|
Alumni Update - Hadi Fathallah, American University of Beirut Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2009: Vietnam & Taiwan |
| Current Position: Graduate Student, Cornell University, Masters of
Public Administration, International Development Concentration, Minor in Peace Studies |
"INNOVATE 2009 has had a profound impact on me. Besides the tons of literature I was introduced to (which I am still following up on), the actual trip changed my views of the world, especially that I passed all over on my way to the conference. It gave me a personal understanding of globalization and a real sense of how our world is changing, be it economically, culturally, or politically (something very evident now in East Asia). Also, meeting friends from other places and different backgrounds was a great cultural and intellectual experience (I remember the late nights debating ideas with my U.S. roommate). My course work and degree here at Cornell is but a continuation of the INNOVATE experience and a complement to what I learned back then. I remember in one of the sessions a speaker said that it'll take time to understand what we saw and experienced during INNOVATE - maybe a week, a month, or a year. I can assure you that I am still up till now reflecting on my experience during that week and getting to understand the trends and reality of world dynamics."
|
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Christian Braneon, Georgia Institute of Technology Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2008: Vietnam & Singapore |
| Current Position: PhD Candidate, Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology |
| "Since participating in INNOVATE my doctoral research has expanded to focus on estimation of agricultural water demand as well as food security (food supply in a given area/region and stability) and I have received the Sam Nunn Security Program Fellowship. This program is committed to educating scientists and engineers about national security issues and providing the analytical tools they need to interact with the policy community and selects young and mid-career scientists and technology experts for intensive year-long training in research approaches and policy formulation methods for addressing national and international security issues." |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Amy Chaya, University of Pittsburgh Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2008: Vietnam & Singapore |
| Current Position: PhD Candidate, University of Pittsburgh, Center for Craniofacial Regeneration studying novel approaches to bone regeneration using resorbable biometals. |
| "INNOVATE impacted me in several ways. In the most basic way, it fueled my growing addiction to traveling. Prior to INNOVATE, I had never traveled to the Far East, and honestly may have never had the chance to, so having the opportunity to visit Vietnam and Singapore was an extremely exciting experience for me. The trip allowed me to truly immerse myself in brand new cultures, with unique customs, languages, foods, religious beliefs, business models, etc. These opportunities have expanded my understanding of our globalized economy, as well as the global spread of technology. Having the opportunity to see firsthand some real life examples of US outsourcing really shattered previous notions I had in my head and provided me with a better understanding of how outsourcing works, why it is utilized, and its advantages/disadvantages. Overall, it was a truly unique program that I thoroughly enjoyed and will surely never forget!" |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Sonia Dinh, RMIT-Vietnam Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2008: Vietnam & Singapore |
| Current Position: Vice General Manager, Thien An Company |
| "I am now living in Vietnam after coming back from three months in Germany where I worked in sales for a Ceramic company. I am now working for Thien An Company, a pillow and blanket manufacturer as a Vice General Manager responsible for manufacturing activities, inventory, sales, and cost control. I am also currently enrolled in the Executive Master of Finance and Banking program offered in cooperation by the Ho Chi Minh Banking University and The University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. My participation in INNOVATE and visits to modern companies and study of new technologies helped me to know how fast this world changed and where my country is standing on that highway. INNOVATE delegates have unique and exclusive opportunities through this program and my one tip is to always remember to ask yourself throughout the conference, "Why am I here?" This will help ensure you make the most of your time with INNOVATE." |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Clarence Wardell, Georgia Institute of Technology Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2008: Vietnam & Singapore |
| Current Position: Research Analyst, CNA Corporation |
I am now currently living in Washington, D.C. having completed my doctoral studies this past August at Georgia Tech in Inudstrial and Systems Engineering. I currently work as a Research Analyst for CNA Corporation, which is a non-profit government research center.
To this day INNOVATE remains one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The program was well executed, and provided a completely new perspective on how I think about my role as a "global citizen."
|
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Mahima Ashok, Georgia Institute of Technology Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2007: Beijing & Bangalore |
| Current Position: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| "Innovate has had tremendous impact on my life. First, it was a catalyst
that enabled me to realize what my true professional goals were - to
build an international career in public health through work in
government and non-profit organizations. After completing my Ph.D., I
now work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
I was fortunate that I had the Innovate experience at the start of my
Ph.D. - it played a key role in my work and in my career search.
Second, Innovate motivated me to get involved in organizations and work
dealing with international development issues - something I may not
have been exposed to without this conference. Innovate was one of the
best experiences of my life and I highly recommend it to anyone
pondering an international career in this globalized, inter-connected
world." |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Timothy Bettger, IAESTE US Delegate, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities |
| INNOVATE 2007: Beijing & Bangalore |
| Current Position: Graduate Student, Masters of Science in Combustion Engines, RWTH Aachen University in Aachen, Germany |
| "I participated in INNOVATE 2007 to learn more about how engineers approach and accomplish large-scale projects in India and China, and how various industries operate in those countries. My long-term goal is to work for an automotive company in either Germany or Japan and I believe my INNOVATE experience helped me to better understand the Chinese automotive industry and market as I believe this will greatly change the automotive landscape around the world on both the production and consumption side." |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Su Hao, National University of Singapore Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2007: Beijing & Bangalore |
| Current Position: I am living in Beijing and working for a private equity investment firm. |
| "I participated in INNOVATE 2007 as I have a strong interest in innovation and technology and am interested in philanthropy, networking, entrepreneurship, technology, history, and politics which are all things that the INNOVATE conference touched on during our time in Beijing and Bangalore." |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Satish Meena, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2007: Beijing & Bangalore |
| Current Position: Senior Research Analyst (Telecommunications), IDC |
| "It was a pleasure attending Innovate 2007. It has impacted me a lot and also helped me a lot in getting the right opportunities after college. Upon graduation from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay I was selected by a UAE-based group to start a Knowledge process outsourcing company in Sharjah. A friend and I also started the Pinnacle Knowledge Group which utilizes the specialized knowledge available at IIT, Bombay to facilitate practical implementation in the industry through Knowledge Process Outsourcing, eLearning, and Management Consultancy in the Middle East. We also focused on the green technologies and consulting projects to be outsourced to India from this region and launched the first eLearning program in Piping Engineering in 2009. After a 2 year stint with Pinnacle, I am currently working with IDC as a senior research analyst in the telecommunication domain focusing in Africa region due to my curiosity to learn more about this region. I am currently based in Dubai. Overall INNOVATE was a great experience for me." |
| |
|
 Kush Mathur (r) with fellow INNOVATE delegates. |
Alumni Update - Kush Mathur, Rice University, B.S. Chemical Engineering, 2007 |
INNOVATE 2006: Shanghai & Osaka
INNOVATE 2007: Beijing & Bangalore |
| Current Position: Process Engineering (Gulf of Mexico - Na Kika), BP |
| "I feel very passionate about the incredible opportunities that INNOVATE affords engineering/science students. INNOVATE was the single most influential and life-changing endeavor of my undergraduate chemical engineering career at Rice University. As an engineer at a multi-national energy company, I have gained a tangible appreciation of the effects of globalization and technology in an international business environment. INNOVATE has truly given me a broader and more global view of engineering. I envision working in an international setting and eventually would like to lead or start my own energy company. It was an absolute dream experience to meet business leaders, CEO's of start-up companies, university officials, and government planners in China, Japan, and India to understand the dynamic business climate and emerging opportunities in Asia. It was a great honor to be a part of this program and I am indebted to INNOVATE for selecting me as a delegate. I hope to see this world-class program continue for the next ten years and beyond, so that other Rice students can experience what I have!" |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Grant Belgard, Rice University Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2007: Beijing & Bangalore |
| 2008 Marshall Scholarship Recipient |
Grant Belgard was selected as a recipient of the 2008 Marshall Scholarship. The nationally competitive scholarship will support Belgard as he studies biochemistry at the University of Oxford. "Broadly, I'm interested in developing and implementing practical and interdisciplinary solutions to problems of medical significance," Belgard said. "We live in exciting times. As our fundamental understanding of traditional scientific fields grows, there are ample opportunities to innovate at the interface."
Read More... |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Kavita Arora, IAESTE US Delegate, Carnegie Mellon University |
| INNOVATE 2006: Shanghai & Osaka |
| Current Position: Tesco Hindustan Service Centre, Bangalore, India |
| "I currently work for the Tesco Hindustan Service Centre - we are the global services arm for Tesco Plc which is the retail giant headquartered in the United Kingdom. I originally thought I'd be working for an American company, but when the Tesco offer came in, it felt like a good opportunity. My decision to relocate to Bangalore was largely due to my participation in the INNOVATE 2006 program while I was a student at Carnegie Mellon University." |
| |
|
 |
Alumni Update - Alex Carter, North Carolina State University Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2006: Shanghai & Osaka |
| Current Position: Business Technology Analyst, Deloitte |
| "I found INNOVATE to be the single most richly rewarding experience of my undergraduate education at North Carolina State University. Not only did it peak my interest in international affairs, connecting me with an abundance of academic and business contacts as well as illuminating opportunities to work and study abroad, but it truly showed me how a technical academic background could be leveraged to be successful in the business world. I just began my career as a technology consultant in a prestigious consulting firm and I believe the experiences I gained from being involved with INNOVATE were integral in helping me achieve this goal." |
| |
|
|
Alumni Update - Mark Gabriel Little, Rice University Delegate |
| INNOVATE 2006: Shanghai & Osaka |
| 2007 Luce Scholarship Recipient |
| INNOVATE is pleased to announce that Rice University delegate Mark Gabriel Little has recently been selected as a Luce Scholar. The Luce Scholars Program provides stipends and internships for fifteen young Americans to live and work in Asia each year. Dating from 1974, the program's purpose is to increase awareness of Asia among future leaders in America. Mark received his PhD in Earth Science from Rice University in 2007 and will travel to Peking University in Beijing this fall to conduct research in the Environmental Science department. To learn more about Mark and his experience on INNOVATE 2006 please click here. |
