Syndey Forbes: Council of Outstanding Early Career Engineers - 2024

“The university was a safe place for me to try, make mistakes, get back up again, and embrace failures as opportunities,” Sydney Forbes said. “You often learn more from them than your successes.” Oregon State was a transformative experience for Forbes, who says it was here that she discovered her resilience and a curiosity that continues to move her forward.

“These experiences, both on campus and off — including attending conferences in 10 states and Canada — shaped both my professional journey and personal development in profound ways,” she said.

After graduation Forbes moved down to the Bay Area to work in pharma and 3D-printed medical devices.

Forbes, who founded Tonsil Tech in 2020, heads a team developing products to address safe tonsil stone removal. More than 10,000 people have used the company’s innovative oral care tools.

“The intersection between women in engineering, startups, and fundraising still has a long way to go,” she said. “The peer mentorship from fellow women and minority founders has been invaluable.” Forbes is an advocate for underrepresented groups in engineering and entrepreneurship. She also participates in local government, supporting nonpartisan efforts to connect Central Oregon residents with candidates for public office.