Tell us about your research focus, how you became interested in it, and who will benefit from what you are doing in the long run.
My research focus is on integrating stochastic programming with input from a human expert. Stochastic programming is trying to find the best solution out of the set of all possible solutions while dealing with uncertainty. My focus started out with supply chains but grew to include disaster management. I became interested in industrial and systems engineering as a whole since it uses mathematics to create actionable plans that can provide people with what they need. These plans can tell people what items to produce, how to distribute food and supplies after a flood, or what is the optimal delivery route. I hope that my research will benefit people living in areas at risk of disasters by helping them prepare for and recover from them.
What is your vision for your future? What do you expect to be doing after your fellowship/graduate degree.
My goal for after the fellowship and after graduating is to work in the disaster management field. I will be looking at public sector jobs in disaster preparedness and response. Also, I desire to teach at some point since I enjoy that aspect of academia.
What do you anticipate the most about your fellowship experience? Why did you choose the program you applied to?
The thing I anticipate the most about the ADAC-ARCTIC Fellowship is the Arctic Summer Internship Program, or ASIP for short. Part of ASIP is a 3-week trip to Alaska that involves traveling to different parts of the state and learning about the unique challenges that the people there face. For example, logistics is more difficult due to chaotic Arctic weather and rough terrain. Traveling to Alaska and experiencing it first-hand will give me a better idea of how to address these challenges. I applied to the ADAC-ARCTIC Fellowship after hearing about it from Dr. Martha Grabowski, one of the professors I am working with. Along with Dr. Jen Pazour, we are working on a project to help plan inspection schedules for Arctic bulk fuel storage facilities. It is a challenging problem that has consequences for real people, and the fellowship will allow me to continue working in that direction.
What advice do you give to current students considering applying to competitive programs?
Find and learn about a problem that is relevant and that you find interesting and worthwhile. This helps with focusing on research and being motivated. Talk with people and be willing to work with those outside of your current interest. You might find their work fascinating and develop collaborations. These collaborations build your networks.
