Doris Beyer

❍ Field of current or former occupation: Medicine
❍ Email: [email protected]


Question: What is your current occupation and where do you live? Please briefly describe your duties and responsibilities. How long have you been at this position?

Doris Beyer: Pharmaceutical physician at Sanofi – Global Safety Officer, which means evaluating safety (side effects) of investigational agents and/or drugs. This is a new job for me, about 4 months. I live in the New York / New Jersey area.

Question: Did studying German language and culture at Williams College help you in your professional and personal development? If yes, then how were German Studies useful to you? What opportunities and challenges did the German major open up for you both specific to your current occupation and more generally?

Doris Beyer: Being bilingual and understanding a country/culture outside of the USA has given me a “global” perspective and heightened awareness of cultural, ethnic and other differences between people, and how to manage them. There have also been challenges due to post-WWII prejudices against Germany, which I might be willing to discuss with Williams faculty in the future.

Question: Please share your advice or recommendation about the German department at Williams to a prospective student who is considering taking courses or majoring in our program.

Doris Beyer: The German Letters (or studies) major at Williams was excellent. Quality of the teaching, content of the courses etc. all at a very high standard. It’s difficult to give advice, except for by all means, consider studying German.

Question: Would you be willing to serve as a contact person for current students of German about your career or life path? If so, how should students contact you?

Doris Beyer: Yes. They can contact me by email.