Ryan Liermann, M.S.

Alumni Profile:

I learned firsthand the ins and outs of biotech management.

In 2003, Ryan Liermann, a scientist in Rockford, Illinois was looking for an MBA program that specialized in technology management. Liermann,who was a bench level scientist at Pierce Biotechnology, Inc. at the time, says “I couldn’t find anything like what I was looking for from a bricks and mortar school.”

The right fit.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard about Madison’s program—it was the closest match to what I was looking for,” notes Liermann, who spent two years, from 2003 to 2005, going to school and working full-time.

The program he says gave him the tools to succeed.

“I learned first-hand the ins and outs of biotech management, what it takes to successfully bring products to the marketplace, and how to implement tactical, strategic approaches in business.”

Career opportunities followed.

Within months of graduation Liermann began a new job as a program manager with Hospira in Chicago.

Commuting to Madison to earn his master of science in biotechnology degree paid off in many ways, including a boost in earning potential.

“Within months of getting my degree my salary increased by about 90 percent,” he says. “It’s just one of the benefits that came from following my hunch that this program was exactly what I was looking for when I was exploring options in 2003.”

Liermann’s career success since graduating nearly 15 years ago has validated the significance of the knowledge and experience he gained when he choose this unique professional master’s program. The direct interactions with students and faculty, who themselves were scientists, business and legal professionals, had a powerful impact on his career growth.

An early member of the Biotech Badger community, Liermann continues to credit the importance of the program’s professional network and the relationships he developed so many years ago.