For Episode 5 of Graduates, Ali interviews Melanie Wallace, a 2012 McDermott Scholar working as a product scientist for 23andMe. Melanie discusses how her McDermott experience has shaped her career in biomedical engineering. She recounts how undergraduate research experiences and study abroad led to her spending a year conducting research in Germany on a Fulbright grant. Melanie also reflects on the perspective she gained as a scientist and mentor while completing her PhD at Cornell. Melanie describes the work she does as a product scientist for 23andMe and closes the interview with some advice for navigating career opportunities and finding the right opportunities as a researcher.

(Recorded on April 19, 2022)

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