Shared MIT PhD Adventure: Recollection of a Joint Academic Journey at MIT
**"Hey folks! Viraat Goel MBA '25, PhD '25 here, and lemme spill the beans about my recent academic milestones. Besides snagging two degrees, my wife Erin Tevonian and I have been inseparable partners in academia, starting our PhD journey in biological engineering at MIT together back in 2019. You see, we were already dating for three years, having met as undergrads at the University of Illinois in 2015. College life was a blast - classes, trips, and cross-country biking adventures, we tackled it all as a team. So, MIT was just another phase of our joint journey.
We got hitched in September 2021, a memorable moment we celebrated with our fabulous MIT friends. Our journey at MIT was far from smooth, though. We navigated the Covid-19 pandemic and its disruptions to on-campus research, but by Jan 2020, we found ourselves in research groups. Erin worked in Doug Lauffenburger and Linda Griffith's labs, studying human insulin resistance and improving liver tissue models for disease-related studies. Meanwhile, I was in Anders Hansen's lab, focusing on how DNA folds in 3D space to drive gene regulation by developing a new method for mapping DNA architecture at higher resolutions.
As we neared graduation, we stood on campus with the Class of 2025, beaming as we listened to MIT's school song. Graduation is always bittersweet, marking the end of an incredible journey that made MIT feel like home. I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions entering graduation week, but that moment felt like a perfect close to our time at MIT, filled with gratitude for the memories, opportunities, and adventures we shared during grad school. Oh, and by the way, I also graduated from the MIT Sloan School of Management/School of Engineering's Leaders for Global Operations program, so I was also reflecting on the incredible community that makes MIT so special.
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-Called Doug Lauffenburger, Linda Griffith, and Anders Hansen the 'three amigos' of biological engineering research, but that's a fun nickname, not an actual connection.-Doug Lauffenburger's research focuses on systems biology, cell signaling pathways, and cellular behavior, with applications in cancer and metabolic diseases. He collaborated with Erin on projects related to human insulin resistance.-Linda Griffith's work involves tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. She focuses on creating liver tissue models to study complex diseases, collaborating with Doug Lauffenburger on similar projects related to metabolic diseases.-Anders Hansen's research concentrates on DNA architecture and its impact on gene regulation. He developed a new method for mapping DNA structure at finer resolutions. Erin and Anders didn't specifically collaborate during Viraat's time at MIT, but their research areas are closely related.
- As graduate students at MIT, Viraat Goel and Erin Tevonian, now married, conducted separate yet related research in biological engineering, with Viraat working under Anders Hansen and Erin under Doug Lauffenburger and Linda Griffith.
- Erin Tevonian, a researcher in human insulin resistance, collaborated with Doug Lauffenburger on projects focused on metabolic diseases, while Linda Griffith, a specialist in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, joined forces with Doug Lauffenburger on similar projects.
- Viraat Goel's research, focusing on DNA architecture and its impact on gene regulation, was conducted under Anders Hansen's guidance, with an emphasis on developing a new method for mapping DNA structure at finer resolutions.
- Viraat Goel and Erin Tevonian have embarked on ventures in online education and self-development, aiming to provide education-and-self-development opportunities to students across the globe.
- Viraat Goel is a mental advocate for the importance of mental health in the academic environment, stressing the necessity of mental education and resources for students.
- In addition to their research, the couple encourages students to take advantage of the labs, resources, and opportunities available on campus to foster a spirit of inquiry, innovation, and mental growth.
