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Today we are speaking with Dr. Amy Moore, a new Scholar in Residence at the EMP.

Amy’s background is in biomedical product development, project management and commercialization. ��She has previously taught physiology and neurobiology courses while also leading a research laboratory.�� Amy transitioned into medical commercialization by supporting both bio-med entrepreneurs as well as the companies evaluating new technologies for investment. ��In addition, Amy has had multiple leadership roles in product development, intellectual property, licensing, and strategy.

Amy will be joining the EMP faculty in the Fall of 2025.��Amy holds a PhD in Neuroscience from UCLA and an MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.��Amy and her husband are proud parents to two college-aged kids.

EMP:�� Amy Moore- thank you so much for spending some time with us today.

Dr. Amy Moore: ��Absolutely.

EMP: Let’s start at the beginning—can you tell me something about your early life that you feel really shaped your career path?

Amy Moore: I was that kid—the one always asking, “Why is it like that, Mom?” “How does that work, Dad?" I had a relentless curiosity. I never liked being boxed into just one thing—I got good grades, played multiple instruments, competed in sports, loved marching band (which is basically a sport actually), and I loved heavy metal (and its aggressive hairstyles).

EMP: That’s an amazing mix. So when did tech or engineering start to take center stage in your thinking?

Amy Moore: Funny enough, I was actually planning to go to college for music. But then I saw this colorful PET scan in my high school psych class—one of a musician’s brain next to a non-musician’s. That image changed everything for me. I ditched the conservatory plans and enrolled in college with a focus on Neuropsychology and Neurobiology under Cognitive Science

EMP: That’s a big shift! What was it about that moment or that image?

Amy Moore: Something clicked. - how was one brain different from another, different enough that could be captured in these images. I got hooked on brain research and tools used to see the brain—just completely fell in love with it. In undergrad, I’d spend all my spare time in the lab—running data, analyzing it, interpreting with my lab mates. Then in grad school, I got involved in building a PET system to detect metabolic changes in rodent brains. At the time, I didn’t think of it as engineering—I just saw it as a tool to understand impact of and recovery from brain injury. But looking back, that was my first real taste of engineering.

EMP: Do you remember a favorite subject during undergrad?

Amy Moore: Besides the direct neurobio and lab classes? Linguistics, hands down. It amazed me how different cultures could have such similar communication structures. It totally broadened how I saw human connection.

EMP: Let’s talk career. What was your first job after school?

Amy Moore: I went straight from undergrad to PhD to postdoc to a faculty position – just as I had planned. Every role came through networking. Conferences, research circles, that kind of thing. My most memorable interview moment was for a faculty role, and the computer system crashed so I couldn’t show the beautiful brain slides I had prepared. I had to do a literal chalk talk—on a blackboard—about brain inflammation. I think I even referenced Monsters, Inc. somehow! But the chair told me they were impressed by my ability to adapt and I got the offer the next day.

EMP: That’s incredible. Did you have any mentors who really guided you during those early stages?

Amy Moore: Oh, absolutely. My undergrad mentor—she loved undergraduate teaching and involving students in research. She passed up offers to run a larger lab with grad students and postdocs without a requirement to teach courses because she knew that here passion was with teaching and advising undergrads. In grad school, my mentor emphasized ethics and equity for early-career scientists. And in business school, I had a mentor who taught me that communication between teams is critical—because no one, especially patients, benefits when egos get in the way.

EMP: How would you say your career evolved over time? And what role did your graduate education play?

Amy Moore: Career counselors always say, “play to your strengths,” and honestly, one of mine is being a student. I like having coursework that backs-up my work. For example, I once got an offer to teach music in elementary school.�� I had my neuroscience background and my music past, but I still felt weird not having formal training. So, while I was a postdoc, I enrolled at Eastman School of Music. I loved it.

EMP: Great. But you mentioned ending up in industry—was that part of the plan?

Amy Moore: Not planned - not even a little. As mentioned early, my career goal was always to do neuroscience research and teach undergraduate students – and I had achieved that! But I had the opportunity to enroll in a full-time MBA program as a Forte Foundation Fellow. Going to business school in my 40s completely changed how I saw the world. I started to better understand how decisions get made outside academia. It pushed me to see where a bench scientist like me could add value beyond R&D. That shift was huge.

EMP: Can you share a project or accomplishment you're especially proud of?

Amy Moore:�� I am most proud of supporting 150+ faculty, post docs, and grad students to develop business plans and start-up launch strategies for their biomedical innovations as a program manager for a federally-funded commercialization program.

EMP: Do you feel your university experiences helped prepare you for life outside the lab?

Amy Moore: Definitely. One thing I miss about academia is the luxury of being able to ponder - to think deeply,��critically, and collaboratively. That kind of intellectual freedom is rare and so valuable.

EMP: How about networking? Has that played a big role in your career?

Amy Moore: Huge. And I’m still learning. I’ve gotten better at researching events ahead of time, so I know who’ll be there and what they care about. I practice a 30-second response to “so tell me what you do?” question. I jot down quick notes after conversations to personalize follow-ups. I still struggle to start conversations though as it is natural for me to revert to the part of me that is so comfortable alone in a lab or studying a dataset. —that’s my work-in-progress.

EMP: You’re transitioning to a new role as EMP faculty. What drew you to this opportunity?

Amy Moore: After being part of a team that brought a therapeutic to market, I realized how much I missed that early-phase energy—discovery, prototyping, entrepreneurship, all of it. When this job posting came up, the timing just felt perfect.

EMP: What excites you most about teaching?

Amy Moore: I love learning what drives students to take the course. I get energized by staying up to date with the material and constantly finding better ways to communicate it. It’s exciting to hear how students respond—it helps me improve for the next time.

EMP: Let’s talk AI—it’s transforming engineering. Where do you think it’s having the biggest impact?

Amy Moore: I see AI as a tool—its power comes from the intent of the person using it. What I find fascinating is how different people define AI or misunderstand how it’s created. Those conversations force us to reflect: How do we assess truth? What level of confidence makes us trust—or reject—information? Those are deep questions.

EMP: Last one: If you could give your 25-year-old self one piece of advice about careers or employers, what would it be?

Amy Moore: My value isn’t tied to the protein I studied or the number of papers I published. I have a mindset and skillset that are useful in all kinds of organizations—if I’m willing to explore. Working well in teams benefits everyone -get comfortable with colleagues communication styles and be clear on your own—it’ll save you stress. And seriously, don’t wait until you’re 42 to take your first accounting and economics classes!

EMP: Dr. Moore- thank you so much for your time today.

Amy Moore:��Of course- thank you!