From Lab to Startup: How the LEADERs Program Opened New Pathways for Mechanical Engineering PhD Candidate Zihao Meng
Zihao Meng, PhD’25, mechanical engineering, has developed his professional and leadership skills through the LEADERs program to have a successful, long-lasting career in any path he chooses.
For many PhD students, the academic laboratory represents their entire professional world—a place of methodical research, extended work hours, and solitary problem-solving. But for Zihao Meng, a mechanical and industrial engineering doctoral candidate at Northeastern University, a chance encounter with the LEADERs program revealed an entirely different pace of innovation. The journey began during a pivotal conversation Meng had with his principal investigator (PI) at the end of last year. “There was a time when my PI allowed me some time off from the lab to navigate what it looks like to go into industry,” recalls Meng, now in his fourth year of PhD studies focusing on microfluidic research. What started as career exploration led to enrollment in the first LEADERs program course, Leading Self and Others. Though the initial project placement didn’t materialize, the experience qualified them for future opportunities. When program coordinator Wendy posted about an opening at BioSens8 in the Teams channel, it felt like destiny, “The opportunity was perfectly matched to my skill set. Whatever I did in the lab, they wanted.”
BioSens8 operates in the competitive field of continuous health monitoring, with one of their first products being a hormone wearable for women’s health. Located within MIT’s Engine, a hub for science-based startups, the company brings together experts from diverse academic backgrounds under one innovative roof. “All the members in the company have an academic backgrounded,” Meng explained, “There are chemistry scientists working on sensor development, electrical engineers focusing on electrodes, and various other specialists handling their specific domains.” As the designated microfluidic engineer, Meng’s role involved testing integrated components in environments that simulate bodily fluids, comprised of solutes and water that closely represent what currently exists in the human body. His work is a critical step before human trials, and it required bridging multiple disciplines and translating laboratory-developed technologies into practical applications.
The transition from an academic to industry pace proved transformative. In university labs, encountering unfamiliar territory—like electrical devices or experimental automation—typically means independent learning and slower progress. While academic settings allow extensive time to find optimal solutions, industry demands quick responses and rapid iteration. The contrast was initially jarring but ultimately energizing. “In the company, we worked together with our own tasks very efficiently.”
Meng completed his master’s degree at Northeastern. After working on two degrees in the same laboratory, his experience in the startup environment revealed new pathways and expanded his career possibilities, “It does give me more options and more pictures of how different types of journeys look like. Maybe I can start my own startup because I’m in a startup environment.” Meng’s experience also highlighted how transferable the skills he developed during doctoral training were. Persistence, continuous learning, and comfort with uncertainty all often define PhD work, and these skills translate directly to startup environments, “That mentality just works the same in the industry, especially in a startup environment.”
Even better, the skills taught in the first LEADERs course, “Leading Self and Others,” became unexpectedly relevant when Meng started supervising two undergraduate interns at BioSens8. The emphasis on professional development in the LEADERs course prepared Meng to be able to manage team dynamics, assign tasks, and maintain motivation of a team, all skills that require more than just technical expertise. “You have to think about ways to make everybody happy and motivated,” Meng reflected, “I had to find time to meet together every week to report and align what we did.” Looking back, concepts from the LEADERs coursework took on new significance. What initially seemed like program requirements revealed their practical importance in real-world leadership scenarios.
The placement’s impact also extended to his academic work in unexpected ways. Access to BioSens8’s equipment and training programs introduced Meng to a new generation of 3D printers, which reshaped his view of the technology. Within a month of starting the placement, he was able to successfully advocate for purchasing a 3D printer in Northeastern University’s lab, because he had now experienced its advantages firsthand, “Although we had used 3D printing in the lab before, the improvements in precision, speed, and cost with the newer machines really changed my view and showed me their potential for making microfluidic chips.” The exposure to alternative fabrication methods improved existing processes and opened up new possibilities for further research.
Meng’s principal investigator continues advocating for an academic career path, recognizing his potential as a future professor. However, this industry experience has demonstrated to Meng that doctoral training with its emphasis on tackling unknown challenges and continuous learning prepares students for success across multiple professional contexts. As he continues navigating his PhD journey with expanded perspectives and new skills, one thing remains clear: the industry partnership experience that the LEADERs program provides delivers on its promise to develop well-rounded professionals ready for whatever path they choose to pursue.
Source PhD Education