Physics Alumni Success Stories
Amy Mohr (2014)
Amy Mohr, Physics BS, M.S. in Orthotics & Prosthetics
Why Physics?
Initially, Amy was planning on majoring in Art at Grand Valley, even receiving a scholarship for the quality of her portfolio. But, to major in art she was advised not to take any advanced mathematics or science courses. That was impossible, because Amy was also a tinkerer leading her to believe she would love engineering. However, after taking Physics 201 for Engineering, she knew Physics was what intrigued her the most.
“Physics gave me a way to understand how the world works - it’s in everything, from our every day interactions to celestial bodies. And my artistic abilities were an invaluable resource, allowing me to visualize and communicate complex concepts.”
Using Physics
Amy was fascinated with the physical world and the way humans interact with it. While studying at Grand Valley she discovered how her skills in art and physics could be applied to the world of Orthotics and Prosthetics, and for her senior capstone she studied how waves move through crystalline lattices.
During her Medical Master’s at Northwestern she excelled at not only the physical interaction of orthotics and prosthetic devices, but at the research component as well. “The Physics research education at Grand Valley better prepared me for research in grad school than a majority of my graduate classmates.”
After starting one of the most sought after residencies in the country, Amy was disheartened to find that orthotics and prosthetics was not a sustainable career path for her; she had the courage to step away and find a new career.
Amy is now working as a User Experience/User Interaction Designer, and her Physics BS was crucial to interviewing for her current position, which involves working on tablet displays for next generation large agricultural equipment. She uses her technical background in physics to effectively communicate with engineers and developers, and to tackle some of the most complicated aspects of the display, such as signal monitoring and data management.
Advice for Students
It’s ok not knowing what your career will be. It’s ok to change your mind. Whatever you want to do in life, physics will be useful. Question everything, that’s how you grow.
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