Cornell Engineering Career Conversations

In this episode, Christa Downey speaks with Charles “Chaz” Calitri ‘81, Vice President of Operations at Kyowa Kirin North America. Chaz reflects on his 40-year career in pharmaceutical manufacturing and engineering—from leading Pfizer’s efforts to produce the COVID-19 vaccine to overseeing the construction of Kyowa Kirin’s first U.S. biomanufacturing facility. He shares insights on leadership, men...

Matt Richwine ‘08, M.Eng. ‘09, co-founder and CEO of Telos Energy, is designing, testing, and analyzing thermal and renewable power generation equipment. Matt discusses his career journey, the unexpected connections that shaped his professional path, and the evolving role of AI in the energy industry. Matt shares memorable stories about mentoring Cornell students, including one that led to his lon...

In this episode, alum Patrick Nichols ‘97, Managing Director at Vista Equity Partners, shares his career journey from computer science student at Cornell to technology executive and investor. He reflects on his early work as a developer, his transition into business leadership, and his experience applying an engineering mindset to private equity, where he helps companies grow by leveraging data, a...

In this episode of Engineering Career Conversations, hosts Christa Downey and Traci Nathans-Kelly speak with Robert Boehringer ’82, Vice President of Process Management Services at Orion Development Group. With more than 30 years of experience, he has helped leaders and professionals improve quality and productivity. In addition to process improvement methodologies and focused automation, he facil...

Daniel Morgan is a Research Portfolio Manager for Mission: Cure. This is a patient research organization dedicated to finding therapies for chronic pancreatitis. Daniel shares how his research background helps his team make informed decisions about allocating research dollars to discover life altering therapies for this painful rare disease with no cure. He also discusses how he uses his bachelor’...

Gigi Boehringer, a Senior Product Manager at AWS, discusses her role in developing Amazon Workspaces Core, a third-party integration API for virtual desktops. She describes the balance between technical development and go-to-market strategies, emphasizing AWS’s customer-centric approach to product management. Gigi also shares insights into AI's role in AWS offerings and advises aspiring product ma...

Jason Wright is a Principal Electrical Engineer at Synchron, a brain-computer interface startup. Jason shares insights into his work developing implantable devices to help individuals with severe paralysis regain digital communication abilities. He discusses his role, which blends hardware, firmware, and systems engineering, and highlights the challenges and rewards of working in a fast-paced medi...

Garrett Lang ’01 is, among other things, the founder and President of PlateRate, an online service that helps diners find great local restaurants and their best meals. A graduate of the Computer Science program, he serves as the online chair for the NYC Cornellian community and is also the Executive Director of the Free Thinker Institute. Garrett shares his philosophy of "generous capitalism" and...

Howie Singer ’77, ’79 (ORIE) is an expert on the implications of new technology in the music industry. In 15 years at Warner Music Group, he served as SVP and Chief Strategic Technologist analyzing services and companies that could enhance or threaten WMG’s businesses. As a Strategic Consultant to Universal Music Group, MQA Ltd, and other start-ups, he currently advises on products, services, and...

Dr. Jarvis Sulcer ‘95, ‘98, COO and co-founder of Lingo Solutions Inc., shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, inspired by his experiences in nuclear science and engineering. Initially planning a career in academia, he shifted to industry for real-world experience, eventually founding a tutoring business and discovering a passion for entrepreneurship. At Lingo Solutions, Jarvis now...

Tamir Lance ‘04, ‘05, a senior engineering manager at Maxeon Solar, discusses his career path in the renewable energy industry and his role working with teams around the world. He highlights the significance of mentoring young engineers and fostering their career development through hands-on training and individualized growth plans. Tamir also speaks to the importance of working for companies that...

Jessie Yee ’20 is a producer in the video game industry. She discusses the intricacies of managing large, multidisciplinary teams in the development of Exodus, an AAA sci-fi action-adventure role-playing game. Jessie shares insights into her role, where she helps facilitate communication and ensures smooth collaboration between design, engineering, animation, and more. She also explains the differ...

Haley Antoine Grantham ‘19 is a Safety and Crashworthiness Engineer at Toyota Motor North America Research and Development. As a graduate of the Biomedical Engineering program, Haley talks about her journey from working as a Pedestrian Protection Engineer to her current role in advanced body structure and computer-aided engineering. She discusses the unique aspects of her job, such as using comput...

Kasim Khan ’20 is a research analyst at Wood Mackenzie, a global provider of data and analytics solutions for the renewables, energy, and natural resources industries. Kasim discusses his path from being a Chemical Engineering student to his current role, where he advises clients on energy storage technologies and operations. He describes his day-to-day activities, which include aggregating quanti...

In this episode, hosts Christa Downey and Traci Nathans-Kelly talk with Florencia Paredes '11, Head of Product at Citrine Informatics. Florencia shares her journey from studying Materials Science at Cornell to leading product development at a cutting-edge software company that uses machine learning to accelerate the development of sustainable materials. The episode offers insights into the evolvin...

Enthusiastic engineering physics alum Tony Chen ‘12 discusses his efforts to connect Cornell alumni, including through global mixers and continuous reunions. Tony shares how the pandemic sparked the creation of bi-weekly Zoom mixers, bringing together thousands of Cornellians worldwide to foster friendships and support each other through various life changes. He emphasizes the importance of mainta...

Emilie Camera ‘17, ‘18, a mechanical engineer at Steinway & Sons, shares her journey of blending her passion for music with her expertise in engineering to craft bespoke pianos. From collaborating with designers to navigating manufacturing challenges, Emilie provides insights into the intricate process of creating custom pianos, including limited editions and one-of-a-kind pieces. She reflects on...

Alissa Diminich, ‘08, ‘09, is a principal engineer at Tennessee-based Inflo Design Group, primarily working on drinking water and wastewater projects. She holds a bachelor's and master's degree, both from Cornell University, in civil and environmental engineering. During her time at Cornell, she was a member of the AguaClara project team. Post-graduation, she has also served on the Board of the no...

Christine Chang ‘04 holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master of science in STEM Education from Boise State University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science at University of Colorado Boulder where she investigates human-robot collaboration and communication supported via augmented reality, particularly in high-risk environments. Christine’s career spans workin...

Dayin Chen ‘17 is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting's Sustainability Strategy and Transformation Group. Dayin shares insights from her journey, including her transition from undergraduate studies in Operations Research to completing an MBA at Wharton School of Business, and her return to Deloitte. She discusses her current project focusing on sustainability within a large food company, hi...

Allie Gaines ‘14 discusses her educational and career journey from graduating with a degree in Information Science Systems and Technology to working as a Product Manager in Healthcare and Business Strategy at XponentL Data. She describes her transition from a technical role in data interoperability at Athenahealth to focusing on healthcare clinical solutions, particularly in cancer registries, whi...

Nathan Williams ‘11 completed an engineering bachelor's degree in earth and atmospheric sciences, earned a PhD studying the Moon and Mars at Arizona State University in 2016, and now works as a Science Systems Engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His work primarily involves Mars exploration, including missions with Mars Rover Perseverance, Mars Ingenuity helicopter, and Mars Sample Return...

Stwart Peña Feliz recently completed his MBA at MIT Sloan School of Management where he is the 2023 winner of the MIT Climate Energy Prize. He is the co-founder and CEO of MacroCycle, a startup focused on recycling plastic using an innovative and highly efficient process with minimal carbon emissions. He discusses his journey from being a chemical engineering student at Cornell to an entrepreneur...

Dr. Xiangkun Elvis Cao is a Schmidt Science Fellow at MIT, working at the intersection of technology, business, and policy for carbon dioxide removal. He discusses the need for incentives to support investigators with interdisciplinary academic identities to perform their research and hasten scientific breakthroughs. Elvis also describes his journey from a small village in China to completing his...

Nathan Ghabour, who currently works at Nike, is an experienced product leader in the computer software industry, skilled in computer-aided design (CAD), biomechanics, surface modeling, and product design. Nathan’s career launched with a Bachelor of Science focused in BioMechanical Engineering. Nathan discusses how his various experiences and interest led him to his current role as well as how he f...