Nisha A

I analyze and advise public sector clients on technology requirements and solutions required to meet their strategic needs.  

I chose engineering because it has so many applications, including technology, research, commercial products, and medicine. I wanted to study and work in a field that gave me the potential to impact everyday lives. After completing graduate school and advancing my career, I know that the discipline and rigor of an engineering education have value in a variety of fields and services.  

I went to Johns Hopkins University and received my BS in Chemical Engineering. Soon after I started working, I enrolled in a course on Systems Design and Operational Effectiveness. I found this design-oriented curriculum so interesting that I soon extended my studies and graduated with a Masters in Engineering (ME) in Systems Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

The simplest way to describe my work is that I help clients think through complex problems, break them down into smaller parts, and then develop solutions to all the smaller parts so that together, we can solve that big complex problem. Sometimes, this is super technical (my client might say, "I need a new technology solution so my team can do their jobs in the best possible way" or, "I've heard about a new technology, do you think it would be a good choice for us to use it?"). Sometimes, it is more strategic; my client might say, "Two years from now, I want everyone on my team to know how to use this really cool technology" or, "What changes can we make to the way we use technology to save a million dollars over five years?" Either way, I get to learn about the topic area, understand the details, identify things that work and don't work, and think about the future state of the topic. I can spend two months or two years on a project or topic, and at the end, I know it well and have helped figure out a solution. 

I can use an engineering approach to help solve almost any question a client brings to me. Along the way, I get to work with and learn from super smart people who have loads of technical and professional experiences in a variety of disciplines. Not everyone I work with is an engineer, and not everyone is technical. I did not expect this when I first began working, but now it just makes sense for many of my projects. Multi-disciplinary team members, who have a variety of educational and technical backgrounds, bring different perspectives and approaches to solving problems and can work together. There is always something to learn and someone to learn from! 

Earlier in my career, I was assigned to a project that covered a topic area I was unfamiliar with, but I knew I had the science and engineering tools to acquaint myself. The project was fast-paced and allowed me to work with some of the most brilliant engineers I’ve ever met. After 1.5 years of hard work, my client asked me to develop and supervise the final test and evaluation steps for the new technologies. I was honored that my ability and willingness to learn were apparent to my well-respected colleagues, excited to have that recognized, and proud to see the project through to the end. 

Pay attention to the topics, people, classes, or technologies that are truly interesting to you. When you find those interesting things, ask questions, do some research, or try to get involved! Talk to your family, teachers, friends, and community members about your interests. Work hard and stay focused, and investigate every opportunity that comes your way.