Engineering Journeys
From UToledo Bioengineering to Medical Device Leadership
When Anthony Lipp visited The University of Toledo as a prospective student-athlete, he was looking for an opportunity to combine two interests: engineering and tennis.
He found something else that helped shape his future.
During his visit, Lipp learned about UToledo's bioengineering program, an emerging field that wasn't offered at the other schools he was considering. The opportunity to play tennis for four years while earning a bioengineering degree ultimately helped bring him to Toledo.
Lipp was among a small group of students who graduated from the program in 2000. Being part of an inaugural program appealed to his entrepreneurial spirit and gave him the opportunity to grow alongside a developing field.
"It was fascinating to be part of the program's inaugural class," Lipp said. "There was a lot of energy around starting something new."
His experience at UToledo also gave him skills that would prove valuable throughout his career. He remembers the emphasis on working in small groups, solving complex problems and learning from classmates with different perspectives.
After graduation, Lipp joined GE Healthcare through its Technical Sales Leadership Program, a 15-month rotational program that exposed him to leaders across the organization and gave him opportunities to work on complex business challenges.
He soon discovered that he was drawn to the fast pace of startup environments.
Lipp joined ev3, a medical device company focused on minimally invasive vascular therapies. Over the next 17 years, through ev3's acquisition by Covidien and Covidien's subsequent acquisition by Medtronic, Lipp took on leadership roles across multiple countries. His work eventually included leading large vascular business units throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The experience taught him to embrace both the structure of large organizations and the innovation and risk-taking required in startups.
"Both times that I left very large companies to join startup organizations were two of the most rewarding moves in my career," Lipp said.
After Medtronic, Lipp returned to the startup environment. He joined Shape Memory Medical, where he has served as chief commercial officer for more than five years.
As a member of the company's senior leadership team, Lipp oversees worldwide commercial strategy and growth. He also works with his team to identify new markets and applications for the company's bioabsorbable polymer technology, which is being developed for minimally invasive vascular treatments.
For Lipp, the work represents the intersection of engineering and health care that first attracted him to bioengineering.
"As life expectancy around the globe continues to grow, the need to design innovations to support health care have never been higher," he said.
More than 20 years after graduation, Lipp is encouraged by the growth of UToledo's bioengineering program and the students continuing to enter the field.
"Engineering and health care are a natural pairing," he said. "There are so many opportunities that I'm not surprised to see the program thriving."
His advice for those students is to remain curious and flexible. Lipp encourages young engineers to ask questions, learn from their early experiences and be willing to take on new challenges—even when those opportunities lead somewhere unexpected.
He also encourages students not to rush through the experience.
Looking back on his own time at UToledo, Lipp wishes he had allowed himself to slow down and enjoy it more.
"Enjoy the ride!" he said.
How Deb Dauer Turned Opportunity Into a Lifetime of Giving Back
When Deb Dauer reflects on her career, she doesn't begin with the leadership positions she held or the awards she earned.
She begins with the people who believed in her.
As a student exploring her future, Dauer was encouraged to pursue engineering by Ray Huber, an alumnus of The University of Toledo College of Engineering and one of her instructors at Owens Technical College. After she completed her associate degree, Huber encouraged her to continue her education and helped her transfer to The University of Toledo. Later, Dr. Don Angelbeck connected her with an opportunity at Owens Corning following her junior year, launching what became a 37-year career with the company.
Those moments shaped more than her career—they shaped her outlook on life.
"UT completely changed my life," Dauer said. "They enabled me to have a life I never imagined I could have. I am forever grateful for what my professors did for me and for believing in me."
After earning her bachelor's degree in civil engineering, Dauer built a career that took her around the world and into leadership roles where she was often the first woman in the room. She became the first female plant manager in Owens Corning's Residential Roofing Division, built high-performing teams and championed employee development by helping members of her hourly workforce continue their education and advance their careers.
"I've always tried to give back because people helped me," Dauer said.
That philosophy has continued into retirement.
Today, Dauer serves as president of the College of Engineering Alumni Affiliate and helped establish and now co-chairs the Engineering Research Society and the Engineering Dean's Advisory Council. She also serves on the board of Aurora Project Inc., where she helps raise funds for women and children experiencing homelessness, and is treasurer of the Wood County Genealogical Society. Dauer mentors future engineers and established a scholarship at her alma mater to help students pursue engineering at The University of Toledo. Away from her volunteer work, she enjoys cheering on Rocket Athletics, golfing and raising and releasing monarch butterflies.
This fall, The University of Toledo will recognize Dauer during the Homecoming Gala for her outstanding career and lifelong dedication to the College of Engineering.
Looking back, she hopes her legacy won't be defined only by her professional accomplishments, but by the lives she has touched.
"I hope people remember that I cared about people, helped them realize their full potential and made a positive difference."
For Dauer, giving back has never been about recognition. It's about creating opportunities for others—just as others once did for her.
JJ Dai's Career Journey Fueled by Curiosity
Curiosity about how things work has guided JJ Dai’s 40-year career, which has taken the University of Toledo electrical engineering alumnus from software development into global industry leadership and federal energy planning.
Dai earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from University of Toledo in 1995, specializing in power systems. He said his time at UT required persistence and balance, completing his dissertation while working full time in California after leaving campus in 1992 with a job offer. “It was a very challenging time,” he said, reflecting on the demands of building a career while finishing his degree.
After graduation, Dai built a career in computer simulation software used for complex power systems, including applications supporting nuclear generation plants. He noted the high stakes of the work, where engineers must rigorously verify and validate tools used to support safe and reliable
Over the course of his career, he held roles across major industry and government organizations, including Eaton Corporation and later the U.S. Department of Energy. His work also included international assignments and leadership roles in Asia-Pacific operations, where he helped establish and expand regional offices.
Dai said he often volunteered for new challenges, seeing each transition as an opportunity to learn and contribute at a higher level. Curiosity, he said, remained the thread connecting each stage of his career.
Now serving in public-sector work focused on long-term energy planning and technology development, Dai encourages students to build strong technical foundations, stay open to opportunities and keep learning throughout their careers. “Keep learning, don’t complain and find something that fits your strengths,” he said.
Tom Burden
Mechanical engineering technology graduate Tom Burden successfully pitched his Grypmat invention of ABC's "Shark Tank." The U.S. Air Force mechanic's new tool was named one of Time Magazine's best inventions of 2018.
Brock Laurer '22
Lester Poggemeyer '62
Watching his grandfather's example inspired Brock Laurer to research the civil engineering
profession, which helped finalize his decision to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.
Brock’s grandfather, Lester Poggemeyer ’62, also went to UToledo to obtain his civil engineering degree.
Learn more
Rasesh Shah
Rasesh received a BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MS in Industrial Engineering, and an MBA, all from the University of Toledo. Listen to Rasesh and wife, Shilpa’s, incredible story of immigrating to the US from India, learn a few things about the rail industry in our nation, and hear about what inspired them to establish the Shah Center for Engineering Career Development at UToledo's College of Engineering, which works with students on co-op opportunities as well as job placement upon graduation.
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how deb dauer turned opportunity into a lifetime of giving back