Notable Alumni
Over 71,000 Ohio State engineering and architecture alumni live, work and volunteer in communities around the world. Buckeye engineers and architects are everywhere!
Meet some of our notable alumni:
From Ohio State to mission control: Alumni couple achieve their NASA dreams
Buckeye engineers Molly ’05 and Jeff Radigan ’03, ’05 first met in the Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors program. Today, both are achieving great heights at NASA’s Johnson Space Center where they help ensure the safety and success of human spaceflight missions.
As deputy chief of the Spaceflight Systems Division, Molly leads the mission control personnel responsible for power, avionics and life support for NASA's human space missions. Jeff, a flight director, leads a team of flight controllers from pre-flight mission development through real-time operations and directs the Artemis II team that will take humans back to the Moon.
“We can't say enough good things about Ohio State and how it prepared us. It really is amazing. As we were going through our careers as flight controllers and we were sitting in mission control, there's a lot that that doesn't get taught, and you have to absorb it incrementally over time and gain experience,” Jeff said. “The experiences we had at Ohio State, we didn't realize it at the time, but they absolutely prepared us for being able to come down here and work successfully.” Read Molly and Jeff’s story...
A relentless pursuit
Visualizing the future you want is key to success said electrical engineering alumna Ana Amicarella ’87. With more than 30 years of U.S. and international experience in the energy sector, she is the chief executive officer of EthosEnergy, a provider of rotating equipment services and systems to the power, oil and gas industries. It’s the type of position she envisioned for herself quite early in her career.
“I was in my early twenties when I decided I wanted to be a CEO,” she said, recalling her time as a field engineer with General Electric (GE). “I looked at the senior people doing my job—these amazing technical experts—and thought, ‘I don’t want to do that.’”
Amicarella quickly set out to diversify her skillset—gaining experience in sales, commercial and operations. By age 26, she was managing a team of 11 engineers and knew she was on the right track. She’s been managing businesses since 2002, first for GE and later for Aggreko, a world-leading provider of mobile modular power, temperature control and energy services. Read more about Ana...
Enabling dreams to take flight
Alumnus Joe Connolly dreamed of working at NASA ever since he watched a shuttle launch on TV as a young child. Originally from Niagara Falls, New York, he excelled in math and physics in high school. After a recruiter from Ohio State’s College of Engineering suggested he study aerospace engineering to prepare for his ideal job, Connolly became a Buckeye.
During his senior year of college the aerospace engineer was hired on the spot at a career fair to work for NASA. Nearly two decades later, Connolly remains just as passionate about the organization where he works to accelerate the future of flight and inspire future engineers.
“NASA has lived up to the hype of youthful dreams,” he shared. “It's a really cool place to work. You get to work on some really fun problems and overcome challenges.” Read Joe's story…
Alumni push industry forward with robotic innovations
Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are two rapidly evolving fields, enabling machines to perform everyday tasks with incredible speed and accuracy. Now, two enterprising Buckeye engineers are leveraging this technology to grow their promising robotics companies and disrupt the industrial status quo.
Mechanical engineering alums Simon Kalouche ’14 (pictured on left) and Andy Lonsberry ’13 recently returned to Ohio State to share the trials and tribulations of starting a new business, along with some tips for success. Kalouche is the founder and CEO of Nimble Robotics, which engineers intelligent next-generation AI robotic fulfillment systems. Lonsberry is co-founder and CEO of Columbus-based Path Robotics, which creates manufacturing robots that autonomously scan, position and weld parts without the need for skilled welders or robot programmers. Read more about these entrepreneurial alumni...
Distinguished alum, veteran inspires others to soar
Being prepared for every opportunity helped Walter Davis ’59 rise to the Navy’s second-highest rank. Now the retired vice admiral inspires future engineers and entrepreneurs to excel.
At Ohio State, Davis majored in electrical engineering and joined the Navy ROTC. After graduating in 1959, he was commissioned into the Navy. He completed flight training in 1960 and became a naval aviator. Davis accumulated over 3,500 flight hours and 800 carrier landings as a fighter pilot. He served two combat tours in Vietnam and later served a third in the Middle East. He also earned a bachelor’s in aeronautical engineering and master’s in aeronautical electronics from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Ready for every opportunity, Davis rose steadily through the Navy’s ranks. During his 37-year naval career, he was a test pilot, executive officer and commanding officer of fighter squadron VF-114, executive officer of the carrier USS Kitty Hawk, as well as commanding officer of the supply ship USS Sacramento and carrier USS Ranger.
Having an opportunity-focused outlook also benefitted Davis in his second career as vice president of business development for EvoNexus, a nonprofit technology startup incubator he co-founded in 2010. Read Walter's story...
Expanding the impact of culture in the architecture profession
Alumnus Bryan C. Lee Jr. ’06 is a national design justice advocate with over a decade of experience in the field of architecture. He is the founding organizer of the Design Justice Platform and organized the Design As Protest National Day of Action.
After beginning his architecture career at the New Orleans firm Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, Lee founded the nonprofit collective Colloqate Design in 2017. Based in New Orleans, Colloqate tackles social justice projects through a community lens.
Lee was named one of Fast Company's 2018 Most Creative People in Business, a 2019 Architectural League Emerging Voice and a 2019 USC Civic Media Research Fellow. He is also a member of the Knowlton School Advisory Board. Read more about Bryan...
Acclaimed alumna helps women innovators excel
Alumna Mary Juhas is dedicated to developing and advancing women STEMM leaders.
Her first experience of working closely with a woman engineering mentor was during her Châteaubriand postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Paris. It made a lasting impression.
Previous professional mentors during her undergraduate courses, graduate studies and first job were all male. Since then, Juhas has dedicated much of her career to developing and advancing women STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine) leaders and trailblazers who not only excel in research, but can also mentor the next generation of women. Read more about Mary...
Trailblazing alum paves way for students’ success in STEM
Alumnus Leroy Long III has achieved many firsts. He’s the first Black person to earn promotion with tenure in engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach campus, and the first U.S. born Black man to earn tenure in any college on any Embry-Riddle campus.
The Dayton, Ohio native is also the first member of his family to earn an engineering degree or a doctorate, and the first to become an educator or a college professor.
But for Long, being the first isn’t as important as ensuring he’s not the last.
“All of it is an achievement to me, but mainly because I’m representing something much bigger than me,” he said. “There are many more people capable of doing this, if they just had the opportunity.” Read Leroy's story...
Award-winning alumna inspires kids to pursue STEM careers
Alumna Anita F. Debarlaben is more than an educator—she’s a coach who uses her engineering background, personal experience and enthusiasm to encourage middle and high school students to pursue and excel in STEM careers.
After earning her electrical engineering degree from The Ohio State University in 1985, Debarlaben spent more than 18 years developing software for companies such as General Electric, Northrop Grumman and Lucent Technology.
She also served as a tutor and Girl Scout leader for many years and discovered a knack for helping students understand math and science. Eventually Debarlaben decided to switch career paths and become a teacher to combine her passion for helping others learn with her expertise in engineering. Read Anita's story...
Successful alumnus believes in putting others first
Chemical engineer Bob Patel ’88 is passionate about making a difference. Through his visionary leadership as CEO of one of the world’s largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies, and his philanthropic efforts, Patel is a champion for helping people realize their potential.
The secret to his success, Patel said, stems from the values he learned as a child. Things like treating others as you want to be treated, helping people and having a strong work ethic. Those lessons were instilled by his mom, who immigrated to the U.S. from India to give Patel and his older brother a better life, and his uncle, who helped bring the family to Cleveland, Ohio. Read more about Bob...
Father-son alumni duo embrace entrepreneurial spirit
One of Curtis Moody’s mottos is, “Do what you can, when you can, with what you got, while you've got it.”
It’s a philosophy that has benefitted the Ohio State alumnus, renowned architect and founder of Moody Nolan—the AIA 2021 Architecture Firm of the Year. It’s also a belief embraced by his son, David, a fellow alumnus and entrepreneur who launched civil engineering firm Moody Engineering in 2014.
David credits his father’s example with being a major influence on his decision to become an entrepreneur and said it’s a path he hopes more Buckeyes will take. “I wish more Ohio State grads in particular would consider entrepreneurship and take a bit more risk,” he said. Read more about this father-son alumni duo...
Alumna is an engineer pioneer in Cameroon
Mbu Waindim has always forged her own path to success. And she wants to help others do the same.
At just 17, she moved to the U.S. to study aerospace engineering, a field that isn’t widely talked about in her native Cameroon. After graduating with her bachelor’s from the Florida Institute of Technology, Waindim enrolled at The Ohio State University to earn her doctorate. In 2017 she became the first Cameroonian to hold a PhD in aerospace engineering.
“I wanted to go into aerospace engineering because I’m fascinated by flight and for the intellectual stimulation,” she said. “Aerospace engineering answers questions that are not obvious, such as explaining how an aircraft—a huge chunk of metal—can float in air. I wanted to learn how it worked and figure out how I could contribute to that space.” Read Mbu's story...
Enjoying the ride
Before joining Virgin Hyperloop in 2015, alumna Kristen Hammer never imagined she would be part of the team working to invent the first new mode of mass transportation in more than a century.
After graduation, Hammer worked in the aerospace industry for a few years before hearing that the startup now known as Virgin Hyperloop was looking for welding engineers.
“I went in and interviewed, and they definitely needed a welding engineer. I said, ‘Okay, it's a startup and there's risk involved in that. Startups don't always succeed,” she recalled. “But also, how often does a welding engineer get to work at a startup? It was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.” Read Kristen's story...
Alumna lands her dream job leading Engineers Without Borders
Taking on a new leadership role at Engineers Without Borders (EWB) USA during a global pandemic might be daunting for some people, but not Jackie O’Brien, who was named the organization’s CEO last summer.
After 30 years of experience in the corporate world starting as an environmental engineer with stretches at Vigor, Arconic and Alcoa, O’Brien is already applying her wide-ranging experience to EWB-USA. Having grown up in Lima, Peru and lived in Madrid, New York City, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, she has a deep appreciation for cross cultural exchanges, meaningful volunteerism and global thinking. Watch a Q&A with Jackie...
Sandia National Laboratories' Jacqueline Chen excels in the world of engineering
When Jacqueline Chen—one of the few women in the mechanical engineering program—walked into Ohio State’s placement office in the early 1980s she received an offer that would forever change her life. Sandia National Laboratories gave Chen the opportunity to apply for its graduate One-Year-on-Campus Program for women and minorities, which included a summer internship prior to starting the master’s program.
Chen did just that, completing a summer internship at Sandia’s Albuquerque, New Mexico, lab, and earning her master’s from the University of California at Berkeley in 1982. Nearly 40 years later, Chen is a senior scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, leading a computational combustion research group. She is also the principal investigator of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Exascale Computing Project on turbulent combustion. Read Jacqueline's story...
Alum uses technology to help disabled Ohioans
When Ali Rahimi ’14 and his family immigrated to the U.S. from Iran for a better life, he never dreamed he’d one day return the favor for Ohioans with disabilities. The computer science engineer’s plan to pursue a career in animation and game development changed after he met Patti Ruble, a social worker disabled at age 12 by polio, for a social science assignment.
When Ruble’s in-home health care agency changed, Rahimi saw how staff and scheduling problems negatively impacted his friend’s life. In 2011, he launched home health agency Ohio At Home to help her. Four years later, he launched Medforall, an assistive technology company. It provides care coordination software for agencies, plus remote support and assistive technologies to help individuals with disabilities be independent. Read Ali's story...
In the driver’s seat
After earning an aeronautical engineering degree from Ohio State, Lara Harrington ’90 found her calling—developing fuel-efficient, aerodynamic vehicles at Honda R&D Americas, Inc. in Raymond, Ohio.
She became Honda’s first female chief engineer in North America and most recently led the development of the all-new 2019 Honda Passport. Harrington is proud of her trailblazer status at the company and hopes it shows other women—especially girls—that they too can have a successful, rewarding career as an automotive engineer. Read more about Lara…
Buckeye architect makes his mark on campus
While studying architecture at Ohio State in the 1960s, George Acock never dreamed he’d have a significant and lasting impact on its physical landscape. Today, his work can be seen across the university’s Columbus campus, from the renovation of Thompson Library to the creation of the North Residential District. In May, Acock received a University Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his exceptional service to his alma mater.
“The Ohio State University’s Columbus campus bears the inimitable mark of your creative genius. From Thompson Library to Pomerene Hall, you’ve preserved beauty, transformed function and ensured longevity for several of the university’s most iconic landmarks,” said Ohio State Trustee Clark Kellogg during the award presentation at spring commencement. Read more about George...
Breaking barriers
Growing up in the rural South African village of Kopela, alumna Margaret Mkhosi never imagined that she’d become an engineer—let alone the first female nuclear engineer in her homeland. Today she leads the National Nuclear Regulator’s Center for Nuclear Safety and Security in South Africa and mentors other women so they too can be successful in STEM.
Kopela was so remote, the schools lacked critical resources like computers and labs. But thanks to a supportive family and mentors, Mkhosi later became the third woman to earn a PhD in nuclear engineering at Ohio State.
Inspired by the difficulties she overcame, she vowed to help other women also succeed in STEM careers. She mentors women of all ages, including many girls from Kopela. Read more about Margaret...
![Jeff Morosky at the Walt Disney Imagineering campus in Glendale, California. [Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Imagineering]](/sites/default/files/styles/coe_small/public/2020-07/Jeff%20Morosky%202018_web_wcrop.jpg?itok=X53Gnj60)
Making Disney magic from the ground up
Alumnus Jeff Morosky makes Disney magic happen at theme parks and resorts worldwide. As Disney Imagineering’s Landscape Architecture Design Studio Executive, he specializes in telling stories through nature.
Since 1997, Morosky (’81, landscape architecture) has led the Landscape Architectural Studio responsible for Disney Theme Parks and Resorts worldwide, including retail, dining and entertainment districts. He directed the design and development of numerous notable and award-winning projects, including Anaheim’s Downtown Disney, Hawaii’s Aulani and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Creating highly immersive attractions and experiences that transport guests to a world of fantasy begins with storytelling, Morosky said, which is interwoven into every facet of the experience. Read a Q&A with Jeff.
Tech trailblazer engineers success
With more than 30 years of experience in leadership roles at industry giants like Microsoft, Motorola and AT&T, alumna Maria Martinez knows what it takes to succeed in the high-tech business world. As Salesforce’s president of Global Customer Success and Latin America, this Buckeye engineer is passionate about helping the company’s customers and her team define and realize their own ambitions.
Martinez (MS ’81, computer engineering) was attracted to the field of engineering because it was relatively uncharted territory back then for women, not to mention her love of “how engineering drives innovation and sets the pace for change.” Named one of the 50 Most Powerful Latinas in corporate America in 2017, Martinez is most inspired by helping future generations, especially women and other underrepresented groups, find their own path to success. Read a Q&A with Maria.
Alumni lead out-of-this-world 3-D printing efforts
Since its origin in the early 1980s, 3-D printing has evolved into a tool with limitless possibilities. Now, two enterprising Buckeye engineering alumni are leading efforts to make 3-D printing commonplace in two places you might not expect: the final frontier and your favorite pizzeria.
As chief engineer and co-founder of Made in Space—the startup that designed and built the first 3-D printer ever to operate off-Earth—Michael Snyder (pictured on left) is realizing a lifelong ambition. Meanwhile, Anjan Contactor (pictured on right) used his experience as co-inventor of NASA’s 3-D food printer for deep space missions to co-launch Beehex, which designs and builds commercial 3-D food printers controlled by their proprietary software and mobile app. Read more about these two enterprising alumni…
Engineering opportunity
Leading a private liberal arts college might not seem like the perfect fit for an industrial engineer, but the engineering education she gained at Ohio State helped alumna Colette Pierce Burnette feel well-prepared for the role. In 2015, she became the sixth president and chief executive officer of Huston-Tillotson University, a historically Black institution in Austin, Texas. She’s the first female president of the merged institution and only the second female leader in the university's 140-year history.
Now she hopes her story—of an inner city child who became an engineer and a college president—will inspire Huston-Tillotson students to find their own passion and purpose. Read more about Colette...
Succeeding in uncharted waters
At just 28 years old, alumna and current MIT PhD student Sampriti Bhattacharyya launched startup Hydroswarm in the Boston area to commercialize the football-sized autonomous underwater drones she helped develop. These egg-shaped robots can work alone or in tandem to map the ocean floor, inspect underwater nuclear reactors, search for lost planes and complete virtually any other underwater surveillance task. The startup has captured worldwide attention with its innovative, relatively inexpensive robot design.
Bhattacharyya was named to Forbes 30 under 30 Class of 2016 for Manufacturing/Industry, an honor that recognizes bright, young change agents. And in her spare time, she co-founded an international non-profit. Read Sampriti's story...
Engineering a safer nation
From conducting the first satellite television transmission in the 1960s to more recent advances in airborne collision avoidance systems and space surveillance, MIT Lincoln Laboratory has remained on the forefront of developing technology for national security for the past 64 years. Buckeye engineer Eric Evans has been at the helm of the historic research laboratory since 2006, guiding its strategic direction as well as the overall technical and administrative operations.
A three-time electrical engineering alumnus (’83, ’85 MS, ’88 PhD) and National Academy of Engineering member, Evans’ radar work has received wide acclaim. Read Eric's story...
Ernest Levert: Dreams at work
Once called a foolish dreamer by his junior high school classmates, Ernest Levert has proven that with determination and talent, dreams do come true. Even as a child, Levert (pictured on left) wanted to make an impact on the world. During his 28-year career at Lockheed Martin, the welding engineering alumnus (’82) has done just that, pioneering new welding innovations that impacted programs ranging from the ground to the seas, and even to outer space.
As a Lockheed Martin Fellow at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, Levert applies his welding engineering expertise to solve technical challenges across the corporation, leads training for production operations and conducts research for new projects. Read more about Ernest...
Engineering an NFL Career: Jake McQuaide
Alum Jake McQuaide has one of the world’s most unique occupations. As the starting long-snapper for the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, he’s on the field for every punt, field goal and extra point. Since NFL teams only have one long-snapper on the active roster, he’s one of just 32 people in the U.S. who can claim that job title.
What makes McQuaide '11 even more unique is that he is a proud alumnus of Ohio State’s aeronautical and astronautical engineering program. It’s probably safe to say he’s the only NFL long-snapper who can run a transonic wind tunnel research project to test dynamic stall on a Blackhawk rotor blade.
Now in his fourth season with the Rams, the College of Engineering’s favorite NFL player fondly recalls his days as a Buckeye engineer and as a player wearing the scarlet and gray in the Rose Bowl. And while he’s vibrantly living his dream of playing football for a living, his idea of a dream job after he hangs up his cleats may surprise you. Get to know Jake...
Pulling the pieces together: Nancy Dawes
What do Pringles potato chips, Duncan Hines Cookies and Olay Total Effects have in common? They’re three Procter & Gamble product lines that have benefited from the talents of skilled innovator and Buckeye chemical engineer Nancy Dawes.
Described as one of the country’s foremost experts in the development of advanced skincare products, Dawes (’81, chemical engineering) has spent her entire 33-year career working in several P&G branches, from food product development to global beauty.
While a love of chemistry led her to major in chemical engineering at Ohio State, it was the challenging curriculum that kept Dawes’ interest. She credits the university with preparing her well and instilling a skill critical to having a successful engineering career. Read more about Nancy...
Alum tackles water crisis one pump at a time
Greg Bixler never set out to build a groundbreaking water pump or start a humanitarian engineering organization. But once the mechanical engineering alum heard about the life-threatening water issues the world’s poorest inhabitants face, he couldn’t turn away.
Bixler (left, wearing hat) is co-founder and CEO of Design Outreach, the volunteer-powered humanitarian engineering organization that invented the LifePump. Unlike traditional hand pumps that tap out at 162 feet, the LifePump can pump water from more than 500 feet deep. The three-time Buckeye grad aims to inspire students to go out into the workforce and come up with solutions for the world’s poorest people. Read Greg's story...
Forging a new path
When it comes to welding, explained Bill Forquer, you have to burn to learn. As CEO of RealWeld Systems, the computer science and engineering alumnus leads a team of talented Buckeye engineers who aim to transform welding education by making sure that burn time is as instructive as possible.
RealWeld Systems is the startup behind the RealWeld Trainer, the first and only welding trainer on the market designed for use in the welding booth under real-world conditions. Using motion capture technology, the system monitors and measures a welder’s performance and provides immediate feedback on motions, adherence to welding-parameters and whether bonds are being made in a metal’s sweet spot. Read more about Bill...
Driven to succeed
Jackie Marshall DiMarco, chief engineer for the longtime best-selling Ford F-150 pickup, downplays being the first woman to hold the position in the truck’s 60-plus years of production. Women fill about 20 percent of engineering jobs at major automotive companies. That figure has remained steady in recent years, she said, noting that the percentages are lower for women at the management level of the firms.
DiMarco studied mechanical engineering at Ohio State, with an eye to working in the biomedical or construction industries. But it was her involvement with the university’s Center for Automotive Research during her junior year that defined her future. Read Jackie's story...