Alumni Profile:
From early career success to life sciences consultant.
Before applying to the Master of Science in Biotechnology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Catherine Reville had studied biology and chemistry as an undergraduate and worked as a technical sales specialist and life sciences product manager at Affymetrix and Luminex Corporation.
“I was just beginning to understand the complexity of the life sciences industry.”
Learning how biotechnology companies make decisions.
Attending industry tradeshows and speaking with life science customers had given Reville a window into the complicated aspects of the biotechnology business landscape. Catherine was fascinated by the various factors that influence a biotechnology company’s ability to operate and knew that if she wanted to expand her career potential she needed exposure to disciplines beyond science.
She found the coursework to be rigorous and relevant to understanding how technological discoveries become successfully commercialized products in the biotechnology industry. Reville also valued the unique blend of faculty comprised of university scholars and private industry professionals, who delivered cutting-edge academic research along with practical knowledge from biotechnology leaders.
Building on strengths to forge a new career path.
Frequent team-based assignments provided Reville with the opportunity to exercise and tone her leadership, project management and communication skills. As a result, she has acquired the cross-functional knowledge required to make a valuable contribution in any situation.
“The program helped me recognize my core strengths and provided the environment to foster them.”
Reville is currently working for Deloitte as a Life Sciences Technology consultant. She works with biopharmaceutical clients to transform their business processes and implement technology solutions for clinical trial management, medical research, and medical information. The University of Wisconsin’s M.S. in Biotechnology Program inspired Reville to step beyond her comfort level and embark upon a career in consulting focused on project management, which she now sees as a perfect fit.
