Alpa Patel
Director, Lab Operations (Healthcare Reprocessing) | Nelson Laboratories
Alpa Patel has pioneered medical device safety throughout her over 20-year career of groundbreaking contributions. She has established herself as the foremost authority in reprocessing testing — developing rigorous protocols for cleaning, disinfection and sterilization to ensure safe reuse of critical medical equipment.
“I’m particularly proud of being recognized as a scientist who has contributed greatly in the field of medical devices,” she says. Participating in standards committees as both a subject matter expert and writer, Alpa has seen the real impact her work has made in enhancing patient outcomes and improving healthcare.
The scientific community has recognized her contributions with prestigious awards, including the 2025 AAMI Technical Committee award and 2023 Leroy Wyman award from ASTM International.
“Being a woman in this industry gives me a unique perspective,” she says. “I strive to use that perspective to empower young women and girls pursuing their careers in STEM education and to show that there’s no limit to what women can achieve in science and technology.”
