Erik Ammermann is a second year chemical and biomolecular engineering PhD candidate as well as president of the John Lof Leadership Academy. Ammermann has been conducting research on Alzheimer’s disease through protein engineering under Dr Yongku Cho at Cho Research Group. 

After being accepted to the University of Connecticut for graduate school, Ammermann toured the school and met JLLA members. The academy’s student-led approach is what appealed to him in addition to the “networking opportunity between different engineering disciplines, not just chemical engineering.”

Now serving as JLLA’s second president, Ammermann reflected on the opportunity to serve as a leader among  other strong leaders: “ I would say the biggest thing I am learning is that being President is giving me a better sense of when to step up and take charge of something versus letting someone else take the lead, since I can be very hands-on at times,” said Ammermann. “Also, I feel like it is making me a better, more active listener as I try to account for all perspectives before making decisions.”

During his time as an undergraduate researcher Ammermann observed that “technical skills and research abilities will only get you so far, but in order to advance your career you need interpersonal abilities and communication skills.”

His experience with John Lof thus far has helped him fine-tune those transferable skills and translate them into other aspects of his life. Outside of the classroom, Ammermann was heavily involved in the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON), a charitable student-run organization that helps children and families impacted by childhood cancer.

Donyeil Hoy is a Ph.D. candidate in UConn’s Biomedical Engineering department and a Graduate Research Assistant in the Self-Assembling Functional Nanomaterials Lab under Mu-Ping Nieh, Ph.D..

Hoy’s accomplishments have been recognized by the university as well as a national program. He is a recipient of the prestigious UConn’s Giolas Harriott Fellowship in addition to the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Outside of JLLA, Hoy is a demonstrated leader, as a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and former parliamentarian in the Graduate Student Senate (GSS). He says inclusivity and diversity are integral aspects of his leadership style.

“One of the reasons joined [JLLA] is that leadership skills are not always prioritized within the engineering community, so we need a space to develop ourselves.”

During his tenure as a student, Hoy says he has met individuals whose skills are endemic to their field, and not transferable. JLLA’s approach is more holistic in that the curriculum is designed to be transferable to any industry or role.

“It is a shame when you see knowledgeable people who fail to mentor students and effectively share their abilities,” says Hoy. “We are more prepared as leaders after going through the JLLA curriculum.”

Some of Hoy’s other talents outside of engineering include gardening, cooking and writing. He especially enjoys being able to incorporate these skills by growing produce he can cook with.

Armin Rad received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Connecticut this past December and is now enrolled in UConn’sMaster of Engineering in Global Entrepreneurshipprogram.

As a former executive board member for the first cohort, Rad said that helping develop the program showed him that “there are no similar academies within the university”. Rad says he was excited by the notion of JLLA’s program when it was founded in 2018, because the curriculum is so unique and accounts for that gap within the engineering education.

Experience is the only practical application to build these skills and become a confident leader. JLLA’s workshops on leadership philosophy and conflict resolution translate into his role as co-founder and CEO of Encapsulate LLC.

“I take my role [as CEO and co-founder] very seriously and am dedicated to advancing my skills for the betterment of my company,” said Rad. “Even though I was trained in Engineering for about 10 years, I never was exposed to the leadership aspect of engineering that is necessary for the industry.”

Now that Rad has a solid foundation of leadership skills, he says he would like to continue working on Encapsulate. Eventually, he would also like to work in academia to give back to knowledge he has acquired. 

Bilal Khan is a third-year Ph.D. student in Electrical Engineering and also received his bachelor’s from the University of Connecticut. He currently researches fabrication semiconductor devices in a microfabrication lab.

Khan moved to the US when he was nine-years old from Pakistan. He connects with his Pakistani roots by learning languages endemic to the middle eastern region: Urdu, Dari, Hindi, Farsi and English.

Being multilingual enables Khan to connect with others, just as JLLA helps him connect and work with other engineers.

“It’s refreshing to have other people’s point of views on how you should proceed with a particular problem or how to navigate the world of graduate school.”

Having a space dedicated to personal growth is essential for becoming an exceptional leader. Khan says that helping develop JLLA’s program was a practical application of leadership abilities.

“I feel like it’s going to continue evolving and continue changing into something even better than what it is now, because it’s all a learning process.”

Roman Mays is a third-year Ph.D. candidate and GEM fellow in Electrical Engineering with a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

As a Senator in the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) and executive board member in the Student Association of Graduate Engineers (SAGE), Mays is a demonstrated leader within his community.

Mays was inducted into the first cohort of JLLA members and says that the first year was dedicated to developing a strong organization.

“It was upon us to build the program and figure out what we wanted to get out of it. So, we created a space where we can better the prowess of leadership within the members of this community.”

Now that he has experienced two years of curriculum, Mays says that practicing different leadership styles have prepared him for his career.

“You get to see other people from different disciplines of engineering with different leadership qualities, and you learn from the leadership qualities through workshops,” said Mays. “You get to see what’s effective, what’s not effective and you get to then better yourself, not only as a person, but as a leader going into graduate studies and into the workforce.”

Farnoosh Saeedinejad is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering from Iran. Her first language is Farsi, so Saeedinejad knew her choice to pursue a doctoral degree would be an opportunity to develop and challenge herself.

Currently, Saeedinejad researches effective drug delivery methods in the Self-Assembled Functional Nanomaterials Labunder Dr. Mu-Ping Nieh. She is also an Orientation Representative with International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS).

Saeedinejad wants to pursue a career in industry when she graduates, because she wants to see the impact of her work. In order to better prepare for her career and develop a network in her new country, she joined JLLA’s first cohort in 2018.

“When I first heard about JLLA, I thought that it was a good opportunity to get out of my comfort zone,” said Saeedinejad. “Having gone through the curriculum, I can say I learned about myself and how I interact best with others.”

JLLA gave Saeedinejad the space for growth and a safe environment to learn through practicing and attending workshops.

“I don’t see myself as a natural leader, but acknowledging that and pushing myself to work towards that goal made a huge difference.”

By Allison O’Donnell, Written Communications Specialist, UConn School of Engineering

Justin Fang is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering who conducts research on biomaterials in the LoTurco Lab. His research involves capturing QDs in bio-compatible polymers for imaging.

In addition to his research, Justin has served three terms on the Executive Board of the Graduate Student Senate (GSS), with the last two terms as the GSS President. In addition to his Presidency, Justin has served as the Graduate-Student Senator to the University Senate, which comprises graduate and undergraduate students, staff, and faculty at UConn.

In his role at the University Senate, he has served on the University Senate Executive Committee where he helped develop and write university-wide policies, in coordination with the President and Provost of UConn. Lastly, Justin is also the Student -Trustee on UConn’s Board of Trustees, where he represents the interests of fellow UConn students. As such, he became a member of JLLA to become a leader that can inspire others.

“JLLA has been a great opportunity for me to hone my leadership skills, especially when it comes to how to manage a team towards a shared goal,” said Justin. “[Leadership skills] are important to succeeding in a global economy, and is an important skill in general to have.”

Justin says he would encourage all graduate students in the School of Engineering to apply to JLLA, “since college graduates with a master’s or Ph.D. degree typically result in graduates being placed in a leadership role, wherever they end up.”

He also emphasizes the importance of knowing how to inspire others and maximizing efficiency- regardless of industry.

Outside of JLLA, Justin enjoys staying active by playing tennis, racquetball or hiking. When spending time inside, he plays the piano and reads sci-fi books.