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Letters to a young engineer

Letters to a young engineer

My journey from school to industry, and back again

January 24, 2024 | Jacob T.

Well, you finally made it. A well-paying job at a world-renowned company, a 9-5 (ish) lifestyle, actually having weekends — weekends! — to spend on life rather than homework, all conveniently located in one of the best cities on Earth. It’s what your parents always hoped for you, what your professors always promised was just […]

Why I left the tech industry for grad school

Why I left the tech industry for grad school

April 26, 2023 | Gohar Irfan C.

“Why are you leaving your job?” “Don’t you make enough money?” “Why would you leave a big tech company?” “Are you going for a bigger paycheck? You must be stuck at the same level.” “What?! You said you’re completely leaving the tech industry?” “Oh! PhD? Don’t you already do research at work? Everybody learns at […]

MIT is the Hollywood of academia

MIT is the Hollywood of academia

My journey from Hollywood acting to the MIT Supply Chain Management graduate program

January 26, 2023 | Nauryzkhan D.

I always dreamed of doing great things and having a positive impact on the world. In my naivety, I believed that only celebrities have this kind of world-reaching influence. With this dream at the forefront of my mind, in 2018-2019, I pursued a career in acting and screenwriting, motivated by a desire to become a […]

First-year reflection

First-year reflection

Is a PhD really for me?

November 16, 2022 | Anzo T.

More than once in our career, most of us will find ourselves asking whether we made the right decision. Often, this questioning is triggered by setbacks, “less-than-ideal” circumstances or a mediocre environment. Without a doubt, the majority of graduate students will probably face this kind of uncertainty during our journey (especially for PhDs, as 5 […]

Relearning how to learn

Relearning how to learn

Returning to school after years on a boat

September 21, 2022 | Matthew F.

As I sat down at my desk in the middle of the Pacific Ocean waiting for an Internet connection, I wondered if the long-awaited response would be sitting in my inbox. I kept hitting F5, hoping that the page would refresh faster. Internet on a naval vessel isn’t as instantaneous as the luxury Internet speeds […]