Samantha Truex Named 2026 Sylvanus Thayer Fellow

Dean Douglas Van Citters (left) with 2026 Sylvanus Thayer Fellow Samantha Truex (Photo by Mark Washburn)

During a celebration over Dartmouth’s Homecoming weekend, Dean Douglas Van Citters '99 Th'03 Th'06 recognized Truex for her “extraordinary service to Thayer, and for the passion and commitment with which you have always approached your work for our students, our faculty, and our staff.”

Her service to Dartmouth and Thayer spans more than two decades, including serving on numerous committees, alumni boards, and fundraising efforts, most notably the nine years she served on the Thayer Board of Advisors. 

Truex joined the Thayer Board in 2015 and became chair in 2020, as the world grappled with COVID-19 pandemic. Van Citters credited her with expanding and diversifying the board and leading fundraising efforts for the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center, which doubled Thayer's capacity for research and engineering innovation.

Samantha Truex, with  husband Tad (left), their son Teddy '22 and partner Camile Wiggins '22  (Photo by Mark Washburn)

"Sam guided the board with a steady hand and wise leadership, all while remaining fully devoted to Thayer’s success,” Van Citters said. “She was unafraid to ask the hard questions, but was also among the first to say thank you and express her appreciation to colleagues, to Thayer staff, or to our faculty in recognition of their work.”

As an undergraduate, Truex was one of the first interns to join what was then the Women in Science Project (WISP), where she conducted research under the mentorship of Carol Muller '77, a former associate dean and past Sylvanus Thayer Fellow. Truex went on to earn her bachelor of arts in biology from Dartmouth, a bachelor of engineering from Thayer, and her MBA from the Tuck School of Business.

Truex built a career at the intersection of biology, engineering, and business, serving in leadership roles and as chief executive of multiple venture-backed companies. Currently CEO  of Oblenio Bio, Truex has held leadership roles at Upstream Bio, Quench Bio, Synlogic, Padlock Therapeutics, Biogen, and Genzyme.

Throughout the years, Truex has provided support and counsel to numerous Master of Engineering Management students as a member of the Corporate Collaboration Council. She continues to mentor women in STEM through WISP and the Society of Women Engineers, as well as young alumni pursuing careers in biotechnology.

After stepping down from the Thayer Board in 2024, she continued to causes important to Thayer, including critical fundraising efforts for financial aid for the bachelor of engineering program. In recent years, she and her husband, Tad '91 Th'93, helped establish the Truex Family Fellowship Fund, which provides scholarships to Thayer students.

Established by the Thayer Board of Advisors in 1978, the distinction of Sylvanus Thayer Fellow honors individuals who have distinguished themselves through their commitment and service to Thayer, Dartmouth, and the community at large.