Hannah Varner, Ph.D.

Senior Development Engineer at MilliporeSigma

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

About

I strive to use my deep engineering expertise and extensive communication abilities to improve the health of humans and the planet by applying my R&D skills and collaborating in a close-knit team. I have significant experience in engineering design, mechanics of biological materials, man-made and biological material testing, system and component failure analysis, and technical communication, with experience in highly regulated industries.

Experience

  • Senior Development Engineer at MilliporeSigma
    Sep 2025 - Present · 11 mos

    Clarifying many things within the Life Sciences Process Solutions division

  • Senior Mechanical Engineer at AgZen
    Jan 2025 - Sep 2025 · 9 mos

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (6 yrs 2 mos)
    • Doctoral Student
      Sep 2020 - Oct 2024 · 4 yrs 2 mos

      Researcher in the nonlinear solid mechanics lab of Prof. Tal Cohen focusing on experimental measurement and analytical theory of soft biological materials. Lab EHS Representative, responsible for obtaining biocertification of the lab space. Supervised 5 undergraduate and one high school student researchers.

    • Graduate Student Researcher
      Sep 2018 - Aug 2020 · 2 yrs

      Masters degree in the GEAR Lab focusing on groundwater desalination using electrodialysis for emerging markets under Prof. Amos Winter.

  • Communications Lab Fellow at MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE)
    Jun 2020 - Sep 2024 · 4 yrs 4 mos

    Provide scientific communication coaching to peers within the MechE Department. Received training across written, oral and visual communication that I use to coach undergraduates, graduate students and post docs in one-on-one, discipline-specific communication. Co-authored 4 articles for the CommKit (Personal Statement for Graduate School, Personal Statements for Fellowship applications, Mechanical Engineering Qualifying exams, AAAS Fellowship Application) and gave seminars on the Qualifying Exam Presentation, Portfolios Design, and Graduate School and Fellowship Applications.

  • MIT Science Policy Initiative (5 yrs 9 mos)
    • Member
      Jan 2019 - Sep 2024 · 5 yrs 9 mos

    • External Relations Chair
      Jun 2021 - Jun 2022 · 1 yr 1 mo

    • Executive Visit Days Chair
      Jun 2019 - May 2020 · 1 yr