With a love for biochemistry ignited during her undergraduate studies, Zaina Banihani developed a fascination for the technical and engineering aspects of pharmaceuticals early in her career—despite being discouraged from pursuing STEM education in undergrad. Now a senior process engineer at a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) in Philadelphia, Zaina is balancing a thriving career with the joys of motherhood.
Looking back at her educational path, Zaina says, “I had studied biochemistry in my undergrad and loved it. At my first job after college, I was an associate formulation scientist and found the technical transfer and engineering side of the pharmaceutical industry to be very intriguing. At that point I knew I wanted to explore more and found UW’s [PharBE] program to be the best fit for me.”
The Master of Pharmaceutical Bioengineering (PharBE) program offered Zaina the chance to dive deeper into the pharmaceutical field. Attending the program fully online from the east coast during the COVID-19 pandemic came with challenges, but she reflects positively on the experience. “The professors were always so flexible with my schedule knowing that most classes were pretty late in the day for me. My most fond memories from the program are the group projects where I got to know the other students. It’s awesome now to follow along their journeys via LinkedIn and see how the program has helped them succeed.”
Zaina was particularly moved by the strong mentorship and support she received from Robbie Wong, an associate teaching professor and the director of the PharBE program. “She cares about your growth as a student but also as a person. When I wanted to go on to further my education via a doctorate degree, she was the first person I asked for advice and a recommendation letter,” says Zaina. “She is so supportive of her students and really wants them to be as successful as possible in the program and life.”
After completing her master’s degree, Zaina continued her education at George Washington University, earning a Doctor of Engineering degree with a focus on systems engineering and engineering management. At her current role with a CDMO, Zaina works mostly on oral dosage forms and clinical trial materials. “The combination of both degrees has been so helpful in the pharmaceutical industry. I hope to continue to grow in the industry and gain more knowledge in various aspects of manufacturing.”
Beyond her professional life, Zaina finds joy in her family. With a 1-year-old son, much of her joy comes from watching him learn and grow each day. As a family, they love going out to restaurants and introducing him to some of their favorite foods, making each outing a little adventure. Sundays are all about football—they’re big Philadelphia Eagles fans, so game days are always a special time spent together.
Reflecting on her journey, Zaina takes pride in both her personal and professional accomplishments. “Professionally my master’s and doctorate degrees are such great accomplishments. I was told during undergrad that I was not fit for the STEM industry so to see how far I’ve come brings me great pride. Personally, I really have loved becoming a mom. It’s such a special role to play and I hope to inspire my son to pursue STEM in his future.”