The University of Florida’s J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering is proud to celebrate two alumni recognized in this year’s 40 Gators Under 40.
Dr. Meghan Ferrall-Fairbanks is a trailblazing researcher and educator who is making a significant impact in biomedical engineering. Meghan is a second-generation Gator graduate, who received her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida in 2012, her doctorate degree in biomedical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University in 2017 and did her postdoctoral training in mathematical oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center. As an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at UF, she has established herself as an expert in computational systems biology, with a focus on understanding tumor heterogeneity and evolution. Her innovative approaches to cancer research have the potential to improve treatment outcomes and patient quality of life during treatment. Ferrall-Fairbanks’ research has been recognized with numerous honors, including the UF Clinical Translational Science Institute’s KL2 Career Development Award and research funding from the National Institutes of Health. She has been invited to present her research 19 times locally, nationally and internationally, and she has published in top-tier journals, including Cancer Discovery, Cancer Research and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As a dedicated educator and mentor, Ferrall-Fairbanks is passionate about inspiring the next generation. She has developed innovative curricula and teaching practices to engage student learners with practical experience. Through her leadership roles, including district director for Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, Ferrall-Fairbanks has demonstrated a commitment to promoting engineering excellence and K-12 community engagement. Throughout her work, Ferrall-Fairbanks is making a lasting impact on the field of biomedical engineering, cancer research and the community at large.
Dr. Amy Geyer is an accomplished chief medical physicist with a passion for advancing patient care through innovative medical physics solutions. With deep clinical expertise and a strategic leadership approach, she has consistently driven initiatives that improve quality, efficiency and overall health care delivery. Her leadership in strategic planning has resulted in the successful integration of continuous quality improvement programs, including AI-driven solutions that enhance patient safety, streamline workflows and optimize radiation oncology operations. By uniting technical precision with a systems-level vision, Dr. Geyer ensures that advancements in medical physics translate into meaningful outcomes for both patients and providers. Dr. Geyer is recognized for fostering collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and leading transformative initiatives that strengthen both people and processes. She has grown her department significantly, expanding from four physicists and six dosimetrists to six physicists and 10 dosimetrists in less than three years. Today, her team serves four treatment sites across the Treasure Valley — Boise, Idaho; Meridian, Idaho; Nampa, Idaho; and Fruitland, Idaho — delivering care to more than 120 patients daily. Balancing clinical excellence with strategic vision, Dr. Geyer exemplifies the evolving role of medical physicists as leaders in health care. Her work demonstrates how physics can extend beyond radiation oncology to shape the broader landscape of cancer care through innovation, collaboration and a steadfast commitment to patient-centered outcomes. Dr. Geyer lives in Boise with her fiancé, Rebecca, their daughter, Frances, and a lively menagerie of pets. A proud University of Florida alumna, she celebrates her Gator roots by sporting orange and blue every Friday during football season.