Alex T.
5.0
(7)
Expert STEM PhD Admissions Counseling from a Caltech PhD Engineer
Studied at California Institute of Technology
Works at The Admission Algorithm
Successful clients at
Available tomorrow at 1:00 PM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Alex's Coaching Offerings
Write a Powerful Personal Statement
Craft winning personal statements through expert coaching.
Starting at $8255h+ of coaching
Craft a Compelling Research Proposal
Expert help brainstorming, drafting, and editing your research proposal.
Starting at $1,3208h+ of coaching
Get Into Your Dream PhD Program — Getting Started Package
Build a strong foundation for your PhD applications
Starting at $8255h+ of coaching
Custom hourly · $165/hr
Get help with Financial Aid & Scholarships, Editing, and .
Alex’s PhD Programs Qualifications
Coaches professionally
Alex has helped clients get into these schools:
I'm one of the very few STEM-focused college and graduate school admission counselors with a bona fide STEM PhD and career of my own. Because I've accomplished what my students are seeking, my students tend to respect and listen to my advice. I understand STEM students far better than any generic counselor. I know the application and application review process inside-out and have a wonderful network of colleagues I frequently leverage to help my students with their school lists and for introductions to key faculty. I'm also an award-winning writer who makes my students' personal and statement of purpose essays shine with authentic, attention-grabbing narratives.
Alex can help with:
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Editing
Interviews
School Selection
Secondary Review
Application Strategy
Essays
Resume
Letters of Recommendation
Alex also coaches for Science & Research, Master’s Programs, and College. View all.
About Alex
I'm a PhD chemical engineer with 20 years of experience in industry and government. Throughout my career I've mentored many student interns and junior employees with their college and graduate school applications and with their resumes and job interviews. I started coaching professionally when I noticed a dearth of educational and career counselors with their own STEM backgrounds and experience. I believe STEM students and job applicants deserve not just a counselor, but a mentor who’s been there and really understands them. For my college and graduate school services, I’ve combined my STEM education and career experience with deep knowledge of how to gain admission and succeed in today’s STEM higher education system to provide tailored services that meet the specific needs of STEM students. For my career coaching and mentoring services, hiring me gives you access to my expertise as a hiring manager in STEM fields who's reviewed thousands of resumes and hired dozens of employees.
Why do I coach?
I always found that working with students and junior employees energized me and improved my own outlook on my work and career. Now that I've reached the point where I usually have more to give than needs to receive, I find that one of the best ways for me to have impact in STEM and for the future of our planet is to mentor and guide our next generation of STEM professionals.
Work Experience
Principal Mentor
The Admission Algorithm
May 2025 - Present
AdmissionAlgorithm.com *STEM research project mentoring for high schoolers & undergraduates (independent study leading to publication, science fairs, STEM competitions) *STEM-focused college admissions counseling *STEM-focused graduate program admissions advising Mentoring, Youth Development and +3 skills
Research Group Leader
MITRE
May 2022 - July 2025
Hiring Manager
Performed and published technical and national security policy research at the intersection of life sciences (especially Synthetic & Computational Biology ) and AI, Economic Development, and Intellectual Property. Served as Science Lead for development of BioNet, a network to standardize and facilitate transactions and collaboration between providers and consumers of biotechnology industry products and services. Research and Development (R&D), Synthetic Biology and +3 skills
Research and Development Engineer
US Army
February 2019 - May 2022
Research at the intersection of microbial biotechnology, synthetic biology, and materials science.
Contract Chemical and Biological Engineering Researcher
US Army
June 2017 - February 2019
Synthetic Biology and Biomaterials research and strategy development in support of the US Army Research Laboratory
Scientific
Meso Scale Diagnostics
April 2016 - June 2017
Hiring Manager
Science Manager for Assay Development projects supporting new catalog products and customer contracts • Successful development and commercialization of V-PLEX mutliplexed immunoassay kits (https://www.mesoscale.com/en/products_and_services/assay_kits/v-plex) • Assay development, characterization, evaluation, validation of manufactured lots • Component formulation • Preparation of customer-facing technical documentation
Technical Leader and Principal Investigator
DuPont
September 2005 - March 2016
Hiring Manager
• Co-led project to upgrade the organization’s molecular biology capabilities with modern synthetic biology tools, laboratory automation, and sample management software. • Developed metabolite assay and engineered a key enzyme in the BioButanol pathway for multi-fold improved activity in yeast using a cutting-edge protein evolution strategy. Awarded issued US Patent 9169467 B2. • Managed up to 4 technical professionals and ~$2M of lab automation equipment • Personnel: hiring, coaching, goal setting, performance management & assessment, soliciting and providing feedback, assignment selection, professional development. • Team and facilities: Project management, customer communications, scheduling, billing, budgeting, equipment maintenance and expansion.
Alex was also given offers to work at
Elanco
Teva Europe
Education
California Institute of Technology
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Biology
2000 - 2005
Activities and societies: Graduate Student Council (Treasurer), Ice Hockey Team Advisor: Prof. Frances H. Arnold (2018 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry) Thesis Title: Directed evolution of biosynthetic pathways to carotenoids with unnatural carbon backbones Download it here: http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-08232005-174620
McGill University
Bachelor of Engineering - BE, Chemical Engineering
2000 - 2004
Activities and societies: Greatest Distinction
7 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Alex has helped clients get into these schools:
Alex has helped clients get into these companies: