Eli Cohen ('98)

Dr. Eli Cohen (class of 1998) has turned his passion for animals and interest in science into a distinguished career in veterinary medicine. He currently serves as the owner and radiologist for Dragonfly Imaging and adjunct professor of radiology at the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine. His research on marine iguanas of the Galápagos Islands was recently featured on the PBS series Evolution Earth.

Dr. Cohen describes his path into veterinary medicine as “circuitous” and credits Beachwood Schools for providing a strong foundation for his academic and professional growth. After graduating from Beachwood High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science and Biology from the University of Tampa. The aspiring marine biologist spent a summer working at the Florida Aquarium, caring for the wetlands exhibits. He briefly considered a career as a dolphin trainer. However, his focus shifted when he took a position as a veterinary technician at a local animal hospital. Working alongside veterinarians and bonding with animals in need inspired him to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. “Things started to crystallize that this was a path I wanted to follow,” he says.

Dr. Cohen attended the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, where he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. After completing a three-year radiology residency at the University of Georgia, his expertise led him to New Zealand, where he combined his passions for teaching, research, and conservation. He returned to the U.S. to work as a clinical professor of veterinary medicine at NC State before starting his business, Dragonfly Imaging. Dr. Cohen also travels annually to the Galápagos Islands to study the effects of climate change on marine iguanas. For him, improving the lives of animals provides “meaning and purpose.”

“There is something new to learn everyday, particularly in the imaging of zoo and exotic animal species, an area of expertise of mine,” he says. “There may not be reference material on the question at hand, so critical thinking and being comfortable with uncertainty becomes a necessary and usual occurrence. It allows me to be on the edge of knowledge and sometimes contribute new knowledge to the profession.”

His advice to current students? “Be curious. The world is wild and wonderful, and you never know what might come in handy later. Your path may end up far afield from where you planned.”