Master’s students shape the UChicago PME experience
The Master of Engineering (MEng) program at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) is a rigorous, translation-focused program designed to accelerate engineering career paths and prepare students for leadership roles in both groundbreaking entrepreneurship and established industries.
Students choose a specialized technical track tailored to their career goals—spanning Bio- and Immunoengineering, Quantum Engineering, Energy and Sustainability, Polymer Science and Engineering, or AI/Computation for Materials—while simultaneously anchoring their training in a shared series of professional development courses with the entire MEng cohort.
To accommodate diverse career trajectories, the program offers flexible pathways that allow students to graduate in as little as one year, alongside part-time options designed to seamlessly integrate summer internships or simultaneous professional employment. The following profiles offer a window into the vibrant community of innovators completing their master’s degrees at UChicago PME.
A pivot from research to business development
Growing up on Chicago’s South Side, Ashley Ellis dreamed of becoming a physician.
As a first-generation college student in a physician-scientist training program, she once saw her future in medicine. But even after being admitted to medical school, Ellis realized her path to making a difference lay elsewhere.
“With a husband and young son, I came to see that success in the medical field doesn’t begin and end with an MD or PhD,” she said. “I wanted to play a role in advancing health, but in a way that fit both my skills and my goals.”
A stint as a research specialist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine introduced her to CAR T-cell therapy, and several other roles at small biotech companies showed her the promise of bench-to-bedside research. She understood the science; now she wanted to shift her career and develop the business acumen needed to guide scientific innovation through development.
Jumpstarting a journey toward a PhD
As the child of an Air Force officer, Ryan Yetishefsky grew up with a heightened awareness of the debilitating injuries affecting soldiers and veterans. Everything from amputations to PTSD “fundamentally change the way that people live,” he said.
So as an undergraduate at University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME), he decided to focus on bioengineering, with the goal of graduating and finding a job in industry that could help those who have been injured.
But when he began conducting research in the lab of Asst. Prof. Sihong Wang, he realized that his goals had shifted. “I appreciated having the independence and autonomy to explore different research avenues in the lab,” he said. “I decided I wanted to continue on in academia.”
Not quite ready to join a PhD program, Yetishefsky instead enrolled in UChicago PME’s Master of Engineering program, where he focused on the bio- and immunoengineering track. There, he bolstered his knowledge of both bioengineering and materials, including polymer science and synthesis. “Even though I was on the bio- and immune track, I still took a lot of materials science courses,” he said. “That was one thing I loved about the program. It gave me the flexibility to take courses that were interesting to me and that I thought were useful for my research.”
Read more about Ryan Yetishefsky
Master's student pursues an education for a quantum career
AyJae Donis wanted to pursue a career in quantum technology—but knew she needed a few more skills before she could launch herself into field.
As an undergraduate at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME), she studied quantum engineering, with an eye on becoming part of the second quantum revolution. But as she neared graduation, “something was missing,” she said.
“I looked around at master’s and PhD programs to learn more about quantum,” she said. “I wanted to dive more deeply into the topics.”
But she soon realized the programs she was looking for could be found right here: UChicago PME’s Master of Engineering program. As part of the computational modeling of materials track, she studied computational modeling while taking electives in quantum engineering. She delved deep into learning about Monte Carlo simulations and semiconductors—knowledge she knew could be applied to quantum technology.
A mission to improve Earth’s “village” with molecular engineering
Yousuf Mitchell is passionate about staving off the worst effects of climate change. The graduate student at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) is deepening his knowledge of molecular engineering and renewable energy to help design meaningful solutions.
Mitchell is hopeful, yet uneasy, about the world’s ability to forge a greener future. His travels have revealed glimpses of promise, from witnessing rural Nicaraguans use hydropower to seeing solar power help electrify one of Jordan’s major airports. Yet, for every group or nation that takes action, more needs to be done, he says.
“Earth is just like one large village,” says Mitchell, who speaks three languages and has also traveled to Spain, Cyprus, and Egypt. “More people need to care about how these global climate crises are affecting others, and scientists and engineers need to come up with real solutions to these challenges.”