BOLD 10 Under 10 alumni award recipient says Binghamton changed his approach to problems

As part of its annual Homecoming activities, Binghamton University honors alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years, demonstrated a very high level of career achievement since leaving campus, and show great potential for future leadership.

Three of this year’s BOLD (Bearcats of the Last Decade) 10 Under 10 Award winners are alumni of the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science. We asked them to tell us how Watson influenced their career paths.

Louis R. Alerte ’10, MS ’13, earned a master’s degree in biomedical engineering and a bachelor of science degree in integrated neuroscience from Binghamton. He is the global intelligence business leader at Johnson & Johnson, focusing on advanced intelligent automation. In his most recent role as corporate director of community health with RWJBarnabas Health System, he collaborated with multiple interdisciplinary teams to manage and direct numerous projects geared toward improving population health. Also, he directed the development and execution of analytical and research activities for strategic decision making to improve clinical outcomes.

Alerte is an academic appointee to St. George’s University School of Medicine and serves as an assistant professor of internal medicine. He has an MBA with a finance concentration from Ashford University, Forbes School of Business and Technology. Furthermore, he is board certified in healthcare management as a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

What is it like receiving an award like this?

Out of the several awards I have received in the past, this means the most to me. As an individual who was always proud to be an alumnus of Binghamton University, I feel honored.

Throughout my time in Binghamton, there were those who believed in me during the tough times, and it brings me joy to show my mentors that the time they spent with me was worth it. As an individual who was not perfect, Binghamton University provided me with the support that I needed to grow. That support was ingrained in me to give my best and share my knowledge to improve my community and mentor as many people as I could. A special thank you to alumnus Joel Kellman and Associate Professor Sharon Bryant for believing in me.

How do you think your time at Watson set you up for success?

My time in Watson strengthened my logical reasoning and understanding that not everything happens linearly. Also, being in Watson means that I had to take several courses past Calculus II. The thought process needed to solve partial differential equations gave me confidence that I could break down any work-related problem if I could break it down into several steps. This thought process has been key to success in my role as the global intelligence leader at my organization.

Which Watson class or professor changed the way you thought about your area of study?

In Watson, the one professor who stood out with distinction has to be Professor Ken McLeod. He taught us more than just textbook knowledge. His style of teaching enables and catalyzes the individual to be prepared for the real world. I credit a lot of career development to his understanding of how things are truly connected to understand the problem and solution.

Although I was in the biomedical engineering graduate program, I must acknowledge the professors from the Decker College of Nursing who helped me to understand the implications of learning and how I could use it in the real world. Thank you to Professor Bryant, Professor Pamela Stewart Fahs, Professor Serdar Atav and Associate Professor Carolyn Pierce.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time here at Binghamton?

My favorite memory in Binghamton must be the time I spent in the Binghamton Enrichment Program (BEP) in the summer of 2006 as a pre-cursor to my first year year. Not only was I afforded a head start on the academic expectations of the University, but I met many people that I now consider friends and family. As I reflect on my past, being part of BEP was an invaluable experience.

What advice would you give to current Watson students?

There are two pieces of advice that I would share. The first is to connect with Watson Career and Alumni Connections to review your résumé and connect you to an internship. Having an internship will give you a glimpse of what your potential career will be like and give you an advantage once you start looking for a role.

The second piece of advice is to network! Connecting to alumni from Binghamton and others on LinkedIn provided numerous opportunities for me that I could not have dreamed of when I was a student.