Beau Biller, MS ‘20, received his master’s in mechanical engineering through Johns Hopkins Engineering for Professionals (EP) programs. Today, as a professional consulting forensic engineer, he analyzes data related to mechanical malfunctions for use as evidence in civil and criminal lawsuits. “Basically, anything that breaks and potentially hurts someone, I look into. From day to day, I may be flying a drone and digitally mapping a crash scene or testifying in trial.”
Biller believes that his Johns Hopkins education has had a direct impact on his professional success, noting that the university’s name recognition and prestige not only help him get the attention of prospective employers, but the quality of a Johns Hopkins education also makes an impression on peers in his day-to-day interactions. “The clout that comes along with obtaining a master’s from an established institution like Johns Hopkins…certainly helps in the courtroom. Not only with juries, but with opposing attorneys as well,” he says.
According to Biller, this reputation is well-founded as it reflects the quality of EP’s academic programs and instructors. “Just the exposure to so many different kinds of modeling and techniques has been world-changing,” Biller says, referring to the research and learning opportunities he had in his graduate program. His instructors, too, had a major impact on him. Not only did his interactions with faculty spur him to explore newfound interests, but he also appreciated being part of a vibrant community of professors who were remarkably eager to engage with their students. “I’m still surprised at how accessible every single one of the course instructors was,” says Biller, noting that the broad curricula and supportive faculty empowered him to excel in his consulting forensic engineering work and enabled him to be a more effective and knowledgeable professional.
Biller’s graduate education experience has affected his professional goals and understanding of what’s possible. “I’ve experienced a profound shift in my aspirations and a new passion for the academic environment,” he explains. Biller has remained an active member of the Johns Hopkins community, now assisting EP instructors in the applied physics program. Influenced by his own experiences, he now hopes to pursue a career in teaching so that he can share his expertise with students and inspire a new generation of engineers and physicists.