Operational Manager for the DoD
Published 12 Jul 2020
Tags: DoD, management, mathWhy did you choose to pursue this career? What made you certain this was the right path?
It appeared very interesting and seemed to be a great way to put mathematics applications into practice.
What events, prior employment, or educational experiences led you to your current job?
Primarily the master’s degree in discrete mathematics. Before pursuing the master’s course of study, I thought I would be a high school math teacher and coach. The advanced degree opened my eyes to different possibilities.
What schooling, education, and/or certifications did you complete to prepare you for this career?
A Bachelor of Arts in mathematics, a secondary teaching certificate in mathematics and a master’s of science in discrete mathematics.
How did you make the best use of your time in both your education and career?
Internships and networking. Meeting new people and learning about new opportunities.
What advice would you give to a high school or college student interested in pursuing this field of work?
I can’t stress enough how important it is to interact with people to learn more about a subject area as well as opportunities for application of the subject area. You never know when a chance meeting will lead to a wonderful opportunity.
What opportunities would you suggest high school students participate in?
High school work study programs, any opportunities for involvement in research.
What opportunities did you take as a student that helped advance your career (research, internships, etc.)
Taking with others about my interests - family, classmates, professors, prospective employers, work colleagues. Various people from all these categories helped me connect the dots to get where I am today.
What does a typical day at your job look like?
Lots of coordination on the phone and in email. Communicating results of operations and analytic problems. This requires writing presentations, papers, and effectively communicating in person.
What was a surprising aspect of your job?
That I can’t do it on my own. I have to constantly rely on others to help reach conclusions and then to put those conclusions into practice. The most successful people in the workplace are those who can work well with others while providing unique insight into problems.
What qualities are necessary to be successful in your field of work, and why?
Communication and collaboration.