2025 Fee Award Recipient - Luke Langner ’20 M.S. ’21
Luke Langner ’20 M.S. ’21
Harold R. Fee 1920 Alumni Achievement Award
Like many prospective college applicants, Luke Langner ’20 M.S. ’21 was impressed by Stevens’ record of job placements, co-op opportunities and rigorous coursework. “What set Stevens apart for me, though, was its character and culture,” he recalls. “I remember visiting campus as a high school senior and walking through the archway of Palmer Hall and seeing the Involvement Fair spilling out onto Palmer Lawn in front of the gleaming Howe Center. The activity, the picturesque skyline, and the overall air of excitement and engagement on campus convinced me to commit to Stevens.”
During his undergraduate years, Langner served as an undergraduate research assistant and teaching assistant, while also holding a contract position as an engineering technician with global medical technology giant BD. Outside of class time, lab work and his contract job, Langner often went undercover as Attila the Duck. “My favorite Stevens experiences involve the time spent between classes, meetings, and activities – doing homework in Pierce dining hall, grabbing a coffee and parking at America’s Cup for a bit, or throwing up a hammock on campus to relax a bit during finals,” he says. “My fondest memories from my college years come from the time I spent with friends.”
“My Stevens degree taught me how to think critically to solve problems and lead my colleagues to a solution,” Langner says. “It also taught me to be adaptive and ready to face challenges head on. The graduate courses in medical device manufacturing, design, and development helped a lot, too!”
Following completion of his graduate degree, Langner designed and participated in research projects at Boston University that focused on cartilage mechanics and interfacial fluid dynamics. In 2022, he joined BD full time and was promoted to Senior R&D Engineer I at the company in 2024. “I design and develop blood and urine collection products,” he explains. “At BD I have participated in product development, design control, and design change activities as an individual contributor, as a technical R&D lead, and as a project leader. I have also had opportunities to explore regulatory compliance and quality systems work. Working at BD has given me the opportunity to develop into a leader in the R&D space and to learn about the medical device development arena as a whole.”
Langner is an involved alumnus on a number of fronts. He served as president of his class, leading plans for Graduation 2.0 to supplement the Class of 2020’s COVID-marked senior year. He has coordinated annual service events and activities for the Alpha Phi Omega alumni association, including overseeing donations to and disbursements from its scholarship fund. “Additionally, I’ve served on our elections subcommittee within the Stevens Alumni Association (SAA), where I supported and eventually coordinated (as chair) the annual class officer election cycle,” he says. “I eventually rose to my current roles as the Class Leadership Committee chair where I facilitate the class officer cycle, annual awards, and officer education, and as a member of the SAA Board of Directors, where I am involved in developing and executing the association’s strategy and vision. I have also been involved in mentoring students and fellow alumni in professional, Stevens-focused, and other areas.”
“The Harold R. Fee 1920 Alumni Achievement Award shows me that I am part of a community of individuals who are committed to the purpose of Stevens and to developing our mutual community,” Langner continues. “I am extremely humbled to receive this award, and it ignites even more passion for my involvement with the Stevens alumni community. I look forward to meeting others with similar commitments and learning from one another to better this community.”
Langner believes that alumni bring to the university something unique that no one else can – experience. “Not just job experience, but experience in the world as a Stevens graduate,” he explains. “Stevens has prepared us to be productive members of society who can contribute both to technical development and to our fellow citizens. This can manifest in giving back to the university monetarily, but also through mentorship, volunteering, and developing alumni networks.”
Langner acknowledges that it is every Stevens graduate’s favorite thing to talk to current students about their current campus experience, and about their hopes and dreams for the future. “I want students to know that alumni can help with their journey,” he points out. “Just reach out to us! Participate in alumni mentorship programs, connect with us on LinkedIn, and reach out to alumni that you may know – even if it’s a loose connection or you were just part of the same organization but at different times. You never know where you will find your next bit of career advice, internship opportunity, or new Stevens friend!”