Spotlight: Sugandh Srivastava
Posted February 16, 2019 in Alumni, Irvine Valley College, Spotlight, STEM, Students
Sugandh Srivastava’s fascination with science burgeoned during her high school days. Like many of our Student Spotlight members, Sugandh benefitted from having inspirational science teachers during her youth, and she would eventually develop a special attraction to her chemistry classes. So much so, in fact, that her childhood ambition was to one day educate future generations by becoming a chemistry teacher herself.
Sugandh earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees in chemistry from India. However, shortly after earning her PhD, she had to support her family during a time of need and stepped aside from the field for several years. When she moved to the United States, Sugandh decided it was time to revisit her abated passion for the sciences. She learned about the OC Biotech courses while at Irvine Valley College and grew intrigued by the wide range of opportunities in the field. She set an appointment to meet with Professor Emalee Mackenzie, the IVC Biotech Program Director. To this day, Sugandh recognizes that thanks to Professor Mackenzie’s overwhelming support and encouragement during that meeting, she was able to take her first steps into the biotech industry.
As she worked toward her Biotech degree, Sugandh rekindled her passion for chemistry and microbiology. Through her biotech lab work at IVC, Sugandh sharpened her analytical skills and developed an ability to recognize common patterns. Furthermore, the numerous presentations she gave helped hone her interpersonal skills, grooming her to become a confident and well-spoken leader in the workforce.
Now, Sugandh works for B. Braun Medical Inc. as a Quality Assurance Consultant. Before a medical product can be released to the public, it must first pass Sugandh’s watch for a batch review. This is where her the pattern-recognition skills she developed from her labs has proved handy, as she works diligently to ensure that manufactured drugs meet regulatory protocols and specifications set by the FDA, ICH, and USP.
When asked if she had any advice for today’s college student, Sugandh responded “If you are truly passionate about biotech, you should take courses that will help you build important skills which are required to get into the industry and become a strong contender. As for those who are uncertain, I would also recommend taking classes to familiarize yourself with this field and learning about all it has to offer, as it is truly an exceptional field of work.”