The College of Engineering - 2010 Celebration

Megan Moran

Chemical Engineering, Class of 2004

A balanced diet of success

If you are looking for some food for thought — ask Megan Moran.

After graduating from Rowan University with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering in 2004, Moran used her degree to carve a unique direction -- holistic healing and nutrition.

While at Rowan, Moran’s unique abilities shined in the program through various successes.

With extensive involvement in student organizations at Rowan, Moran earned the Irene Elizabeth Tracey Medallion Award in 2004. The highest Rowan honor awarded to one senior engineering student annually, the Medallion reflected Moran’s noteworthy academic career at Rowan.

“The rewarding part wasn’t receiving the actual award, says Moran. “It was the experiences I had being involved in these organizations.”

In addition, her clinic research with another student on “The Design and Fabrication of 3-D Structures for In-Vitro Bone Cell Study" won first place in a Society of Women Engineers Technical Paper Competition in 2004, and first place in the IEEE Region 2 Student Activities Conference Paper Competition in 2004.

Following graduation from Rowan, Moran became program director for the National Student Leadership Conference on Engineering. After two years, she left that role to begin a doctorate program in chemical engineering at West Virginia University (WVU). Soon after beginning the program, she found a calling to nutrition and left the program to pursue a Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Foods at WVU.

“Having the chemical engineering background has been a big help. The strong science and math background as well as the focus on problem solving skills that were a part of my engineering program made the transition to human nutrition very smooth. I feel that I was able to accomplish a great deal in my masters research because of my background in engineering, Moran said.”

In July 2007, Moran became owner and operator of “Mind Over Matter” – a business she created to provide Reiki (Japanese spiritual healing practice) and other holistic healing services for clients. She hopes to expand the business into a wellness center that offers holistic healing and nutritional services after graduation from WVU.

Moran, a resident of Morgantown, W.Va., is a member of the American Dietetic Association, president of a graduate student dietetic association at WVU, and a member of the SWE and IEEE.