This blog post is an introduction to the MSL program’s new Director of Law-STEM Initiatives, Zoe Hoeppner, who joined the program at the end of January.

Zoe Hoeppner joins the MSL as the Interim Director of Law-STEM initiatives. Zoe hopes to serve the MSL (and the broader Law School community) by engaging corporate and industry partners to identify mutually beneficial partnerships—be that for talent and recruiting, educational partnership, or thought-leading scholarship. Zoe also hopes to identify areas for collaboration in making sure the MSL and broader NU community (both the law school and beyond) is seen as the go-to place for cutting edge ideas at the intersection of science, business, and the law.

Zoe comes to the MSL after spending time working as a Strategy and Planning Consultant for Baxalta, leading strategy-defining activities during the integration with Shire.  She has extensive prior experience in higher education—both in teaching and administration—having served in an external relations role for the MS Biotechnology program at McCormick, in addition to teaching classes in SPS, McCormick, and also in the MSL (upcoming).

We asked Zoe a few questions and here’s what she had to say:

MSL: What motivates you to work hard?

I really enjoy the thrill of breaking down barriers and silos and thinking differently. I generally find I work the hardest when there is the most resistance to my ideas. A competitive nature I guess. My favorite question is “Why.”

MSL: What is your favorite family vacation?

My best friend owns this sweet little beach cottage in Grand Haven Michigan so every year my husband and I take the kids and invite our parents to join us there for a week on the beach. We really enjoy hiking the dunes, picking blueberries, and just taking it easy. I often dream about moving to Michigan and living on the beach… I’m just not sure what I would do for a job!

MSL: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

It wouldn’t be a meal, but a food. I would eat cake. Every. Single. Day. Specifically, I would eat cupcakes from Sweet Mandy B’s, a bakery in Lincoln Park.

MSL: What are you  most excited about joining the MSL?

I am super excited to be part of this thriving community. Having met the students, I am blown away by the caliber and rich diversity of the MSL student population. I think I am going to get to have a lot of really engaging conversations with the students around this interface of science, law, and business. Each student has such a different background, and I think that makes for a very comprehensive learning experience. I love learning new things so I may just hop into classes with them!