Eric is a brother of the Alpha Omicron Chapter and graduated from Iowa State in 2010. He lives in Ames, Iowa, and currently works for the biotech startup NewLink Genetics. His work focuses on developing immunotherapy vaccines with the aim to increase overall survival in patients diagnosed with cancer. The company also develops small molecule drugs and viral vaccines for recent epidemics such as Ebola and Zika.
Outside of work, Eric is the chapter advisor for the Alpha Omicron Chapter. He has thoroughly enjoyed helping the undergraduate members and fellow advisors to cultivate an environment of responsibility, achievement, and brotherhood during and after their time at ISU. His brothers are invaluable friends to him and helping others have the same experience is rewarding on a whole new level.
Advice to students and young alumni:
“I say take charge of challenging yourself. There are no semester finals anymore and many bosses will only hold you accountable for your current job. Any future improvements will depend on you challenging yourself to develop more knowledge and skills. And don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes! I plan better experiments today because of every previous one that failed.”