Name: Beth Goldstein

Hometown: Mamaroneck, NY

Brown Affiliation: Class of 2004

Company/School: Brown University

Position: Student in the BME Masters Program

Degree(s) Earned:

BS Biomedical Engineering, Brown University

Contact Info:  Beth_Goldstein@brown.edu

What experiences were you able to gain in biotechnology during your undergraduate years at Brown?

I worked at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory on osmoregulation.  I also did an UTRA/independent research project on cartilage tissue engineering.  This semester I am doing an EN100 project to round out my research with some more engineering.  I also have some background with work under clinical doctors.

What advice do you have for undergraduates seeking summer positions?

Unfortunately, I think it is a lot easier to get research with a professor than to get a job in industry, particularly because it is hard to know what you want to do until you’ve tried something. I would probably look online to find a professor who is doing research you are interested in and get involved in their lab. They might be able to help you find a job in industry doing similar work utilizing their connections and insights.

What are your plans after graduation?

I am staying at Brown for a 5^th year masters in biomedical engineering, probably working on the aerodynamics of bat flight.

What advice would you give to undergraduates applying for jobs after graduation?

I used career services heavily to start looking for jobs. I signed up for the email servers and checked out the Alumni network and general search pages. I also worked some connections and went to career fairs. Ultimately, it wasn’t the lack of options that kept me at Brown for another year. I found a lot of jobs this way that I really wanted to take, but didn’t have enough credentials to qualify for. The way I figure it, it made more sense for me to get a MA first at Brown because: it was only a one year program, I could transfer credit from undergrad, I didn’t have to take the GRE’s, I knew the professors and the system, and I have a good shot at funding under my particular research. Afterwards, I can take a job that will be much more in depth and interesting to me (and probably pay more). I can then use my MA credits towards a PhD program and use my time in both the MA program and in industry to make a more educated decision about what kind of PhD program I really want. I strongly recommend the approach if you can get funding for it.