Conferences: CECS alum talk is highlight of CSUPERB 25th Biotechnology Symposium2

On the surface, the annual CSUPERB Biotechnology Symposium may not be the likeliest place to find alumni of the CSUN College of Engineering and Computer Science. The systemwide program is devoted to developing the professional biotechnology workforce, and its annual symposium is designed to broaden exposure to cutting-edge biotechnologies, product-focused innovation and career paths in the life sciences.

But last January, for the symposium’s silver anniversary, CECS alumnus Milad Girgis (BS ’97; MS ’01), who earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, was one of the featured speakers, and it was a perfect fit. His talk, titled “From Machine Design and Internal Combustion Engines to Deep Brain Stimulation,” underscored the value of the education he received at CSUN, tracing how a foundational education in the principles of engineering was transferable to a career in medical devices.

“When I entered the university back in 1991, even though we were coming off an economic crisis and stock market crash, people were saying I was crazy for getting into engineering,” says Girgis, vice president of international sales, program management and deep brain stimulation at Boston Scientific Neuromodulation. “But I followed my passions and did some amazing things like working on the Formula SAE car. I talked about the lessons I learned from CSUN—things like scheduling a fixed-end project and how to get things done and work with a diverse team of engineers.”

He also discussed the career potential in the medical device field and the fact that a background in biology, chemistry or biomedical engineering isn’t necessarily required to design the products because the same foundational principles of science and leadership apply across disciplines.

As a speaker at the CSUPERB Symposium, Girgis was in fine company. One speaker was a cancer researcher, another had discovered a molecule, and yet another was working for a diagnostics company, developing machines for hospitals. But it was clear that Girgis’s message had special impact. One student responding to the post-symposium survey wrote that he or she would remember, “…the inspirational speakers on Friday morning that came from CSU schools and succeeded in their educational career or their work career. Especially the engineer’s talk!”