IDDEAS Scholars

Ainsley Dean

Ainsley Dean is a senior at New York University studying Sociology with minors in Urban Design & Architectural Studies and Italian Studies. She is currently conducting an interview-based study for her sociology honors thesis, which explores how white-collar employees leverage cultural, relational, and organizational messages to craft personal definitions of professionalism. During her time at NYU, Ainsley has served as a research assistant in NYU’s sociology department and participated in NYU’s Sociology of Culture workshop. She has also been named an NYU Presidential Honors Scholar, a Hertog Foundation Humanities Fellow, an American Sociological Association Honors Scholar, and a D.E. Shaw Discovery Fellow. After graduation, Ainsley will work as a Strategy Analyst at Deloitte Consulting before returning to academia to pursue a Ph.D. focused on labor and organizations research. She looks forward to learning from Wharton’s talented faculty and gaining a deeper understanding of how social science and business research intersect at IDDEAS.

Ericka Drinker

Ericka Drinker, a junior hailing from Dallas, Texas, is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration at Paul Quinn College. Ericka is a Presidential Scholar, member of the Honors College and intern at J.P. Morgan Chase. Ericka’s career aspirations lie in becoming a venture capital investor, specifically within the sustainability tech sector. She applied to IDDEAS with the goal of expanding her academic and professional networks as she aspires to pursue a graduate degree in business. Through IDDEAS, Ericka hopes to delve deeper into her field of study, gaining valuable insights and connections that will propel her towards her academic and professional goals.

Alonzo Finch

I am a graduate of the University of Chicago class of 2023. While at the University of Chicago I majored in Statistics with a focus in Quantitative Biology. Additionally, I worked with Professor Sarah Cobey researching host-pathogen coevolution in Influenza and other respiratory viruses. I am currently taking a gap year before starting graduate school this Autumn to work towards my Masters. I applied to IDDEAS with the hope of gaining more insight into the PhD admission process to prepare for my eventual applications to PhD programs. I hope to research spatial heterogeneity in infectious diseases, with a focus on applications of Bayesian statistics and agent-based modelling. I am excited to expand my network with others who are interesting in pursuing a PhD in the future.

Courtney Fitzgerald

Courtney Fitzgerald is a rising senior at Emory University, majoring in Sociology with a minor in Quantitative Sciences. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois. Courtney applied to IDDEAS to learn more about Business research and doctoral programs. She hopes that the IDDEAS program will help her to make the best decision for both her graduate and career plans. She is deeply committed to research as a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow and a research assistant for Dr. Dianne Stewart. Previously, Courtney served as a research assistant at the Emory University Goizueta Business School and a teaching assistant in the Sociology department. Post-graduation, she plans to work at a research institute before pursuing a doctoral program in Sociology, Demography, or Organizational Behavior. Courtney aims to inspire the next generation of minority scholars. Her research interests include group processes, social psychology, intersectionality, and using mixed-methods approaches to address internalized discriminatory ideologies and social inequalities.

Aditya Gunawan

Hi! My name is Aditya and I graduated from the University of Washington with my B.S. in Psychology in 2022. I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, and have called Seattle, Washington my second home ever since moving for college in 2018. I am currently working as a Research Assistant at the Center for Leadership & Strategic Thinking at the Foster School of Business where we engage in leadership development academies & training with our clients ranging from undergraduate & MBA students to senior leaders in various Fire Departments in Washington State. My main interest is in the field of Organizational Behavior (OB), particularly in understanding how we think about work and how we can make work more sustainable. I am excited to learn from my peers, Wharton Faculty, and PhD students in IDDEAS. I hope to ask the pressing questions of organizational/business research and other interdisciplinary areas to better inform ourselves and the communities we hope to impact.

Ana Herndon

I hope you all are doing well! My name is Ana Herndon; I am a Junior Public Policy Major with Minors in Psychology and Economics at Duke University. My hometown is Atlanta, Georgia. I applied to IDDEAS to learn more about what graduate programs in a business school may look like and what potential programs could be a strong fit for me. I am so excited to meet other diverse scholars interested in business research. I aim to be a professor focusing on interdisciplinary studies, looking at issues like Belonging in the Workplace, Microaggressions, Allyship, and Collaboration in the workplace. I want my scholarship to highlight the intersections and overlaps of disciplines. I am super excited and I can’t wait to meet you all!

Ian Kung

Ian from McLean, Virginia is a current junior at the College of William & Mary majoring in applied statistics with a minor in supply chain analytics. He has a significant interest in applying quantitative tools in areas of supply chain management and logistics. The IDDEAS program is the perfect fit for further exploration of the intersection between mathematics and business management topics. This would help him assess the possibility of pursuing a doctorate and/or master’s degree in operations management, biostatistics, or a related field. In addition, Ian is excited for the opportunity to interact with like-minded students from a variety of schools to discuss their research interests and learn from experienced scholars at Wharton.

Arely Lopez

A proud eldest daughter from a family of Salvadoran and Mexican immigrants, Arely grew up in the Los Angeles area and California’s Inland Empire, where she was born and raised. Arely earned dual Bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Studies and Political Science, with a minor in Entrepreneurship, from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), graduating with honors and distinction. She also completed the Summer Venture in Management Program at Harvard Business School, a prestigious one-week residential program for high-potential college juniors and seniors. Throughout her academic tenure, she served as a student leader, researcher, and business consultant, steering impactful changes to enhance sustainability and inclusivity within her campus and community by working with various organizations, non-profits, and social enterprises. Her experience in academia extends to leading research endeavors at UCLA, exploring sustainability topics spanning from public health to carbon markets and delving into the impacts of the climate crisis on Latinx communities. She is eager to contribute to scholarly work at the intersection of sustainability, business, and technology and is excited to lead innovative teams advancing equitable sustainability solutions.

Samantha Mackley

Hello, my name is Samantha Mackley, I am currently a senior at the University of Missouri studying economics and statistics. My goal is to pursue a research career, especially in public or labor economics. I am most interested in focusing on how policy influences labor market dynamics and socioeconomic outcomes, particularly for vulnerable groups. This stems from my interest in the efficacy of economic policy, including food assistance programs like SNAP or supplemental income such as EITC, and their influence on the nuanced dynamics of poverty. I am excited to attend the 2024 IDDEAS program to learn more about research careers and connect with a community of scholars and researchers committed to advancing the frontier of knowledge. Through IDDEAS, I am looking forward to collaborating with peers, learning from accomplished mentors, and gaining preparation to embark on a research career.

Jubelo Oyeniran

Jubelo Oyeniran is a junior at Stevenson University, pursuing a Bachelor’s to Master’s program in Accounting with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Originally from Nigeria, Jubelo now calls Owings Mills, Maryland home. Eager to delve deeper into the realm of business and entrepreneurship, Jubelo was drawn to the IDDEAS Scholars Program. He believes that a solid foundation in market and business research is essential for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of understanding the intricacies of one’s industry for success. With aspirations of pursuing a doctoral degree in business, Jubelo’s academic achievements, research passion, and commitment to effecting positive change, particularly in addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges, drive his ambitions. Eager to engage with fellow scholars and instructors, Jubelo looks forward to contributing his unique perspective and learning from the diverse experiences within the IDDEAS community.

Derek Sanchez

Hi! I’m Derek, a senior studying Computer Science Engineering at Cornell University! I’m from Bergen County, New Jersey and I’m passionate about the intersection between computer science, economics, and public policy, in pursuit of a career that can drive a strong impact on the lives of others. I’m excited to connect with you!

Sofia Silvosa

Sofia Silvosa is a senior at Duke University pursuing a BS in Psychology, a minor in History, and an Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate. Sofias has had vast experience in both behavioral science academic research and consumer research. During her time at Duke, she has worked at the Wilbourn Infant Language Lab and participated in Duke’s Center for Cognitive Neuroscience’s Research Internship program. She is interested in studying autobiographical memory and its function. More specifically, Sofia is currently studying in senior thesis project the relationship between fiction and memory and how people remember and conceptualize memories of fiction from books, movies, and other forms of fiction. Sofia has also had experience in industry research through her summer internship experiences working as both a business intelligence analyst at Showtime Networks and as a consumer insights research analyst at Sony Pictures. Sofia hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in marketing where she can combine her passion for studying consumer behavior and human psychology. Sofia is originally from Caracas, Venezuela but she moved to Miami, FL when she was seven. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, and watching movies.

Mark Thomson 

Coming from Washington state, Mark Thomson is currently a second year at UC Berkeley double majoring in both economics and data science. His experience as a research assistant in the econ department and experience as an economic intern for the FDIC has pushed him into considering getting a PhD in economics, ideally focusing on labor economics. He hopes to find out if a PhD is the right path for him through IDDEAS@Wharton and looks forward to meeting other like-minded scholars.

Emily Uzner

A long-time Texan, Emily comes from the vibrant city of Houston. As a first-generation college student, Emily’s family has continued to support her aspiration of earning her PhD in statistics, despite the long road she has ahead of her. She currently attends Houston Community College as a vibrant student leader in the Honors College Program and will transfer to a four-year university for this fall semester. She plans to complete her undergraduate studies in finance, with minors in accounting and data science. Emily is looking forward to participating in IDDEAS to learn more about the presence of business-based PhDs in both industry and academia. With her strong passion for academic research, she is looking forward to the day she hears “Congratulations, you have successfully earned your degree, Dr. Emily!”

Zhuoli Xie

Hi there! I am Zhuoli, a current computer science and mathematics major at UT Austin, and a first-generation college student and immigrant native to Guangzhou, China. I have long been attracted to the value of data: how it reflects and predicts the way our world and people like ourselves moves and decides. My interest in harnessing that value has driven me to pursue research and industry experiences in the past, but I hope to bring the experiences one step further. Through IDDEAS, I hope to explore graduate school as an option to deepen my ability to devise creative solutions over the most pressing issues across the business field.

Jemima Yoon

Jemima Yoon is a junior studying Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. She is broadly interested in studying issues relating to identities, morality, and ethics in the workplace. Through IDDEAS, Jemima is excited to learn more about ongoing business research and connect with fellow scholars.

Rohan Ahammed

Rohan Ahammed (he/him) is currently a senior at Pomona College, originally from New York City, and is an Economics major and a Politics minor. Rohan applied to IDDEAS in order to better understand what a doctoral program at Wharton would look like and to learn from the faculty, doctoral students, and his peers about their experiences in the field. He would like to pursue graduate school in the future but is unsure about what pathway is the best fit for him. In his last semester of undergrad, Rohan has been having a great time taking PE classes in his last semester and organizing events to bring his class together as Senior Class President.

Jacinta Arnold

My name is Jacinta and I’m a senior at the University of Pennsylvania studying Neuroscience, Consumer Psychology, and Chemistry. I’m from Toronto, Canada and I’m a triple jumper on Penn’s track and field team. During my time at Penn, I have obtained new insights on the scientific background needed to earn a career in medicine. However, I have not had the chance to fully explore the business side of healthcare. By participating in IDDEAS@Wharton, I hope to have the chance to learn more about the options to pursue my interests in healthcare and business. I am grateful for the opportunity to join such an academically rich community and to discuss different pathways involving research.

Logan Balfantz

Hi everyone. I’m Logan, and I study business analytics at Notre Dame. I’m excited to connect with other undergrads considering doctoral degrees in business and a career in academia. By the end of IDDEAS, I’m also hoping to have gained a little clarity on my research interests. There’s a discrepancy between my research experience and what I study, so I’ve found myself discerning between two very interesting fields – management and operations, information, and decisions. Looking forward to meeting you all!

Enzo Bergamo

My name is Enzo Bergamo, and I am currently a senior at the University of Pennsylvania concurrently pursuing a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Systems Science and Engineering originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Since I started my undergraduate studies, I have been extremely interested in academic research and during my sophomore summer I had the opportunity to work as an RA for a lab in the school of engineering focusing on graph neural networks. During the last two years or so, I have developed a significant interest in operations research and the intersection of business and engineering in topics such as supply chains, queueing theory, and network theory. I hope to pursue a doctoral degree in the future to further develop my interest in these areas.

Jemmy Marc

Jemmy Marc is currently a senior undergraduate student at the University of Florida majoring in Economics. He was born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and raised in Miami, Florida before attending the University of Florida. Jemmy hopes to obtain a doctorate degree in Economics in the near future. He was selected as an American Economic Association Summer Program Scholar and a Research in Color Mentee in 2022. He has also had a chance to intern with The Brookings Institution’s Workforce of the Future Initiative and is currently an intern with J-PAL Global. After graduating in the Spring, he will be joining Analysis Group as an analyst in their Washington, D.C. office. While he has had experience with education and time-use research, Jemmy is eager to learn about more fields of economics & business research, including but not limited to public and consumer finance. He is extremely excited to attend IDDEAS@Wharton and cannot wait to learn more about what economic and business research looks like at the graduate level, especially by hearing from the current doctoral students. Jemmy believes that IDDEAS@Wharton will be another transformative experience in his path to eventually becoming a Ph.D. economist and researcher.

Ella Montgomery

Ella Montgomery recently concluded her BA in Economics with a minor in Chinese after three and a half years in Loyola University Chicago’s Interdisciplinary Honors Program. She has explored the realm of academia as a research assistant, working to support research in Political Economy & Education. She currently works as an Economic Analyst at the US Copyright Office and nurtures an interest in pursuing a doctoral degree in Economics. Ella hopes to gain insight into the life of an Economics PhD student through the IDDEAS program and looks forward to meeting other aspiring scholars.

Gabriel Solis

Howdy! My name is Gabriel Solis, and I am a sophomore majoring in Economics and Mathematics at the University of Southern California. I grew up a native of Southern Los Angeles. My application to IDDEAS is in honor and dedication to my superhero and cousin, Carlos Tinoco, who gifted me with thousands of Marvel comics, shaping me and my nerdy adoration for understanding the world. Although he passed away having battled a brain tumor, my future is devoted to becoming a mentor, champion, and friend to students and communities with similar backgrounds, just as my cousin was to me. To accomplish this commitment, I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in economics, specifically focusing on applied research in public and developmental economics. Through IDDEAS, I gain the opportunity to take a step forward towards this promise, learning the stories and advice of faculty and doctoral students on careers in university teaching.

Ronald Wang

Hailing from Hong Kong and San Francisco, Ronald is a junior majoring in Economics and Mathematics at Georgetown University. He was fascinated by behavioral economics research from reading Nobel laureate Richard Thaler’s Misbehaving and became interested in understanding the human decision-making process. He hopes to further integrate psychological insights into his economics research to improve existing economic models, thereby better evaluating market mechanisms and optimizing incentive designs on all scales. He plans to pursue a PhD upon graduation and therefore is extremely excited to participate in IDDEAS to gain exposure to doctoral research at a world-class institution. Upon the completion of his doctoral studies, whether in academia or corporate settings, he hopes to make a difference by improving decision-making with his research.

Naya Welcher

Naya Welcher is a second-year Mathematics Major on the Pre-Law Track at Spelman College from Stone Mountain, Georgia. She began her college journey in the summer of 2021 as a student in Spelman’s competitive Women in STEM Summer Bridge Accelerator. Through WiSTEM, Naya developed a fiery passion for changing the lives of Black People through Mathematics. This mission informed her role as Freshman Class Council Treasurer, intending to increase the financially literate population of her class. Honoring her campaign promise, she conceived and implemented March Madne$$, a panel by Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Alum about funding secondary education and strategies to maximize summer internship money. This past summer, Naya worked as a Client Advisory Intern for Bessemer Trust where she increased her understanding of Wealth Management. Currently, she holds the AltFinance Fellowship in support of its mission to educate HBCU students on Alternative Investments. Believing that adequate financial literacy education is key in eradicating Mass Incarceration, Naya is intentionally active in community-based organizations across Spelman’s campus. She serves as treasurer of Gifted Girls of Grace, a mentoring organization for teenage girls. She is a member of the Bonner Scholars Program, devoting much of her time to Economic Discrimination Research and improving the environmental health of the West End community. This summer, she plans to intern at Oaktree Capital Management in Internal Audit to grow in knowledge of operations of the private equity sector. In addition, she is a member of Spelman’s Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, the Spelman-Morehouse Pre-Law Society, and Spelman College’s Chapter of Fair Fight Action.

Nandi Whitley

My name is Nandi Whitley. I am an honors senior business economics student at North Carolina A&T State University. I applied to the IDDEAS program because I realized I can make the most significant impact on the issues that I care about most by obtaining a Ph.D., becoming a subject matter expert, and advocating on behalf of others in the rooms where decisions are made. More specifically, I aspire to obtain a Ph.D. in economics because I am passionate about increasing educational outcomes in children from lower socioeconomic households and underprivileged communities. Over the past 7 years, I have volunteered as an afterschool tutor/ mentor to underprivileged youth within the Black community in North Carolina and South Carolina, where I have observed that most of the students struggled with the issues of falling behind and not receiving adequate parental support in their academics. I hope to produce meaningful research and policy recommendations to provide opportunities for students to obtain even greater academic success than I have accomplished.

Grace Zhang

Grace Zhang is a junior at The Ohio State University pursuing a dual degree in finance and mathematics, with a minor in psychology. She grew up alongside the sandy beaches of Wilmington, North Carolina, before eventually moving to Cincinnati, Ohio (quite the weather change). As an active attendee of Fisher Brown Bag seminars, she discovered her interests in research early on and is currently writing a paper on the behavioral influence of digital communications and its effect on human tendency to decline and/or ghost invitations. Through IDDEAS, Grace hopes to realize her goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in marketing and is looking forward to meeting a diverse cohort of passionate, hard-working, and curious scholars who champion her same passions on uncovering how the world works.

Songyang Zhang

Songyang is a current junior student studying at the University of Chicago, originally from Beijing, China. She studies psychology with a minor in statistics. Her research interests are in behavioral science and decision-making. Currently, Songyang is working on randomized-controlled trial studies, which analyze behavioral message interventions to promote intention in preventative healthcare measures. Applying to IDDEAS, she wishes to learn more about applied decision-making research in business schools and connect with peers.

Shivani (Shivi) Aggarwal

Studies at Harvard Univeristy

Shivani (Shivi) Aggarwal is a current senior at Harvard University, originally from Northern New Jersey. She studies integrative biology with a secondary in economics. During the summer of 2019, she was a fellow as part of the Program for Research in Markets & Organizations (PRIMO) at Harvard, as part of which she worked on a research project with faculty at the Harvard Business School. This experience motivated her interest in learning more about doctoral research and academic inquiry at business schools. She is thrilled to be participating in IDDEAS this year.

Minh Bui

Studies at Texas Christian University

Minh Bui is a junior mathematics student from Texas Christian University. Minh was born and raised in Vietnam and moved here around three years ago for college. Minh has always been interested in the intersection of technology and mathematics, particularly machine learning and data science. In her junior year, Minh applied to be a statistics research assistant at the TCU math department and completely fell in love with the subject. Currently, her research focuses on applying different statistical models in evaluating measurement errors while incorporating machine learning algorithms and is aiming to have one paper submitted, if possible, by the end of the first semester of her senior year and this will also be her honors thesis for graduation. From this experience, Minh has decided to pursue research in statistics and determined to apply for Ph.D. in Statistics, hopefully focusing on research in machine learning and data science, because she believes this field is currently expanding and there are many new things in statistics to explore. Also, attending IDDEAS is a wonderful opportunity for Minh to network with motivated students, meet with respected faculty members, and learn from Ph.D. students at UPenn. Minh looks forward to learning as much as she can about research in business, graduate school application process, and different career options for Ph.D. students during and after graduation.

Zuri Davis

Studies at Paul Quinn College

Zuri Davis is currently a Senior at Paul Quinn College majoring in Business management. Zuri was born in Houston, Tx and raised in Austin, Tx. Her hopes in participating in the IDDEAS program is to truly get a better understanding and feel of what business graduate school will be like. Zuri has heard a lot of people say a PhD is very different than getting a bachelors degree, which she expects. On the other hand, Zuri anticipates it will be very helpful to hear from actual professors and people with more experience.

Trevor Esilu

Studies at Haverford College

Trevor Esilu was born in Uganda, grew up in Botswana, and moved to Pennsylvania to study at Haverford College. Trevor is currently a senior majoring in biology and minoring in health studies. Ever since Trevor was young, it has been his dream to become a wildlife veterinarian in sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, he hopes to pursue a career in the One Health field that addresses global issues that lie at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. Trevor is excited to be a part of IDDEAS @ Wharton because here, he sees a golden opportunity to learn how he could apply his interests in science and global health to doctoral research in economics. Trevor can’t wait to connect with the instructors and other talented IDDEAS scholars who represent a rich diversity of identities and ideas.

Victoria Fan

Graduate of University of Notre Dame

Victoria Fan is a recent graduate from University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS). She is interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in Accounting after training in public accounting for several years. Victoria believes IDDEAS is a perfect platform to connect with Wharton faculty and fellow scholars who share the same passion in academic research. She would also love to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a PhD candidate from current PhD students at Wharton. Victoria is particularly interested in learning how to leverage her industrial experience and skills in academia.

Aditya Jain

Studies at Middlebury College

Aditya Jain was born and raised in Chandigarh, India, and attended high school in Pune. Aditya is a junior Mathematics major at Middlebury College. He has worked as a research assistant at Middlebury Economics Department, studying the effect of treaties and taxes on limiting debris in outer space. Aditya plans to apply to pre-doctoral economic research positions in his senior year and aims to pursue a Ph.D. in Economics after a pre-doc. Through IDDEAS, Aditya wants to learn more about the intersection of business research and environmental economics. He also wants to meet other students interested in economic research and gain insights into the application process to business doctoral programs.

Trennedy Kleczewski

Graduate of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Trennedy Kleczewski is from Elgin, Illinois. She recently graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Marketing and Business Process Management. After college, Trennedy started her professional career as a Corporate Risk Analyst at Discover Financial Services. Trennedy applied to IDDEAS to learn more about the growing opportunities within the business research community and begin her journey in pursuing a PhD. Trennedy is excited to foster relationships with other IDDEAS scholars, as well discuss her aspirations in marketing, operational management, and business analytics with distinguished Wharton instructors.

Carnealus Manning

Studies at Paul Quinn College

Carnealus Manning is currently studying Business administration with concentrations in fundraising and philanthropy at Paul Quinn College, where he is a presidential scholar. He is the president of the student chapter of the association for fundraising professionals at Paul Quinn. He also is a member of the schools winning Battle of the brains team. He has had internships in non-profit and for-profit organizations, like NTT Data, Toyota North America, The AT&T Byron Nelson, and The office of the President at Paul Quinn College. Carnealus has studied abroad in three different countries (Spain, Argentina, Brazil). Carnealus was a part of the University of California’s Summer Institute for Emerging Managers and leaders, an undergraduate program for students to gain graduate school exposure. Carnealus this year is interning at NTT Data Services supporting their sales proposals teams. Carnealus will graduate this upcoming year, class of 2021, and has accepted a full-time role with the Verizon corporation. Carnealus aspires to become a CEO and global philanthropist.

Miranda Miao

Studies at Wellesley College

Miranda Miao is a first-generation college graduate from Wellesley College with a double major in Economics and Data Science with a concentration in Financial Economics. She is currently working as an Investment Banking Analyst at Citigroup, specializing in Corporate Finance. She has conducted research at the MIT Sloan School of Management and the University of Cambridge on incentive theory and market efficiency. For her senior thesis, she examined the economic impact of Japanese Internment using a non-parametric decomposition in order to isolate the effects of racial bias from broader economic trends between 1940-1970. Miranda is passionate about causal inference and is excited about exploring such a framework using machine learning techniques in her future research. She plans on pursing an advanced degree in the field of finance.

Emily Schmid

Studies at George Washington University

Emily Schmid is a senior undergraduate student at The George Washington University majoring in Business Analytics and Accountancy and minoring in Statistics. Prior to coming to Washington, DC for college, she grew up in West Windsor, New Jersey. She applied to IDDEAS to get a better understanding of what it is like to be a doctoral student in a business discipline and to pursue a career in academia. Her interests lie at the intersection of data science and accounting, and this semester she is completing a research project using text mining and NLP techniques to analyze 10-K reports. After her graduation this May, Emily will be working in analytics and technology consulting to gain industry experience, but hopes to go back to school to obtain her PhD in the Business Analytics/Decision Sciences realm.

Anannya Shandilya

Studies at the Wharton School

Anannya Shandilya is a senior in The Wharton School studying Finance amd Statistics with minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. Anannya is originally from Indore, India. She is interested in pursuing a doctorate and applied to IDDEAS to develop an understanding of ongoing research and opportunities.

Matt Wang

Studies at University of British Columbia

Matt Wang is a third-year finance student studying at the University of British Columbia. Coming from Kunming, China, Matt applied to IDDEAS to learn about a career as a researcher in business, the many amazing stories behind the cutting-edge research at Wharton, and life as a Ph.D. By participating in IDDEAS, Matt hopes to envision his path to become an organizational psychologist and business researcher, conducting impactful research that helps build a better working world. Matt looks forward to meeting and connecting with all of you!

Vanessa Wanyandeh

Graduate of the Wharton School

Vanessa Wanyandeh researches the ways in which advancements in the tech industry benefit, harm, and shape society, particularly for marginalized communities. As an intern at Facebook, Vanessa examined the severe implications unmoderated social media has on election legitimacy, particularly for 2020 US congressional and presidential candidates with diverse backgrounds. Her research led her to an unsettling conclusion about modern social media: while it provides a platform for countless underserved communities to share information and raise awareness, it also harbors large quantities of misinformation that further oppress marginalized voices and polarize society overall. As a 2019 Harvard Summer Ventures in Management Program (SVMP) participant, Vanessa discovered an interest in academia. In the future, she hopes to pursue a doctoral degree with a focus on digital sociology and user data collection, specifically centering on how the tech industry deals with conflicts of interest. Currently, Vanessa works as a Strategy Analyst at Accenture in the New York City office. She holds a bachelors degree in Economics with a concentration in Business Analytics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Morgan Winstead

Graduate of the University of Pennsylvania

Morgan Winstead graduated from Penn in 2020 with a major in Economics and a minor in Survey Research & Data Analytics. She is originally from Raleigh, NC and currently lives in New York, NY where she works in healthcare investment banking. Morgan applied to IDDEAS to learn more about Wharton’s PhD programs, specifically Healthcare Management & Economics. She is very interested in learning more about macroeconomic factors in the healthcare industry and how regulations can change to retain innovation while making the system more equitable.

Ian Barrett

Studies at Morehouse College

Ian Barrett is a junior Sociology Major from Philadelphia, PA currently attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. Ian applied to the Wharton IDDEAS program because he wants to further explore sociology beyond just the classroom. Through this program, Ian hopes to learn more about where sociology is present in the corporate world as well as how a doctorate degree in his chosen field of business will further propel his success. Ian hopes to learn ways in which he can bridge the gap between corporate life and social sciences, and he hopes to further discover new passions. One of Ian’s biggest passions is teaching, and he is positive that through this program he will gain new tools to be able to continue spreading knowledge to all.

David Brunskole

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

David Brunskole is currently a senior at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School where he studies finance. Originally from Fayetteville, Georgia, David applied to IDDEAS because he is interested in learning more about PhD programs particularly finance focused. He think this will be a great program to learn from others about their processes. After graduation he will be working in investment banking in New York, and thinks of pursuing a career in academia with a focus on finance.

Cynthia Corona

Studies at University of La Verne

Cynthia Corona is a fourth-year student at the University of La Verne, majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Political Science. Cynthia would like to be a part of the 2019 IDDEAS Scholars cohort to achieve a more detailed understanding of the research process and the programs available. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a doctoral degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She believes that successful business endeavors are significant not just in relation to profit but in relation to the impact they have on a surrounding community. Cynthia would like to research the viability of businesses that integrate and execute a component of community engagement and social responsibility.

Amanda de Guzman

Studies at George Washington University

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Amanda is a junior studying Accounting and Economics at the George Washington University. She is interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in accounting and applied to IDDEAS to gain insight into the collaborative and creative nature of business school research. Amanda’s previous experiences include undergraduate research assistantships and internships with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Accounting Oversight Board. Through IDDEAS, Amanda hopes to learn more about the quantitative skills needed to successfully prepare for and complete a business doctoral degree.

Alice Dong

Studies at Swarthmore College

Alice Dong is currently a senior at Swarthmore College studying Economics and Mathematics.  Alice has always had an interest for the intersection of industry and academia in the field of finance, which inspired her choice to attend a liberal arts school rather than try for a more focused finance degree. Immediately post-graduation she will be working in Investment Management, but hopes to later return to academia. Alice believes the IDDEAS program will help her find the happy medium between her interest in the industry and love of academia.

Blake Dunbar

Studies at Miami (Ohio) University 

Blake Dunbar is a senior psychological sciences major at Miami University located in Oxford, Ohio. He is in the Hamilton Honor’s program and plays basketball and tennis at the Regional campus. Blake also works at Miami as a research assistant in a psychological laboratory and as peer mentor in which he cultivates meaningful relationships with students to promote their success as college students. Prior to moving to Ohio, Blake lived on the Joint Military Base located near the capital of New Jersey, this is where he grew up. He completed the majority of his education in New Jersey, from second grade all the way to his associates degree in Psychology, which was completed at Rowan College at Burlington. At Rowan College Blake was on the dean’s list consecutively, was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society, was a member on the executive board in the Student Government Association, and graduated in 2017 with the highest distinction in honors. Blake applied to the IDDEAS program at Wharton so that he could network with and develop lasting relationships with Wharton faculty and learn more about the Organizational Behavior PhD program. His goal is to explore the research opportunities at Wharton and determine if he wants to pursue a PhD at Wharton.

Tuti Gomoka

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Tuti Gomoka is a sophomore at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She is from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Her intended major is Operations, Information and Decisions (OIDD) and Statistics. She is very passionate about research in innovation and creativity, particularly in how it pertains to business decision making and performance. Through IDDEAS she hopes to exchange ideas with fellow aspiring scholars about research in the business field.

Jessica Knobloch

Studies at Saint Joseph’s University

Jessica is a senior at Saint Joseph’s University graduating this May. She will be graduating with a Bachelors of Business Administration specializing in Food Marketing and Business Intelligence & Analytics majors. Jessica is from Freehold, New Jersey, but has moved several times, living in Texas, Illinois, and Toronto. Jessica applied to IDDEAS after her Database Management professor, Dr. Ruben Mendoza mentioned the program to her, thinking she would be a good fit to participate. She hopes to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a PhD candidate, and whether the path aligns with her goals. She is interested in further developing our understanding of human behavior through analytics, and is in search of how and where she can do so.

Olin Marman

Studies at Loyola University of Arizona

Olin Marman is currently a junior studying economics, agribusiness, and resource management at the University of Arizona. He grew up in Wasilla, Alaska before attending high school in northern Arizona. Olin is interested in studying a number of topics under the scope of economics. His current interest “phase” regards urban land use and how this will change as populations increase. Olin applied to IDDEAS to better understand the process of conducting high level academic research in economics. He is excited to spend time and learn from a diverse group of students from schools very different than his own.

Anna Opoku-Agyeman

Studies at University of Maryland

Hailing from Ghana, Anna Opoku-Agyeman is a senior at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She will be graduating in May 2019 with a B.A. in Mathematics and a minor in Economics. In the near future, Anna hopes to obtain a doctorate degree in Economics. Her research interests mainly reside in labor and education. However, she is open to learning more about all fields within the discipline. Anna is also the co-Founder and CEO of the Sadie Collective, an organization that seeks to foster community among Black women in economics and economics-related fields. Anna believes IDDEAS@Wharton will serve as a critical bridge between college and graduate school by introducing her to doctoral-level research topics through the mini-Masters Class and careers in academia and teaching. Ultimately, Anna is confident that IDDEAS@Wharton will help shape her career trajectory and ensure her long-term success within the profession.

Marie Ozenua

Studies at Georgia Institute of Technology

Marie is a senior at Georgia Institute of Technology studying Industrial and Systems Engineering. Marie would love to participate in IDDEAS to learn more about what it takes to be a business researcher and professor, to learn more about the Wharton School of Business and see if it is a good fit for her, and how she can be of benefit to the community at Wharton. Marie’s future academic and professional goals include getting a Masters in Supply chain engineering and a PhD in operations and technology. She hopes to use these to help developing countries around the world better manage their resources and improve their social operations for the benefit of their citizens.

Hardi Patel

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Hardi Patel is an undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania from Tulsa, OK. She studies in the Vagelos program for the life sciences and management, where she is pursuing a dual degree in computational biology, entrepreneurial management, and operations. Hardi became interested in pursuing a career in business academia after taking classes with Wharton professors. The passion, interest, and love for a particular subject that her professors expressed was really contagious and made her curious of how a career in academia would pan out. Hardi applied to IDDEAS wanting to learn more about what an academic career looks like, the job prospects that business doctoral candidates have, and to consolidate her potential interest in pursuing a PhD in the future. Right now, she is considering many routes post-graduation: entering the health tech space, working toward an MBA degree, or entering a doctoral program. Hardi hopes that IDDEAS helps her with this decision.

Eric Sun

Studies at University of Texas, Austin

Eric Sun is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Business Honors, Quantitative Finance, and Mathematics, with a certificate in Applied Statistical Modeling. He is originally from Allen, Texas (near Dallas!). Eric applied to IDDEAS because he is really interested in the intersection of mathematics and finance/business. Through the IDDEAS program, he hopes to learn more about the opportunities to look at both business and finance through a very quantitative lens and what kind of paths can lead to performing this kind of research. He is extremely interested in considering academia in business at some point in the future. He is personally really interested in learning and researching about the application of statistics and optimization methods in different industries.

James Carnes

Studies at Renssaler Polytechnic Instittute

James Carnes is a senior pursuing concentrations in Finance and Information Systems at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is also minoring in communication and military science and finishing his Master of Science in Business Analytics. James applied for IDDEAS to learn about the doctoral process in a business school with an elite reputation such as Wharton. During his time participating in IDDEAS he hopes to learn about the cutting edge research that is happening in the realm of business and to develop relationships that can be long lasting. After James graduates in May he will serve in the United States Marine Corps for four years an officer. After that he hopes to have the opportunity to come back to academics and help bridge the gap between theories and real life application.

Sujatha Changolkar

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Sujatha Changolkar is a health and societies major at the University of Pennsylvania. Sujatha is interested in exploring problems relating to health care accessibility and affordability, which are embedded into almost every community. Having grown up in Philadelphia and in South India, Sujatha has a keen interest in understanding barriers to access such as stigma and inequities in quality of care in marginalized communities. She is passionate about clinical patient care and health outcomes research, and she wants to understand different paths people have taken to build careers in healthcare. The interdisciplinary work of professors at Wharton makes Sujatha eager to continue pursuing education in the body of knowledge that is at the intersection of statistics and healthcare. Wharton’s healthcare management and statistics departments are filled with researchers who are paving novel paths, and she is eager to gain their insights on the developments in innovation and how she can help maximize impact. Sujatha is excited to learn from not only current leaders but also fellow scholars who will be future leaders.

Mahira Ganster

Pursuing PhD in Management and Organizations at the University of Arizona

Mahira Ganster is a 3rd year Undergraduate student at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO studying Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Applied Statistics. At CSU, she is a member of the Occupational Health Psychology Research lab and is excited to conduct academic research in a future doctoral program. At IDDEAS she hopes to better compare research in organizational behavior and management programs with psychology graduate programs and discuss the growing diversity of business academia. Apart from her studies at CSU, Mahira loves to travel and has studied abroad in Spain, Cuba, and is part of an leadership exchange program with Baja California, Mexico

Hector Hinestroza

Hector is from Bogota, Colombia majoring in Computer Engineering. As a child he used to be really curious and that curiosity has stuck with me throughout the years and now has transformed into a hunger for learning. Hector used to play team sports so I am really good working and developing himself with groups of people. Hector applied to the IDDEAS program because first he sees it as an opportunity to grow and network and second because I have developed an enthusiasm into business and entrepreneurship Hector wants to explore them in a doctoral level, so the program would be a great tool to help me decide. Lastly, he is really excited to visit one of the best universities in the country.

William Jackson

Studies at University of Kentucky

William Jackson III, hailing from Houston, Tx, is a Junior Psychology Major at the University of Kentucky on the Pre-Med Track. He aspires to earn an MD/MBA and practice some form of surgery (Orthopedic, Trauma, Ophthalmology…etc.) and attain an MBA focusing on health economics. He believes IDDEAS is an excellent opportunity for me to look into research in business, something I was not very aware of beforehand. William look forward to IDDEAS and hope it opens my eyes to a potential career for myself.

Lauren Melchior

Studies at Indiana University

Lauren Melchior and is currently a senior at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University graduating in May with a degree in Marketing and Business Analytics. Originally from Bergen County, New Jersey, Lauren grew up in the Tri-State area but will be moving to Chicago after graduation to work full time as an innovation analyst for the market research firm Nielsen. Past internship experiences in research both at Nielsen and United Airlines sparked her interest in the field, but it was not until Lauren completed coursework in econometrics that she started seriously considering a career in business academia and research. Lauren is excited to learn more about what that may look like through attending IDDEAS.

Hadiya Mitchell

Studies at University of South Alabama

Hadiya is from Houston, TX, studying Marketing Management at the University of South Alabama. She applied to IDDEAS because she am pursuing a career in academia and believes this program is a great place to start. Hadiya hopes IDDEAS provides me with more knowledge about the field of academia as well as conducting research on consumer behavior.

Justine Murray

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Justine Murray is a senior here at Penn/Wharton studying Marketing and Social Impact and Responsibility. Justine is from St. Catherine, Jamaica and applied to the IDDEAS program because she desires to get a PhD in a few years, and would love to know more about what goes into both the application and program as a whole. Justine’s short term goals involve working within the realm of finance, but long term she aspires to work within the realm of Social impact.

Efuru Okororie

Studies at Morgan State University

Efuru is from Baltimore, Maryland, studying Finance, with a minor in Supply Chain Management at Morgan State University. By participating in the IDDEAS program, Efuru hopes to gain a better understanding of the realities of a PhD business program, and determine if research and academia is in her career path. She hopes to influence and help people in underserved and low-income communities through financial advising and planning.

Vincent Owoseni

Studies at Paul Quinn College

Vincent is a senior at Paul Quinn College. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Vincent is a business management major who is interested in using business as a way to solve social issues in a profitable manner. He applied to IDDEAS because he knows research will be a huge part of his career and he would like to see first-hand what it’s like to be in a PhD program. Vincent hopes to meet some amazing people as well as people who can give him advice on his academic and professional development.

Quelly Mae Ramos

Studies at University of Arizona

Quelly Mae is currently a Junior majoring in Economics with a minor in Korean and Pre-Health Thematic from the University of Arizona. She is originally from the Philippines but have since moved to Oro Valley, Arizona. Quelly Mae applied to the IDDEAS program as she has been considering obtaining a graduate degree in Economics. Her thesis adviser has a degree in both Economics and Medicine and she would like to take the opportunity of exploring that option as she has a strong passion in both subjects. As Quelly Mae is graduating a year early, she is currently considering a Masters Programs in Economics before applying to Medical School. Quelly Mae is hoping to be able to follow both passions of hers in the future.

Katherine Robb

Studies at Saint Joseph’s University

Originally from Atlanta, GA, Katherine is a senior at Saint Joseph’s University, and she will graduate in May with a double major in Accounting and Business Intelligence and minors in History and Philosophy. Katherine applied to IDDEAS, because she is very interested in business research as well as potentially pursuing a business Doctorate. In the next year, she will begin work at KPMG Philadelphia and will take the CPA exam. In the next five years, Katherine hopes to learn as much as she can about industry and accounting through her work as an auditor as well as to solidify her goals moving forward from public accounting. Katherine also enjoys the outdoors, rowing, yoga, and reading.

Angie Wang

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Angie is currently a BA / MBDS dual-degree student at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has developed a deep interest in decision-making through her coursework and extracurricular research. She is originally from California and will be returning there post-graduation to work in a strategy role at a tech company. Though she is entering into industry after graduation, she is still curious about pursuing her academic interests in a research-based setting and hopes to explore how a doctoral program would fit into her career path

Jiaxin Zhang

Studies at Indiana University

Jiaxin is currently a senior at Indiana University majoring in accounting and business analytics. As the economic environment grows, and as companies are forced to navigate greater amounts of complex information, analytical and quantitative skills is becoming increasingly significant and will open greater opportunities. Seeking to pursue a career in academic research and data analytics, Jiaxin hopes that this conference could provide her with a big picture of life as a PhD student and an enlightened perspective on how to identify and solve problems using business research. Besides, growing up in China, Jiaxin is fascinated by meeting new people and creating connections. Through the IDDEAS conference, she hopes to connect with graduate students and faculty at Wharton, as well as her peers from different backgrounds, to get to know more people who share the same interest.

Sade Ayinde

Studies at University of Maryland

Sade Ayinde is currently a student at University of Maryland studying Development Economics & Policy with a minor in Mathematics. An immigrant to the US at the age of 6, Sade hails from Tema, Ghana. With interests in microeconomic development and sub-Saharan Africa, her previous experiences includes several undergraduate research assistantships, participating in Princeton University’s Junior Summer Institute, completing an internship at Department of State and many more. She applied to IDDEAS to engage with UPenn Faculty in their current research. Ideally, she’d like to have a career with a multidimensional perspective, where she can see herself as an educator, academic and practitioner. During the IDDEAS program, she hopes to get first-hand perspective and advice from Faculty members, current PhD students and fellow peers about different paths to take in development economics. 

Malik Majeed

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Malik is a senior from Pakistan, pursuing concentrations in Finance and Statistics from the Wharton School. Through IDDEAS, he hopes to learn more about academic and career opportunities within applied economics. He previously worked with the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan on the Property Tax Experiment. There, he helped design and implement a series of human resources reforms to incentivize and improve tax collection. In the longer term, he hopes to explore issues in financial markets and the microeconomics of economic development within emerging economies.

Helen Fetaw

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Helen is a Health and Societies major in the College of Arts and Sciences from Milwaukee, WI. Helen applied to IDDEAS because she has been thinking more recently about her future plans and is seriously considering delving into research. She’d like to learn more about the different paths people took in order to pursue their PhDs, the kind of research they’re conducting and the atmospheres in which they are surrounded in the day to day. Is it a supportive environment? Are there mentors? Are there opportunities to work with and learn from your peers?

Jay Lyons

Studies at Georgetown University

Jay is currently an Economics and Computer Science major at Georgetown University. Originally from Santa Monica, CA, Jay applied to IDDEAS because he has always wanted to pursue a doctorate. The ability to specialize in a specific field has always been a goal of his and something that he believes would bring the best out of him. Since Jay’s interests lie in Statistics, Economics, and Computer Science, a doctorate in Statistic at Wharton with their breadth of staff would allow him the flexibility to study across his interests. Working with the best professors in the world, such as Francis Diebold or Michael Kearns, who work in fields dealing with econometrics and machine learning, fields that are cross-sectional in nature, would be a blessing. From recreational reading to the research projects Jay pursues, academics have become a true passion of his. Participating in IDDEAS will allow Jay to truly understand what it takes to achieve his goals. Talking to professors and other Ph.D. students will be incredibly informative. 

Sade Snowden-Akintunde

Studies at New York Unversity

Sade Snowden-Akintunde is currently a senior studying management at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Born and raised in Chicago, she is extremely excited to participate in the IDDEAS Program and even more excited to continue to explore the Northeast region. She aims to pursue a PhD in Strategy in the coming years and has previously assisted in research pertaining marketing, brand strategy, corporate strategy as they relate to human experiences and/or political climates. For her own research, she would like to delve into understanding the relationship between culture and business strategy within the technology, innovation, and entertainment industries.

Jennifer Hardister

Studies at University of Georgia

Jennifer is a junior from Dunwoody, Georgia majoring in accounting and international business with a certificate in personal and organizational leadership at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. As a Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Honors Scholar, she has conducted research with UGA’s Department of Infectious Diseases, the J.M. Tull School of Accounting, and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. At UGA, she is also executive director of ServeUGA, junior coordinator of the Terry Women’s Initiative, and a Leonard Leadership Scholar. This past summer, she interned at the Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters in Washington DC. She is considering pursuing a doctoral degree in accounting and is excited to attend IDDEAS to gain insight into entering business academia from one of the top business schools in the nation.

Temilayo Butler

Studies at Howard University

Temilayo Butler is a senior International Business Major, Finance Minor from West Orange, New Jersey attending Howard University. She is a part of the School of Business Executive Leadership Honors Program and Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Society. She has a passion for microfinance and economic development, and hopes to attain a doctoral degree in finance. She wants to conduct research on sustainable business models for microfinance institutions and teach at a University. She hopes to gain insight into the life of a doctoral candidate at Wharton through the IDDEAS program, and learn what she may need to do.

Jeffery Yang

Pursuing PhD in Business Economics at Harvard University

Jeffrey is a sophomore from San Jose, California, studying Mathematical Economics. He is interested in economics research, particularly in the field of behavioral economics, and is considering pursing graduate studies in the field. Through IDDEAS, he hopes to learn more about the research opportunities in economics, statistics, and decision processes within a business PhD program.

Taylor Davis

Studies at Loyola University Maryland

A native of Baltimore, MD, Taylor is currently a senior at Loyola University Maryland, where he is studying Business Economics and Information Systems. Taylor has always loved the collaborative spirit that permeates throughout an academic institution, and has realized his desire to ultimately return to a career in teaching. Thus, over the last 3 semesters of his undergraduate years, Taylor has been trying to learn more about the type of research and instruction opportunities available in the areas of business and commerce, and he is hoping that IDDEAS can help him gain clarity regarding these opportunities.

Logan Bryan

Pursuing PhD in Management at University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

Logan is from Henderson, NV and recently received a BS in Business Strategy from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He has been working for a Fortune 200 healthcare company for the past six months, and has decided to pursue a doctoral degree in business strategy with the goal of being admitted (and later on placed) at a top research and teaching institution. His experience in industry has taught him several things about himself–one of the most important realizations is that he enjoys pursuing answers to broad questions, both in terms of scope and impact. Logan feels drawn to the academic study of business, and hopes to use his experience at Wharton IDDEAS to increase his understanding of it.

Kayla Byrd

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Kayla is a current junior at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business where she studies Operations, Information and Decisions on a Decision Science track. Kayla is originally from Columbus, Ohio. In completing the program, she hopes to gain confidence in her academic pursuits and research capabilities. Kayla wants to know how to tackle current social issues effectively. She wants to know how to collect reliable data and improve her investigative skills. She seeks to develop a strong support system so that upon matriculating into graduate school, she has a plethora of resources at her fingertips. Kayla wants to do research on how the intersectionality of race and gender affect decision-making and how we can use that research to affect public policy.

Ritika Philip

Studies at University of Pennsylvania

Ritika is really curious about decision-making, and how we can optimize decision-making in our personal lives, companies, and countries with incomplete information. Ritika is originally from Kerala, India but spent most of her life growing up outside the country and now is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania studying International Studies and Business. Ritika is really excited to participate in IDDEAS and hopes it gives her a better sense of whether a business PhD program would be a good fit.

Alex Guay

Studies at Concordia University

Alex is a Management student and Teaching/Research assistant at Concordia University in Montreal. Alex also works full-time as a Manager of Social Media and e-mail customer service at National Bank of Canada. Although he has industry experience in management, he knows his true calling is in academia, through research in Organization theory. More specifically, Alex’s career ambition is to further the knowledge of the business community by researching topics such as restructuring, institutionalism theory, and corporate social responsibility. By attending IDDEAS, he hopes to get insights about the research interests of the faculty, and to obtain more information about the daily life of a doctoral student, as well as advice to strengthen his applicant’s file. This program will give Alex the tools to make his career ambitions more realistic.

Eric Koeck

Studies at Temple University

Eric is a senior at the Fox School of Business at Temple University graduating this May with a degree in Management Information Systems. Originally from Collegeville, PA, he lived in the Philadelphia region his entire life. After graduation, Eric will be working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Advanced Risk and Compliance Analytics (ARCA) practice in Philadelphia. Eric began considering a career in business academia and research after a positive undergraduate research experience last summer, when he coauthored a research paper, “Tweets, Retweets and the Brand Positioning of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Candidates.” This experience culminated with a presentation of the paper at the 2017 Winter American Marketing Association Conference this February. While Eric is entering the consulting industry following graduation, he is considering pursuing a doctorate later on. Eric hopes IDDEAS will help determine whether business research is his ideal career path.