Song gives something back to the program that started his career

Jason completed an R&D internship in biotechnology and was then promoted to a full-time position

PUBLISHED ON July 4, 2024

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Jason Song’s journey to Rutgers began in 2018 as an international student from China. He completed his first two years on the George H. Cook campus before the pandemic struck and graduated with a degree in biotechnology from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in May 2021.

Although Jason felt some sense of loss due to the lack of peer interaction and other in-person social activities that are part of a typical undergraduate campus experience, he was still grateful for the opportunity to continue his lab research during the fall 2020 semester, even while working in silos.

Like his fellow students, Jason had to settle for a virtual graduation ceremony to complete his degree in 2021. He left Rutgers to pursue a master’s degree in biotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania before returning to China to be with his family and launch his career in the industry.

Back home in China, Jason completed a biotechnology research and development internship and was subsequently promoted to Senior Director in charge of North America at Beijing-based TransGen Biotech Co.

Three years after graduating from SEBS, Jason returned to Rutgers to visit the biotechnology lab that had helped him get started, and received high praise from his academic advisor, Paul Meers, the biotechnology program director.

“Jason is one of many great success stories among our Biotechnology Bachelor students. We are delighted that he has reconnected.”

Don Kobayashi, professor and head of the Department of Plant Biology, to which the biotechnology program belongs, agrees with Meers.

“It is always satisfying to hear former students share their professional successes. Jason Song’s story is particularly rewarding to listen to as it reflects the impact of the SEBS biotechnology program on an international level.”

Jason explains why he decided to give back to his family. alma mater.

Why did you choose Rutgers?

I must say that Rutgers has an excellent international reputation, and I was impressed by the academic resources and cultural diversity that SEBS could offer.

Although you and your classmates only had a virtual graduation in 2021, you were able to have your graduation in person closer to home. How did that come about?

In November 2023, I was invited by Rutgers Global to attend an in-person graduation ceremony in Shanghai. Dr. Liping Zhao, Professor of Food Science at Rutgers, was a big part of making this experience possible for me. The faculty and alumni all gathered there, making me feel at home! Everyone was happy to be there. And afterward, I felt like my life as a student was finally complete.

What motivated you to give back to the Rutgers biotechnology program?

After graduating from Rutgers in 2021, I continued my education in this field but focused on the industrial part of biotechnology. I feel that my undergraduate professors, such as Dr. Meers, Dr. Kobayashi, and Dr. Di, really inspired me a lot. Their excellent teaching skills and great personality certainly contributed to my success today. That’s why I’m doing something to contribute to Rutgers.

How can you help?

I am keen to help advance the work of the labs where I have spent so much time training and qualifying, including providing the technology, equipment and reagents needed to give students all the tools they need for their research experience. So this visit to the labs was to help me align the resources available to me through my company with the needs of the biotechnology lab.

How did SEBS and Rutgers prepare you for success?

Rutgers gave me so many skills and expertise that allowed me to succeed not only in higher education but also in my professional life. I had many options for curriculum, many deans to help me make the right decisions, and there were several professors who influenced me positively the entire time!

–Rutgers University