Alumni Spotlights: Spring 2026

Mar 02, 2026 | Dartmouth Engineer

Spotlights on recent achievements of Dartmouth Engineering alumni.

"30 Under 30"

Biomedical engineering major Syed Rakin Ahmed '18 MED'26 was noted in the latest Forbes' "30 Under 30" list for his research creating AI models to help both diagnose cancer and create more precise treatments for it. The Cambridge, Mass.-based MD candidate led the AI arm of a global consortium that built a screening and treatment pathway for cervical cancer; he also developed models to predict actionable mutations in brain tumors using MRI images. In Berlin, Germany, Tristan Fogt '19 Th'19 is "making robots that redefine safety in industrial automation" as cofounder and chief technology officer of Sensory Robotics. Fogt uses 3D sensors and proprietary algorithms to track human-robot proximity in real time while meeting the strictest global safety standards. "With customers including Boeing, Denso and General Motors, Sensory Robotics is on track to make more than $2 million in revenue in 2025," reports the magazine. And Forbes' "30 Under 30 Romania," highlights Andrada "Andra" Pantelimon '22 Th'23, an analyst at Rose Rock Bridge (RRB), one of the leading deep-tech pilot deployment studios in the United States. The organization is backed by Fortune 500 companies and a major philanthropic foundation with more than $4.5 billion in assets. Pantelimon drives commercialization and deployment efforts across RRB's startup portfolio; she previously coordinated an industrial robotics initiative as a technical program manager at Amazon and developed an application that accelerated the adoption of robotics across European fulfillment centers.

Syed Rakin Ahmed '18 MED'26 (from left), Tristan Fogt '19, Andrada Pantelimon '22 Th'23

Dana Guernsey '06

The Connector

As an aging grid faces rising demand, increasing complexity, and more frequent stress events, one thing has become clear: The United States doesn't just need more power, it needs power that can show up at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price. Dana Guernsey '06 Th'08, Voltus CEO and cofounder—with Matt Plante Tu'06—is tackling that challenge at the intersection of demand and supply, energy users and grid operators. The Boulder, Colo.-based virtual power plant operator works across all major North American markets, managing more than eight gigawatts of flexible capacity and supporting tens of thousands of customer sites. Guernsey's energy career was sparked by work on her MEM thesis converting a combustion engine from a Formula I car into a hybrid. "This was the first time I experienced entrepreneurship," she told the Powerhouse podcast Watt It Takes, "because it wasn't just building a car, source parts, coordinate as a team, systems had to talk, so on and so on. What really hooked me was this idea that high performance and environmental benefit did not have to be at odds."

"This was the first time I experienced entrepreneurship."

Dana Guernsey '06

Sim Shagaya Th'99

The Founder

Nigerian-based serial entrepreneur Sim Shagaya Th'99 recently shared lessons from decades focused on building systems that elevate society. Named to Forbes' 2014 list of the "10 Most Powerful Men in Africa," Shagaya is founder and CEO of uLesson, an app that makes education available to learners across Africa, and founder and former CEO of Konga, one of West Africa's largest e-commerce sites. He spoke last fall at the Sterling Leadership Series, stressing the need for resilience and flexibility. Some highlights include: "The world where you learned something and did it repeatedly for the rest of your life is over." Instead, he suggests developing meta skills such as humility, curiosity, and adaptability that feed other skills to stay relevant. As for education, the founder and chancellor of Miva Open University says, "Being educated today is measured by execution." For Shagaya, the value of learning shows in what you can build, not the paper you hold.

"Go where nobody is. If people are moving in one direction, do something different."

Sim Shagaya Th'99

The Tipping Point

Nick Foukal '10, a researcher at the University of Georgia, recently led a two-week expedition in the ice-choked waters off eastern Greenland. Profiled in The New York Times feature, "Dodging Icebergs and Storms on the Hunt for an Ocean Tipping Point," the engineering sciences major sought to advance scientists' understanding of how and when ocean currents might reach critical tipping points. "There's just very little data here," he says, "so any data is going to be really, really important." The seas around Greenland form an immense loop of water that winds through the world's oceans, linking changes in the climate far and wide. In the tropics, strong sunshine warms the water and makes it extra-salty through evaporation. When it travels up to Greenland and Iceland, this warmer water meets cold air, sinking as it becomes colder and denser. Researchers worry this circulation may grind to a halt due to increased amounts of fresh water—caused by increased rain that in turn melts ice on land and at sea—sloshing around in the North Atlantic. Foukal and team dropped a series of moorings loaded with instruments to measure various aspects of the water along a 35-mile stretch. He told The Times that collecting data this way reminded him of the lobster fishing he did growing up in Massachusetts: You don't know what you've got until you pull up the cages. "It's rolling the dice," he says.

Nick Foukal '10

Biotech Backer

As teens filled a Paris convention center last winter to discuss their science projects, Stanford professor Drew Endy Th'98 wanted to see more U.S. teams. "It's urgent that leadership of the next generation of biotechnology has a strong presence in America and it's represented by young American leaders," he told 60 Minutes. Of the more than 400 teams, 14 were from U.S. high schools and 120 were from Asia. They were competing at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM), using synthetic biology to solve real-world problems. Endy cofounded iGEM back in the early 2000s, when he was at MIT teaching genetic engineering. "We started iGEM because the people who wanted to work with us were the 18-year-olds." As biotech boomed, iGEM thrived—though Endy has warned the U.S. Congress that America's lead in the field of synthetic biology is giving way to China. He was cheered by the project presented by the Lambert High School team from Atlanta, Ga., which earned honors for best software tool.

The Professor

Tuck Professor of Marketing and Economic Policy Bryan Bollinger '03 Th'03 studies questions that lie at the intersection of marketing and economic policy. "Some examples include drivers of renewable energy diffusion, the role of home automation, and consumer response to health information," says Bollinger, named to the faculty in 2025. "I am studying the impact of tariffs on the U.S. solar market, sustainability labels on consumer loyalty, and the ability of AI to increase patient access and engagement in healthcare."

Richa Ranjan Th'25

Storytelling & Tech

Imagine stepping into a theater for a play and interacting with an AI character inspired by the narrative. Richa Ranjan Th'25 offered that experience to audiences in White River Junction, Vt.—blending storytelling with cutting-edge tech to introduce interactive AI chatbot Greta 2.0 at the Northern Stage production of Sisters. "I had the incredible opportunity to lead a team of eight to bring this concept to life," says Ranjan, former project manager with the Digital Applied Learning and Innovation (DALI) Lab at Dartmouth. "From concept to launch in less than three weeks, this project was a perfect blend of art and innovation, offering a unique touchpoint for the audience while complementing the dramaturgy. Positioned in the lobby, Greta 2.0 engaged with theatergoers, sparking conversations about the play, technology, and what being human means." Ranjan is now using her MEM degree—as a product manager of AI Search at Santa Clara, Calif.-based ServiceNow.

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