Hannah Vogts at biomedical engineering's senior design day Student stands with classmates around a table in a workshop, participating in a hands-on activity. Four University of Iowa students pose with race bibs beneath a "Chicago 2023" sign before a marathon event. Four students wearing medals pose in front of a University of Iowa Dance Marathon backdrop, holding a sign that reads, “Iowa Engineers Are Built Different.” Group of students gathered on a staircase for a group photo inside a campus building. Four people pose in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa on a sunny day. Graduate in cap and gown standing on a walkway outside the University of Iowa Old Capitol building.

How a University of Iowa engineer’s early-morning marathon training reinforced her confidence to overcome even the biggest challenges.

Before running the 2023 Chicago Marathon, Hannah Vogts was logging 6 a.m. training runs by the Iowa River, all while balancing coursework, research, and a full plate of commitments. 

The recent University of Iowa graduate had registered through the University of Iowa Dance Marathon’s marathon team, which runs each year to raise money for pediatric cancer patients and research. The goal was helping others, but she also would prove something to herself. 

"If I try, I know I can accomplish challenging things,” she reflected later. “I ran a marathon, so I know.” 

That mindset — pushing herself to try new things and staying determined to succeed — came to define Vogts’ path at the University of Iowa, where she tackled the challenging biomedical engineering curriculum while trying her hand at everything from research and teaching to singing and volunteerism. 

In May 2026, she completed the College of Engineering’s undergraduate-to-graduate (U2G) program, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years. 

“Hannah is very personable, and as a leader, she has a people-first mindset,” said Sushma Santhana (24BSE), a former classmate who also teamed up for Dance Marathon and the Chicago Marathon. “As involved as she is, she has great time management skills to be able to balance everything and still make time for those around her. Her unique perspective in being involved with lots of different groups on campus makes her an incredibly well-rounded engineer and student.” 

Growing up, Vogts was drawn early to math and science, crediting her father’s home improvement projects as a spark for her engineering path. They would do everything from assembling furniture to re-screening a porch. 

Initially unsure whether to pursue medicine or engineering, Vogts ultimately chose engineering for its blend of problem solving, practicality, and employability. 

Iowa emerged as the best fit due to its proximity to home and its supportive culture. Vogts recalled being drawn to Iowa’s collaborative environment and the absence of rigid competition. 

After one semester as a chemical engineering major, Vogts switched to biomedical engineering, where she could pursue a path to improve patient care through technology. 

She found her groove in and out of the classroom. 

Tau Beta Pi, which is among the oldest engineering honor societies in the country, awarded Vogts the 2024 Record Scholarship in recognition of academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and the promise of substantial contributions to the engineering profession. 

As outreach chair for the Society of Women Engineers, Vogts led activities at local schools with an emphasis on encouraging girls to give engineering a try. A semester studying abroad in Italy stands out as one of her most formative experiences. Navigating a new culture, language, and daily routine pushed her to become more independent and adaptable. 

Vogts stepped into the laboratory, conducting research ranging from biomaterials and 3D printing with silk-based solutions to computational vaccine development. A summer research program at Vanderbilt University explored protein design tools with potential applications in drug and vaccine development, including work on broad-spectrum vaccines for mosquito-borne alphaviruses. 

As a teaching assistant in the BME senior design course and as lead tutor with the Hanson Center for Communication, Vogts helped students think through the steps rather than giving them answers. 

Engineering is as much about the process as the outcome, she said. 

James Ankrum, BME professor and director of the Hanson Center, has been impressed by Vogts’ ability to juggle multiple jobs, school, and clubs. 

“One of the things I’ve most appreciated about working with Hannah is how dependable she is,” Ankrum said. “I know when I delegate a task to Hannah that it will not only get done on time, but she will return with feedback on how we can improve the assignment or activity in the future.” 

Alyssa Buchanan, a first-year mechanical engineering student from Lakeville, Minnesota, sought tutoring three times for a material science lab report last fall. 

“She has great insight, and she has the rules of the formatting down,” Buchanan said. “It’s quick for her to realize when something isn’t right.” 

Drawing on the same mindset she brought to the marathon, Vogts nurtured her diverse interests by joining the “sunset club,” playing flag football at Kinnick Stadium, and singing with the Hawkapellas, an all-women a cappella group. 

Looking ahead, Vogts has accepted a job at Boston Scientific in a rotational program for medical device sales and marketing. She knows life may throw unexpected opportunities and challenges her way, and she is ready for that. She has the curiosity and engineering skillset to figure it out. 

“The biggest thing I want to do in my career is to help people,” she said. “Engineering lets you create solutions that can actually improve lives.”

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