Career Conversations
The fellows led informational interviews with professionals from many fields between 2018 and 2021. They produced reflection essays and showcased excerpts from their conversations.
You can explore those career conversations either by field as listed on the right or in the order they were published below. After 2021, we switched from publishing career conversation essays to producing podcast episodes.
Explore career conversations by field:
Arts, Architecture, Film
Consulting
Education and Research
Finance
Healthcare
Journalism
Law
Manufacturing
Space
Technology
A Rewarding Career in Aerospace Engineering
Quint Smits, a Longitude fellow from Tilburg University, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Hakan Bacakoglu, senior program manager at Sikorsky.
Understanding the legal field
Sarah Sowell, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Daniel Cohen, associate at K&L Gates.
Power of arts in connecting people
Quint Smits, a Longitude fellow from Tilburg University, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Jaena Kim, classical flutist.
Direct path towards your consulting future
Mayra Zamudio, a Longitude fellow from University of Houston, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Maria Guerrero, business analyst at Deloitte Consulting.
New terminologies and roles in product and service design
Jamie Chen, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Jessica Pang, product designer, SiteMinder.
Visioneering solutions to multifaceted problems
Alishahal Macknojia, a Longitude fellow from University of Houston, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Sandra Johnson, founder, CEO and CTO at Global Mobile Finance, Inc.
Flexibility of academia: From mechanical engineering to developing bioinspired devices
Ecem Uluegeci, a Longitude fellow from Harvard College, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Alican Ozkan, postdoctoral research fellow, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University.
Public service and urban development
Sarah Sowell, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Jaclyn Youngblood, chief of staff, City of Boston, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics.
Careers in creative fields
Bilge Arslan, a Longitude fellow from Yale-NUS College, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Jasmeet Sidhu, supervising creative producer/director at MasterClass.
Career Conversations
2020
Role of medical robots in healthcare
Zehra Karakılıç, a Longitude fellow from Tilburg University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Julie Walker, navigational engineer at Intuitive.
Fostering intellectual curiosity
Ecem Uluegeci, a Longitude fellow from Harvard College, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Yoonjin Min, consultant at Boston Consulting Group.
On your time
Shvetali Thatte, a Longitude fellow from Case Western Reserve University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Harrison Nguyen, dermatology resident at Emory University School of Medicine.
Sports and law: an intersection for a fulfilling career
Satoshi Mizutani, a Longitude fellow from University of California Los Angeles, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Brian Michael Cooper, sports, entertainment, and media attorney at Frost Brown Todd.
Expanding healthcare and science accessibility in the digital age, from clinical trials to tele-health
Maddie Turner, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Jonathan Jackson, founding director of CARE Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Going where your impact could be greatest
Jamie Chen, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Tawfik Jarjour, senior manager at Accenture Strategy.
Multi-faceted occupation of being an architect
Yi Luo, a Longitude fellow from RiceUniversity, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Kerim Miskavi, founder at MAS Studio.
Career alternatives in healthcare industry
Ecem Uluegeci, a Longitude fellow from Harvard College, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Matt Sprinkel, marketing manager at PROCEPT BioRobotics.
A journey from love of languages and writing to corporate law
Rachel Carlton, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Glory Nwaugbala, corporate associate at Wilmer Hale.
Perspectives and priorities: The key to navigating a happy career
Shvetali Thatte, a Longitude fellow from Case Western Reserve University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Judy Huang, telehealth therapist in Los Angeles.
Work happiness by choosing a career that aligns with personal interests
Armando Sanchez, a Longitude fellow from St. Thomas University, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Justin Gross, product manager at Capital One.
Filmmaking is about solving problems
Bilge Arslan, a Longitude fellow from Yale-NUS College, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Nigel Levy, series editor, producer/director, and story consultant at Leviathan Films.
In the intersection of finance and entrepreneurship
Selim Tira, a Longitude fellow from Sciences Po, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Micah Johnson, founder of an investment partnership.
Your career is in your own hands
Rachel Carlton, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Cindy Dinh, litigation associate at Mayer Brown, LLP.
Research engineering: A bridge between software engineering and research
Alp Yakici, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Peter Tang, research engineer at IBM.
Breaking barriers to become a successful leader in research
Elijah Sales, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from an interview Nathan Andrus led with Illya Hicks, professor of computational and applied mathematics at Rice University.
What really is consulting?
Bilge Arslan, a Longitude fellow from Yale-NUS College, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Eric Pan, business analyst at McKinsey & Company.
Transition from policy research to software engineering
Samuel Anozie, a Longitude fellow from University of Texas Dallas, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Jessica McElroy, software engineer at Airbnb.
Finding solace in success stories
Jimmy Ren, a Longitude fellow from University of Pennsylvania, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Rick Song, co-founder and CEO at Persona.
The importance of diverse skill sets in journalism
Rachel Carlton, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation she led with Heather Leighton, web and social media editor at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
From first-generation education to guiding environmental compliance
Naod Araya, a Longitude fellow from Rice University, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Lindsey Asbury, environmental engineer at Brown and Caldwell.
An entrepreneurial mindset in startup product management
The entrepreneurial path: Yoko Li shares with Longitude Fellow Yi Luo the unique attributes of being product manager of a tech startup, and how choosing the path less traveled can provide the best experience for learning and leadership.
A unique perspective on life and achievement
Armando Sanchez, a Longitude fellow from University of St. Thomas majoring in finance, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Andrew Yuwen, leadership development program participant at a large investment management firm.
The importance of flexibility and perspective for marketing during uncertain times
Jordan Ramirez, a Longitude fellow from Elgin Community College majoring in marketing, shares reflections from a conversation he led with Allison Hardy, manager of advertising, marketing, and commerce at Deloitte Consulting.
Fostering leadership and study as a university professor
Incoming Longitude fellow Sarah Sowell reflects on Rice University Professor Songying Fang’s dedication to fostering leadership in her classroom, while also exploring the complex dynamics of politics, international relations, and multicultural educational backgrounds.
Lack of “optimal” options makes way for personalized opportunity
Jamie Chen, a Longitude fellow from Rice University majoring in computational and applied math and cognitive science, shares reflections from a conversation with Bo Sripharphan, strategic account executive at Nike.
Using technology to advance collaborations in consulting
Akın Deniz Heper, a sophomore from Yale-NUS College majoring in politics, philosophy and economics, shares reflections from a conversation with Marc Sabbagh, chief of staff, safety and citizen services at Accenture Federal Services.
Measuring social impact to tackle complex problems in today’s world
Bilge Arslan, a sophomore from Yale-NUS College majoring in global affairs, shares reflections from a conversation with Lissa Glasgo, manager at The Global Impact Investing Network.
Childhood dream leads to a career in spacesuit design
Yi Luo, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in architecture and engineering design, shares reflections from a conversation with Kristine Davis, spacesuit engineer at NASA.
Discover what it means to be an engineer on the frontline of space exploration
Relationship building in the financial services industry
Alishahal Macknojia, a senior from University of Houston majoring in finance, shares reflections from a conversation with Kenneth Misner, regional vice president at Touchstone Investments.
Discover the value of communication skills in business development
A leap of faith into a new role leads to product management in tech sector
Explore the reflections of Jimmy Ren, a freshman from University of Pennsylvania majoring in computer information science, from his conversation with Connor Hayes, head of product at Jumpstart.
How design thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset help a successful product manager
Explore the reflections from a conversation Berk Alp Yakıcı, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in computer science, led with James Grinage, rotational product manager at Facebook.
Discover the transition of experiences from a startup to product management
The importance of humility for educators
Explore the reflections from a conversation Samuel Anozie, a sophomore from University of Texas at Dallas majoring in software engineering, led with Albert Wei, chief strategy and growth officer at ProUnitas.
Discover the evolving role of technology in education beyond classroom
An unconventional journey from voice performance to people analytics at Google
Explore the reflections from a conversation Jamie Chen, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in computational and applied math and cognitive science, led with Carrie Ott-Holland, manager of performance design research at Google.
Discover how personal and practical realizations led to a career in organizational psychology
Connecting individuals around the world through management consulting
Explore the reflections and excerpts from a conversation Maddie Turner, a junior from Rice University majoring in biochemistry and English, led with Ellie Weeks, senior digital product consultant at Deloitte Digital.
Discover how people and networking are at the core of everything in one consultant’s career
The human-centered process of user experience design
Yi Luo, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in architecture and engineering design, shares reflections from a conversation with Vinita Israni, user experience manager at Qantas Airways.
Discover the essential role user experience design plays in our lives
Supportive mentors and analytical abilities key to success in venture development
Claire Wang (left), a sophomore from Rice University majoring in computational and applied math, shares reflections from a conversation with Esther Tricoche, head of global partnerships at RippleWorks.
Discover the importance of finding supportive mentors and developing strong marketable skills
Playing a part in the next generation of businesses
Alishahal Macknojia, a senior from University of Houston majoring in finance, shares reflections from a conversation with Moody Heard, senior investment analyst at Mercury Fund.
Discover how innate curiosity led to a career in venture capital
Building a career in engineering one experience at a time
Sergio Espinoza Torres (left), a sophomore from Rice University majoring in mechanical engineering, shares reflections from a conversation with Shaurya Agarwal, product manager at Aptiv Autonomous Mobility (formerly nuTonomy).
Discover how a broad range of experiences led to a career in self-driving cars.
Career Conversations
2019
Fast pace, critical thinking, and teamwork in the world of consulting
Akin Deniz Heper (left), a sophomore from Yale-NUS College, led a conversation with Christian Keller, a consultant at Alight Solutions.
From an economics education to a career in finance
Alishahal Macknojia, a junior from University of Houston majoring in finance, led a conversation with Amber Lo, corporate credit analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Discover the broad and expending scope of a corporate credit analyst’s work.
Bringing expertise in emergency medicine to world of health policy
Maggie Turner (left), a junior from Rice University majoring in biochemistry and English, shares observations from a conversation with Rachel Solnick, emergency medicine physician and healthcare research fellow.
Discover the multiple levels of addressing issues in healthcare.
Life and work experiences lead to rewarding career in counseling
Grayson Best (left), a junior from University of Texas majoring in psychology, shares observations from a conversation with Andrew Tessmer, a counselor at Eddins Counseling Group.
Discover how technology and life experiences increase the accessibility of therapy.
From bioengineering to Nike analytics: problem-solving across industries
Douglas Graham, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in computer science, shares observations from a conversation with Gabrien Clark, an analytics lead at Nike.
Discover how problem-solving skills are transferable across industries.
Having conversations key to career success
Alishahal Macknojia, a junior from University of Houston majoring in finance, shares observations from a conversation with Sanjula Jain, executive director of research and advisory at The Health Management Academy in Washington, D.C.
Discover a career path that led to thought leadership in healthcare.
Research of human language abilities may hold answer to computer language processing
Claudia Zhu, a sophomore from University of Pennsylvania majoring in computer science, shares observations from a conversation she led with Tatiana Schnur, associate professor of neurosurgery and neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine.
Discover the role of neuroscience in technology development.
Improving the lives of patients with arts integration
Samantha Chao, a senior from Rice University majoring in English, shares observations about a conversation with Todd Frazier, director of the Center for Performing Arts Medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital.
Dramaturgy, the invisible and integral part of theater
Mercedes Muñoz (left), a junior from Boston University majoring in psychology, led a conversation with Amy Boratko, literary manager at Yale Repertory Theatre.
How technology enhances communication
Callum Parks, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in economics and art, led a conversation with Mitchell Massey, senior interactive producer and creative strategist at 900lbs Creative.
Discover how advancements in virtual and augmented reality is enhancing communications.
Telling stories with data and sociology in the field of education
Douglas Graham, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in computer science, led a conversation with Karen Book, senior data analyst at Boston Public Schools.
Discover how data analysis is the underlying language used in many social sciences fields.
Building a career in the colliding worlds of science and engineering
Naod Araya, a senior from Rice University majoring in earth, environmental and planetary sciences, led a conversation with Elizabeth Frank, applied planetary scientist at First Mode.
Making a difference in the healthcare industry with
3D printing
Sergio Espinoza Torres (left), a sophomore from Rice University majoring in mechanical engineering, shares observations about a conversation with Jacques Zaneveld, founder and president of Lazarus 3D.
Discover the role of creativity and teamwork for an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry.
The capstone of spaceflight training happens under the sea
Callum Parks (left), a sophomore from Rice University majoring in economics and art, led a conversation with Marcum Reagan, mission director of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO).
Discover the importance of communication and coordination in spaceflight training.
The wide-reaching scope of big data and soft skills
Steven Feng (left), a sophomore from Rice University majoring in economics and global health technologies, led a conversation with Julian Yao, senior director of strategic initiatives
at Covera Health.
Discover the importance of thinking in structured manner with data science.
Combining a quantitative background with an interest in media
Claire Wang, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in computational and applied math, led a conversation with Adam Benaroya, senior manager of global media at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
Discover how exploring interests could generate unique opportunities.
The great struggle and great reward of working in science
Akın Deniz Heper (left), a sophomore from Yale-NUS College, led a conversation with Anıl Korkut, assistant professor of bioinformatics and computational biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Discover emerging themes in modern biology that is aiming to transform cancer treatment.
The role of educational technology
Zachary Marx-Kuo (left), a graduate student in the Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies program at Stanford University, led a conversation with Eric Li, senior product manager at PeopleGrove.
Discover a discussion of views on the current and future roles of edtech.
A career choice based on pace
Claire Wang, a sophomore from Rice University majoring in computational and applied math, led a conversation with Naoki Shiba, a credit trader at Barclays, Tokyo.
Discover the pace and changing technology in the financial industry.
Practical problems of the cosmic type
Alper Özöner (left), a freshman from Groningen University majoring in artificial intelligence, led a conversation with Adrian Galindo, an avionics engineer at Blue Origin.
Discover how a career in rocket science started with curiosity.
The importance of patience and passion in the space industry
Douglas Graham (left), a freshman from Rice University majoring in computer science, led a conversation with Rhae Adams, co-founder and vice president of strategy and business development at First Mode.
Discover developments at the intersection of space and mining.
Online counseling with international reach
Grayson Best, a sophomore from University of Texas majoring in psychology, led a conversation with Elvin Aydin Keles, an online life coach and psychotherapist.
Discover how web-based counseling provides care beyond borders.
Find the problem you want to solve
David Yang (left), a junior from Rice University, led a conversation with Pierre Elias, cardiology fellow at Columbia University Medical Center.
Discover a new mindset for approaching college and life afterwards.
Beyond the scales: The blend between history and musical performance
Molly Turner, a senior from Rice University majoring in music composition and conducting, led a conversation with Thomas Forrest Kelly, professor of music at Harvard University.
Discover an intersection of historical research and musical performances.
Combining a passion for aviation with medicine
David Yang (left), a junior from Rice University, led a conversation with Dr. Emmanuel Urquieta Ordonez, researcher at the Translational Research Institute for Space Health.
Shaping science and business through opportunities
Akın Deniz Heper (left), a freshman from Yale-NUS College, led a conversation with Zeynep Dereli Korkut, postdoctoral fellow at Houston Methodist Research Institute.
Growing through career changes
Chidera Ezuma-Igwe, a junior from Rice University majoring in sociology and health sciences, led a conversation with Jarvis Sam, senior director of sourcing and diversity recruitment at Nike.
Discover how being open to making changes altered the trajectory of Jarvis’s career and led him to a senior post at one of the largest companies in the world.
The point of college is…
Alper Özöner (left), a freshman from University of Groningen, Netherlands, majoring in artificial intelligence, led a conversation with Roger Chen, a site reliability engineer at Google.
Discover how staying the extra year in college instead of rushing through to finish early made a difference for Roger and his career.
Composers in the contemporary art world
Molly Turner, a senior from Rice University majoring in music composition and conducting, led a conversation with Ross Williams, an assistant professor of film and sound in Singapore.
Discover how taking on different projects led Ross to expand his work from composition and teaching to sound design, film and even to processing volcano infrasound for volcanologists.
Making science accessible
Cal Parks (left), a freshman from Rice University majoring in economics and art, led a conversation with Thomas Burnett, assistant director of public engagement at John Templeton Foundation.
Discover how passion for philosophy and history of science merged in the perfect career.
Career Conversations
2018
Discovering clinical pharmacy
David Yang, a junior from Rice University majoring in chemistry, led a conversation with Ekim Ekinci, a clinical pharmacy specialist in oncology.
Discover how a shared interest in chemistry led to an understanding of the multiple options in the healthcare field.
Your capital is your brain and knowledge
Ege Ersoy (left), a freshman from Koç University, Istanbul, majoring in philosophy and economics, led a conversation with Mahmut Ünlü, founder and CEO of Ünlü & Co.
Discover how childhood dreams flourished into business success.
Journey from computing to expertise in communicating complex concepts
Alper Özöner (left), a freshman from University of Groningen, Netherlands, majoring in artificial intelligence, led a conversation with JD Leonard, founder of Modern Biz Consulting.
Discover the fulfilling life of an entrepreneur that mastered the art of communicating complex concepts for clients.
Path to a successful career is rarely straight
Mercedes Muñoz (left), a sophomore from Boston University majoring in psychology, led a conversation with Jenna Alton, lab manager at Boston University.
Discover how embracing challenges with an open mind leads to opportunities.
A mission that is much larger than ourselves
Joshua Mao (left), a sophomore from UC Berkeley majoring in business administration and cognitive science, led a conversation with Vivas Kumar at Tesla.
Discover why college is a great time to explore.
Passion for learning and helping others essential for mental health field
Grayson Best, a sophomore from University of Texas majoring in psychology, led a conversation with Ashley Hamm of Hamm Counseling.
Discover how interest in the mental health field led to graduate studies in counseling.
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