2015 Alumnus Found a Home, Wife, and Career in Germany

“My Ph.D. thesis topic was ‘Understanding the Design Principles of Living Membranes,’” reported Isaac. “I graduated magna cum laude from the Dresden University of Technology with a doctorate in biotechnology. Next for me are improving my German language skills to full fluency and finding a biotechnology position here in Germany!”

A doctorate wasn’t Isaac’s only big news to report as he married his longtime girlfriend, Savannah Pleil, in November 2024 in a private ceremony in Denmark.

“Savannah and I met online and were lucky enough to begin dating just before the pandemic began in 2020. She has a German father and an American mother, so we didn't have any language or cultural barriers. Savannah is currently an editor and project lead at Lilazwei, a creative agency here in Dresden,” explained Isaac.

Isaac’s move to Germany began with a Hamden Hall friendship.

“My senior year, Jonathan Diez, 2016, came from Dresden to do an exchange year at Hamden Hall,” recalled Isaac. “We became good friends, and I would come visit him in Dresden during my undergraduate summers. I fell in love with the city and the broader culture of Germany, and I ended up moving here — and actually rooming with Jonathan — a week after I graduated from Stanford University. Jonathan is still a very good friend and is doing quite well. He’s currently pursuing his own Ph.D. in physics in Barcelona.”