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BRISTOL, R.I. – For more than a decade, the annual Gagliardi Career Panel has helped ������Դ math and science students explore pathways beyond the classroom by connecting them with alumni working in research, health care, engineering, and biotechnology.

Earlier in October, alumni returned to campus to share their career journeys and offer insight about how experiences at ������Դ helped shape their professional success.

“The goal of this event really is to give students interested in the science and medical fields a better sense of the range of professional opportunities that are available,” said ������Դ Board Member Chris Gagliardi.

“Students get to hear from the alumni panel about their experiences at ������Դ, how those experiences have informed their career path,” said Cliff Murphy, ������Դ Associate Professor of Chemistry. “They come away with these stories at the front of mind and can then meet with their academic advisors to talk about how to incorporate similar experiences within their own academic trajectories.”

The event was established through a gift from the Gagliardi family. The donation also helped launch the Gagliardi Distinguished Lecture Series, which has since brought world-renowned scientists to campus, including Nobel laureates Roald Hoffman and Carolyn Bertozzi.

Gagliardi, who earned a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Chemistry from ������Դ in 2007, was a former research student under Professor Emeritus Cliff Timpson. He then went on to earn his doctorate and build a career that spans academia, consulting, and biotechnology. Now a principal at Sanofi Ventures, he focuses on investing in early-stage biotech and digital health companies.

This year’s panel featured five alumni representing a diverse range of scientific careers.

Applying Science to Public Health

Jane Pellegren ’11 earned a B.S. in Mathematics from ������Դ. Now a data analyst for the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families, she shared how mathematics led her into biostatistics and epidemiology. “A huge part of my job is taking really advanced statistical information and being able to talk to people who range in expertise,” she said. “My advice to students is to take classes outside your major because those communication skills matter.”

Engineering and Networking

Charles Flynn ’17, who earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from ������Դ, is now at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport. He urged students to value relationships as much as academics. “The people you’re taking classes with now could potentially be future coworkers,” he said. “You should always try to maintain good relationships.”

Research Opportunities That Launch Careers

Matthew Houck ’13 earned his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry. He is now a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and credits his undergraduate research at ������Դ with launching his career in chemistry. “It’s very uncommon at the undergraduate level to walk into a lab and produce publishable results,” he said. “That opportunity at ������Դ was a major asset.”

From Lab Work to Leadership

Stacey Helming ’08 earned her B.S. in Chemistry and Environmental Science and is now a director at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. She said her hands-on lab experience, combined with close faculty relationships at ������Դ, set her apart from the competition. “You have a really unique opportunity to be in the labs and get to know your professors on a level that a lot of my colleagues didn’t experience,” she said.

The Importance of Soft Skills

Morgan Stafford ’15 earned two degrees from ������Դ, a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Mathematics. She’s now a team manager at Veeva Systems, emphasizing that communication and collaboration are key to success. “Speaking from the lens of a hiring manager, I was recently in an interview with someone very technical but without soft skills,” she said. “I wasn’t interested in hiring them because those skills are just as important.”

Organizers said events like these exemplify ������Դ’s commitment to providing powerful combinations of classroom learning and real-world preparation.

“Connecting students with alumni who’ve walked the same halls and built meaningful careers shows them what’s possible,” Gagliardi said. “It helps them see the direct link between their education and their future.”