Susan Zneimer
Swimming
1980 – Revelle – Zoological Biology
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Susan displaying the 1980 Swim team shirt.
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Susan Zneimer (1980) had a unique experience at UC San Diego compared to her peers. First of all, she was able to create her own independent major—zoological biology. She had been on the pre-med path, but quickly realized that she did not want to be a doctor. Her love for science led her to pursue her career as a scientist. As a Triton swimmer, her experience was also different from many of today’s Tritons. The swim team then was comprised entirely of walk-ons, and the men’s and women’s swim teams practiced completely separate, unlike today. UC San Diego was also a member of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) - yet to become a member of the NCAA. Although the environment was different, Zneimer has the same sentiments about her time here as the student-athletes do today: “It was one of the highlights of my collegiate experience.”
One of the most exciting moments as a Triton student-athlete on the swim team was when they competed in the PAC-8 conference championships (now the PAC-12). When Zneimer was a freshman, Shirley Babbashoff, two-time Olympic gold medalist, had just returned from the ’76 Olympics and was a senior competing for UCLA. Zneimer and Babbashoff were both anchors on multiple relays. Zneimer says that competing against her was “the most exciting and embarrassing moment!”
While she wasn’t competing against Olympic athletes, Zneimer worked at the San Diego Zoo. This was where she first learned about genetics, which would become her area of specialization. Zneimer went on to earn her Masters in Evolutionary Genetics from UCLA, and then a Ph.D. in Genetics from Texas A&M University. She currently serves as the CEO and Scientific Director of MOSYS Consulting- a company that specializes in healthcare information and laboratory improvement. She works as a consultant for many different laboratories, sharing with them her expertise opinion. “A lot of it is challenging in terms of learning new things,” she says. “It’s challenging but I love it. I don’t like to get bored, and this never makes me bored.” She has also written a book on cytogenetics. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for many years and I finally sat down and did it…I’m very proud of myself,” she says.
Aside from her astounding scientific achievements, Zneimer finds time to train for multiple events, including marathons, triathlons, Ironman’s (including Vineman), and Alcatraz open ocean water swims…just to name a few. Zneimer is extremely driven and competitive: “I’ve noticed that a lot of swimmers are overachievers, and I’m one of them!” Her time as a Triton student-athlete fostered this spirit. “Competing at the college level was not only so much fun, but it also made me disciplined and ambitious. I just branched out from there—I’ve never stopped competing.”
Now, Zneimer is reconnecting with her roots. She hadn’t been back to UC San Diego for a long time, until she recently visited the area for a competition. “I couldn’t believe when I came and did the La Jolla Half Marathon how much it had changed,” she says. Finally revisiting the Athletics Department and the campus has “given me kind of a breakthrough in reliving where I was.” Zneimer also marvels at the great strides the program has taken: “UC San Diego has become one of the top schools for swimming and it’s quite amazing to me. I feel humbled to be part of that group.”
Alumni Spotlight is written by student-athlete Lauren Iannetta (’17), a history major from Eleanor Roosevelt College. She is a second year on the women’s rowing team. If you are interested in sharing your Triton Alumni Athlete story, please contact Danielle Boyle Melman at daboyle@ucsd.edu.
Previous Alumni Spotlights:
Jay & Tracy Hagan - 1992
Gordon McNeill - 1992
Lauren Segars - 2008
Shane Poppen - 2009
Sherine Ebadi - 1998
Brett Stuckey - 2009
Richard Freer - 1975
Christina Guintu - 2001
Toya Ellis - 1991
