the NYC and Rochester Young Alumni Councils, recently ended her term as National Co-Chair for the Young Alumni Council. At Simon, she was Co-Chair of the Part Time Advisory Council and was awarded the Dean's Leadership Award in May 2024.

Participate in interactive activities hosted by University of Rochester departments to jump start your exploration and pursuit of co-curricular experiential learning opportunities.

Sarah Bjornland ’17 (Optics)
Manufacturing Manager, Rochester Precision Optics

Sarah Bjornland is currently a Manufacturing Manager at Rochester Precision Optics, where she oversees the company's three optical assembly departments. She received her BS in Optics from the University of Rochester in 2017 and her MBA from Southern New Hampshire University in 2023. While at the U of R, Sarah was involved in the Program of Dance and Movement, UR SEGway, and Radiance Dance Theatre. She also had the opportunity to present twice at the Undergraduate Research Expo and act as an Optics Peer Advisor. 

Brad Carroll ’16 (Political Science)
Supply Chain Analyst, QED Technologies

Brad Carroll is currently a Supply Chain Analyst with QED Technologies in Rochester. Brad received his MBA focused in Supply Chain and Logistics management, and a B.A. from the University of Rochester focused in Political Science. He graduated from the University of Rochester in 2016 and have held positions with local companies like MirrorShow Management, and RES Exhibit Services, and large international companies like General Electric. Brad’s time at the University of Rochester was instrumental in helping him develop into the person he is today and in helping him excel at the roles he accepted after graduating. At the University of Rochester, Brad did not have a typical student experience. He transferred in as a junior from MCC and was in a situation where he lived off campus and had to work full time to support himself. This meant that he had to schedule all classes and time on campus for two days each week and work the other five. This experience at such a prestigious, challenging, and rewarding University helped shape the professional path he is on today and his larger worldview.

Alejandro Vera ’21, MS23 (Bioethics)
Human Subject Research Specialist, URMC


Alejandro Vera is a double-alum of the University of Rochester! He is a first-generation student and originally from the Bay Area in California. Alejandro’s undergraduate journey started in 2018 on the River Campus, and he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Bioethics in December of 2021. He continued his education in Rochester and graduated with a Master of Science in Medical Humanities from the School of Medicine & Dentistry in May of 2023. Across his time as an undergraduate and graduate student, he worked for the GAC and Warner School of Education, served on the e-boards for First Generation Society and Sigma Phi Epsilon, participated in the Student Alumni Ambassador and Meridian Society organizations, was a Kearns Scholar and member of the UR Pre Doc Program, and started conducting research with the help of the UR Bridge Program. Alejandro now works full-time as a Human Subject Research Specialist on two different qualitative studies at the medical center and is applying to PhD programs in Health Humanities! 

Lorenzo Mendez ’12 (Financial Economics)
Principal Innovative Finance Team, The Rockefeller Foundation


Lorenzo is a Principal on The Rockefeller Foundation’s Innovative Finance team, which makes impact investments aimed at unlocking private capital flows, with a focus on climate finance.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Lorenzo was an investment banker with J.P. Morgan helping clients access public and private capital markets.  He began his career at Barclays Capital.  Lorenzo holds a bachelor’s degree in financial economic with honors from the University of Rochester and is a CFA Institute charterholder.  Lorenzo was a first-generation college student and, in addition to Work-Study, served as President of Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, a TA for Principles of Economics, and a TA for Philosophy of Nonviolence; furthermore, he was a McNair Scholar, a Student Alumni Ambassador, and an M.K. Gandhi Institute Service Fellow.  He received the 2012 William Morse Hasting Essay prize for best thesis on a topic of economic research, the 2011 Michael Lowenstein Memorial Award for contributions to campus life and was inducted into the Keidaean Senior Honor Society and Order of Omega.

Mitch Gruber ’PhD17 (History)
Chief Program Officer, Foodlink

Mitch Gruber has filled a number of positions at Foodlink since 2008, with the common thread being expanding Foodlink’s partnerships in the communities they serve. Before Foodlink, Mitch worked as a Head Start teacher for Action for a Better Community. Mitch holds a PhD in History from the University of Rochester, and has served as a member of the Rochester City Council since 2018.

Melissa Goldin ’13 (English)
News Verification Reporter, The Associated Press


Melissa is a New York-based news verification reporter at The Associated Press, where she analyzes, tracks, and debunks misinformation. She writes about a diverse array of subject matter, including U.S. elections, international conflicts, and fake alien invasions. Melissa first worked in the misinformation space as a newsletter editor and staff analyst at NewsGuard Technologies. As a student at the University of Rochester, she ate, slept, and breathed the Campus Times.

Lea Thome ’22 (Political Science and International Relations)
Program Manager, AidData

Lea Thome, ‘22, received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations with a minor in Chinese language and culture from the University of Rochester. During her time as a student, Lea served as the President of UPSIRC, founded the International Students’ Association, and  was involved in SA Government and Class Council. 

She received her Master in Global Affairs as a Schwarzman Scholar in 2023, and completed fellowships at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in DC and at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei. Currently, she works as a Program Manager at AidData. Her writings have appeared in publications such as The Hill, the South China Morning Post, and the Diplomat.

Matthew Smalarz PhD16 (History, Urban American and African American History)
Assessment and Accreditation Officer, La Salle University


Matthew Smalarz serves as the Accreditation and Assessment Officer and the Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education at La Salle University, which is also his alma mater, in Philadelphia. He is also a co-chair for La Salle's 2024-2025 Middle States self-study re-accreditation process, chairing its evidence inventory working group and serving as its Standard I steering committee liaison. He directed and oversaw its Institutional Research office during the 2023-2024 academic year, completing and submitting numerous programmatic data requests and institutional research reports and surveys, including its IPEDS and US News and World Report surveys. Prior to working at La Salle in these leadership capacities, he worked at Gwynedd Mercy University in suburban Philadelphia as its Director of Assessment and Accreditation and its Accreditation Liaison Officer to Middle States and taught as a full-time Professor of History at Manor College, a four-year Catholic college in Jenkintown, PA in suburban Philadelphia, from 2012 to 2022, where he designed and taught, in both face-to-face and online learning formats, thirteen history and political science courses and served as a department and assessment chair. He received the Outstanding Educator of the Year Award for the 2016-2017 academic year and the Academic Engagement and Innovation Award for the 2017-2018 academic year at Manor College. He earned his Ph.D. in History at Rochester, specializing in Urban American and African American History, and his M.A. and B.A. in History from La Salle. He has presented at numerous national and regional conferences on various aspects of his dissertation research, and has published over twenty academic publications across a range of historical journals, edited volumes, and peer-reviewed academic platforms. He published his first book, a primary research driven institutional history of Manor College, with Arcadia Publishing in late 2021. He is also transforming his dissertation, "The White Island," into an academic monograph, which examines why and how the complex ideological, political and policy making forces that largely shaped and defined Philadelphia's post war city planning initiatives, its municipal governing institutions, and neighborhood civic organizations contributed to and facilitated discriminatory practices, racial segregation and a secession movement across and throughout Northeast Philadelphia's residential, commercial, civic, and institutional establishments and spaces primarily between 1945 and 1990.

Austin Ponce ’19 (International Relations)
Regional Director, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Austin Ponce '19 currently serves as the Rochester-Finger Lakes Regional Director for U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand. In this role, he advises on local issues and builds relationships with elected officials and community leaders in a 10-county region of New York. Prior to federal service, he was a legislative director in the New York State Assembly writing legislation on wide-ranging issues from childcare, and domestic violence to health care and veterans' issues. At the U of R, he majored in international relations and minored in Russian language and is a proud first-generation student. He lives in Rochester with his partner John Martinez '19 and their two dogs.

Louis Fusilli ’18 (Business)
Senior Analyst Safety Portfolio Management Team, United Airlines


Louis is the Senior Analyst on United's Safety Portfolio Management Team, charged with assessing hazards identified throughout the United global network and providing pilots with data-driven guidance to conduct flights in accordance with our standards. He's a member of the airline's Special Assistance Team, providing on-site relief to those affected by accidents and natural disasters. He's also held a role on the Analytics & Innovation team, using machine learning models to optimize crew scheduling and hiring practices as well as staffing levels for customer teams. Prior to working in aviation, he began his post-college career as an analyst in the world of advertising technology. A Rochester native, Louis spent 2 semesters in Italy while at UR and also served as the Design Chair for the Journal of Undergraduate Research (JUR). He graduated with a BS in Business in 2014 and now lives in Chicago.

Ian Gabalski ’17 (Physics & Applied Mathematics)
PhD Candidate, Stanford University; Physicist, US Army Space & Missile Defense Command

Ian is a PhD Candidate in Applied Physics at Stanford University, where he uses high-intensity, ultrafast pulsed lasers to study quantum molecular dynamics and strong-field light-matter interactions. Prior to entering graduate school, he worked for two years at the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command, focusing on the development of high-energy laser systems for countering airborne targets. Ian graduated from the University of Rochester in 2017 with bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Applied Mathematics, where he was a math TA and did research at the Lab for Laser Energetics. While he was at UR, he was a Resident Advisor, played on the UR Club Ice Hockey team, and was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Ian has stayed involved with the undergraduate community as an alumnus, serving as a mentor in the Meliora Collective program for five students so far, and is an advocate for students getting involved with campus life.

Participate in interactive activities hosted by University of Rochester departments to jump start your exploration and pursuit of co-curricular experiential learning opportunities.