The first few years of my PhD, I was supported by a teaching assistanceship and taking courses. From 9 am-5 pm, I would work in the lab on my own research projects.
Melissa M.
PhD, Biotechnology
While at WPI, Melissa has enjoyed many close relationships that have fostered her own growth, such as the principal investigators she works side-by-side with and the undergraduates she mentors in the research labs.
Now that she’s looking for positions after graduation, she’s finding a host of different options are open to her. Prior to graduate school, she enjoyed working with animals and thus ended up in a laboratory at WPI focused on worldwide bee declines, a project she’s very passionate about. However, she also likes to work with human healthcare as a career. So, she hopes to combine these two passions and transition back into pre-clinical drug development and is looking at positions in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Hometown
Leominster, MA
Achievements
- Receiving several awards on presentation and communication skills while at WPI, improving her confidence when talking about her research
- Participating in multiple leadership committees that allowed her to actively participate in strategic planning of the WPI graduate program to make the experience even more valuable for future students
Interests
- Graduate Student Government and Committee on Graduate Studies and Research Department/Student Representative
- Presidential Strategic Pillar Team Student Representative
- Music, hiking, and photography