Alumni Profiles Series: Lauren Heckelman

Lauren Heckelman is a “triple Duke” alumna, having earned her B.S.E. (2016), M.S. (2017), and Ph.D. (2022) in biomedical engineering (BME). After spending a decade at Duke, she joined Columbia University in July 2022 as a lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and became the department’s undergraduate chair in July 2024. In these roles, she teaches junior-level laboratory courses and the senior design capstone, oversees the undergraduate program, and mentors students as they prepare for life after graduation.

How did you find your passion for teaching?

For most of my life, I actually thought I was bad at teaching. I’m the middle child of three girls, and when I tried to help my sisters with math or biology, they didn’t want to listen to me. I came away feeling that I wasn’t good at explaining things or motivating students. 

That perception began to change during my undergraduate years at Duke. I started receiving positive feedback from classmates in study groups, who told me I was good at breaking down concepts. Around that same time, I met my mentor, Dr. Libby Bucholz, the best educator I’ve ever met. She connected me to my first TA position during my master’s program, which completely shifted my perspective. I discovered how much joy I found in mentorship. Working with students through programs like Duke Splash and the Society of Women Engineers only reinforced that passion, and pursuing a teaching-focused faculty role soon felt like a natural progression.

How did you intentionally develop your teaching skills during graduate school?

I completed three programs at Duke that were especially formative. First was the Certificate in College Teaching, which I recommend to any graduate student: it teaches you how to communicate complex ideas effectively and understand how students learn. Second, I completed the Certificate of Accomplishment in Teaching Writing in the Disciplines. I was initially hesitant about a writing-focused program, but it was led by someone with a Ph.D. in engineering, which made it incredibly relevant and transformative for how I assign and assess writing in technical fields.

Finally, the Preparing Future Faculty Program exposed me to differences across institution types, from community colleges to R1 universities. That experience helped me make an informed decision about where I wanted to teach. 

What was your experience on the academic job market?

I was on the market in fall 2021, which was a challenging time as we were coming off the pandemic and many institutions were just emerging from hiring freezes. I was specifically seeking teaching-focused faculty positions, and there were only about a dozen openings nationwide. I scoured job boards every day, multiple times a day, refreshing the page to see if anything new was popping up.

Columbia brought me to campus a few days after my Ph.D. defense in December. I received my job offer on December 23 at 4:59 p.m., which felt like the best early Christmas present. Columbia was an obvious choice: it was one of the best jobs available that cycle, and it also brought me closer to my family in Pennsylvania. I signed my contract in mid-January and spent the spring wrapping up my time at Duke, including TAing one last time for Dr. Libby Bucholz. It felt like a meaningful way to close a decade-long chapter.

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What do you enjoy most about your current role?

My favorite part is working closely with undergraduate students over multiple years. At Columbia, BME students take their first BME-specific course in the fall of their junior year, and from that point on, they’re with me for four straight semesters. I teach junior-level lab courses and the senior design capstone, which allows me to see their growth from the beginning of their major through graduation. Watching that transformation and staying connected as they move on to graduate school, medical school, careers, or personal milestones, is incredibly rewarding.

I’m also leading a project focused on integrating generative AI into the undergraduate BME curriculum. With support from a Columbia seed grant, we’re exploring how to teach students to use AI ethically and critically. The goal isn’t to ban AI, but to help students understand its limitations, verify outputs, and maintain strong foundational skills. We’re at a pivotal moment in education, and I’m excited to help shape how students navigate this evolving landscape.

What is one of your favorite memories from Duke?

There are so many, but a standout is my sophomore-year Duke-UNC basketball game after tenting. It was the culmination of my first tenting experience; we were tent two out of a hundred, which put us in the front row. I was also in Cameron for Coach K’s final home game and for the 2015 National Championship watch party, after which we celebrated on the court and then burned benches on the main quad.

Academically, my Ph.D. defense was deeply meaningful. My entire family, including my six-month-old nephew, was there. Looking back four years later, it’s incredible to see how far that journey has taken me.

What one piece of advice would you give current Duke graduate students?

Follow your passion. We can’t predict tomorrow, but you can put your best foot forward today. Live your life the way you want to; everything else is out of your hands. If you do your best, you can’t be disappointed.

Author

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Zilu Zhang

Ph.D. candidate, Biomedical Engineering

Zilu Zhang is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Reker Lab at Duke BME. His research focuses on developing nanomedicines for a range of disorders, leveraging an interdisciplinary toolkit that integrates AI, computational simulation, lab automation, and advanced analytical techniques. Outside the lab, he enjoys staying active through gym workouts and running, as well as cooking, reading, and playing music.