MIT. NASA. Pratt Engineering Fellow. International conservation photographer. UN Environmental Programme USA representative. Astrobiologist. These are just a few of the outcomes of a Wittenberg education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).
Taught in the liberal arts tradition by the best minds, including two physicists and an environmental scientist who were each named Ohio Professor of the Year, Wittenberg students are able to receive prestigious research fellowships to distinguished graduate programs, as well as land coveted positions around the globe. Here are just a few success stories:
Name: Aeron Roach
Graduation year: 2015
Majors: Physics and Chinese Language
FIRST alumnus from Team 1014 Bad Robot of Dublin, Ohio
Undergraduate Research: Buck Creek Restoration Fluid Dynamics Study
Undergraduate Research Award: United Nations Environmental Programme's Environment and Sustainability Conference USA Representative
Graduate School: East China Normal University, Shanghai Renewable Energy and International Policy
Assistantship/Fellowship: Received Full Fellowship to East China Normal University
A FIRST alum from Team 1014 Bad Robot of Dublin, Ohio, Aeron Roach '15 found excellent alignment between FIRST values and a Wittenberg education. Originally interested in pursuing an undergraduate engineering program, Roach specifically wanted to study physics - pre-aerospace engineering and Chinese language with a long-term vision of working in renewable energy. He was assured by all the colleges he was applying to that he could accomplish his vision, but then as various accepted student events unfolded, all the colleges started to back track, except for one: Wittenberg University, where faculty said, "This is a great vision. You can do that here. You will work hard, but you can do that here."
Digging a bit deeper, he found that Wittenberg's physics department had two Ohio Professors of the Year and that a Wittenberg student had just placed in the International China Bridge language competition. Without question, Wittenberg clearly was the perfect match to Roach's vision and efforts in participating in international STEM learning through FIRST, as well as earning the IB diploma.
Today, Roach is in graduate school in Shanghai, China, at East China Normal University on a full fellowship studying international relations renewable energy technology with plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Renewable Energy Engineering.
Name: Jon Pozderac
Graduation year: 2012
Major: Physics
Internship: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory
Graduate school program: Ohio State University Department of Electrical Engineering
Assistantship/Fellowship: Research Assistantship plus Ohio State University Fellowship
Current position (starting summer 2017): Research scientist, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
When he was not participating in the Wittenberg Triathlon, Jon Pozderac was successful in obtaining not one, but two MIT Lincoln Laboratory internships during his time at Wittenberg. The summer after his junior year he worked at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Mass., where he worked on multiple radars, including testing a system capable of "seeing" through walls. MIT reported on it back in 2011: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/ll-seeing-through-walls-1018.html
The summer after graduation, the physics major and math minor returned to Boston to work at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory in the Aerospace Sensor Technology Group for a second summer. Following his internship, he returned to Columbus where he attended The Ohio State University with a university fellowship toward his Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Today, Pozderac is a research assistant at the Electroscience Laboratory in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at The Ohio State University with a focus on electromagnetism.
Name: Susannah Engdahl
Graduation year: 2013
Major: Physics
Internship: Pratt Engineering REU Research Fellow, Duke University
Graduate school program: University of Michigan Biomedical Engineering
Assistantship/Fellowship: Research Assistantship plus National Science Foundation Research Fellowship
Current position: Ph.D. student, Rehabilitation Biomechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan
While at Wittenberg, Susannah Engdahl, a physics major and mathematics minor, pursued multiple research projects, participated in state and national math competitions, and had her research published. She also earned a Pratt Engineering REU Research Fellow Internship at Duke University.
In addition to her strong STEM efforts, she performed with the Wittenberg Choir for three years, continuing a passion that began in middle school. Engdahl knows the impact the choir has had on many local communities, noting that the choir "often met people who comment on how meaningful it was to have us sing for them. Being able to see first-hand how our music affects people is really powerful - it makes all of the hard work worth it when you know that you've impacted someone's life, even in a small way."
After graduation, Engdahl went on to graduate school at the University of Michigan in Biomedical Engineering. Looking back, she recalls how Wittenberg professors encouraged her academic pursuits, as well as supported her extra-curricular activities.
"Not only are they understanding of having to miss a class or two for performances, they are also often in attendance at many concerts." Engdahl is currently continuing her education at the University of Michigan, where she is enrolled in a Ph.D. program in the school's Rehabilitation Biomechanics Laboratory.
Additional STEAM Success Stories
Name: Chloe Hart
Graduation year: 2012
Major: Biology
Graduate school program: University of Washington Earth and Space Sciences Department
Assistantship: Teaching Assistantship (2013-2015), Research Assistantship (2015-present)
Current position: Ph.D. student, Geomicrobiology and Astrobiology, University of Washington
Name: Thomas Chuna
Graduation year: 2016
Major: Mathematics and Physics
Internship: University of Wisconsin
Graduate school program: Michigan State University Physics and Astronomy Department
Assistantship: Research Assistantship
Current position: Ph.D. student, Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering, Michigan State University
Name: Ethan Raines
Graduation year: 2017 (planned)
Major: Physics
Graduate school plans: Accepted into Ph.D. programs at The Ohio State University and Virginia Tech University
Assistantships/Fellowships: Offered Full Assistantship plus Fellowship at both Ohio State and Virginia Tech