As an undergraduate student, Monica Duron Juarez always had her sights set on going to medical school.
To reach her goal, she majored in chemistry and neurobiology at Dominican University. After graduation, she got a job at a biotech company in Chicago, excited to gain more experience in a lab.
But while working there, she spoke with scientists and physicians from across the career spectrum, and she realized that medical school wasn’t right for her. “I had this science background, but I realized I didn’t know what to do with it,” she said. “I realized that wanted to use my biology and chemistry knowledge to solve problems. Engineering seemed like the way to do that.”
When she found the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering’s Master of Engineering program, she “really liked the interdisciplinary approach of melding science and engineering,” she said. “I felt it would open more doors.”
She applied, was accepted, and enrolled full-time, open to the new possibilities the program could offer. In the Bio- and Immunoengineering Track, she took courses on nanomedicine and biological materials, getting an inside view on the latest research in molecular engineering. But she was especially excited when courses covered not only the state-of-the-art technology behind innovations like vaccine mechanisms, but also taught students how to bring those innovations to market.
“It’s an especially great program for people like me, who aren’t sure about what career they want,” she said. “It’s diverse enough that you don’t need to commit to one pathway. When I decided to switch from medical school to engineering, I wanted to both go in-depth on the science but also learn about commercialization.”
Courses also included guest speakers from industry who spoke about opportunities and challenges in their companies, and career development workshops gave her new ideas on potential careers. “It all feels very applicable to the real world,” Duron said. “And it has re-awakened my desire for critical thinking and investigating. It made me realize you don’t to be at a lab bench every day to have a career in science and engineering. There are more opportunities for discovery and learning.”
Toward the end of the program, she began to apply for jobs in industry. She hasn’t ruled out returning to academia to get a PhD in neuroscience — a career path that others in her cohort were considering but that she had not even considered before the program.
“I’m a first-generation college student, so the idea of graduate school and PhD program is pretty new to me,” she said. “The process is pretty daunting overall. But everyone in the program is willing to mentor you and take any questions you have. It’s a very encouraging environment.”