The Early Career Professionals’ Network (ECPN) is a group designed to help recent graduates, soon to be graduates, or anyone newly entering the field of analytics/O.R. to build their professional networks and learn the practicalities of working in the field from experienced practitioners. The ECPN Workshop was created to reflect the fact that analytics work in the real world is challenging in ways that aren’t always taught in analytics and O.R. degree programs. The Workshop is held annually at the INFORMS Business Analytics Conference with a carefully selected cohort of attendees. Highlights from the program include how to land your first job, a panel of analytics executives giving perspective on their career and the marketplace, and a role-playing exercise working with “clients.”
All participants will receive a modest stipend to assist with travel and attendance costs. The actual amount will vary based on sponsorships but has in the past been as much as a few hundred dollars.
Eligibility:
- Participants must be enrolled in or have graduated from a graduate degree program in analytics, operations research, management science, or a related field.
- The event is geared to Master’s, Ph.D. students and recent graduates working in the analytics/OR field.
- Participants must be nominated by their university program/department or a representative from their employer.
- A department or employer may nominate multiple students or employees. When nominating multiple students or employees, the department or employer should indicate a rank-order preference of nominees in the event that total nominations exceed the event’s attendance limit.
- Please note that previous attendees of the IPC, ECC or ECPN are not eligible to attend
Nomination Deadline:
Friday, March 31, 2021 11:59pm EDT
Notification Date: April 1, 2021
Nomination Package: This should be completed and uploaded by the department chair, program director, or supervisor. Packages are due by midnight on Friday, March 31, 2021 and must include the following information in the format specified:
- Letter of recommendation from the department chair, program director, or supervisor.
- Statement of purpose from the nominee including description of career and research interests.
- Resume or CV.
- Nominee’s name, mailing address, email address and phone number.
- Other required information to include in the submission: nominee’s major field of study, expected degree (M.S., PhD, MBA, etc.), expected date of graduation, thesis/dissertation title (or area of concentration if nominee’s program does not require a thesis), and current employer and position.
- Estimate of financial aid requested.
Note: Award amounts will be determined after sponsorships have been confirmed. If this request is not included in the nomination package, no consideration will be given for financial aid.
Testimonials from Previous Attendees
The co-chairs of the ECPN event are Alan Briggs, CAP, (Concurrent Technologies Corporation) and Sophia Sullivan (Integra Credit).
For more information, email ecpn@mail.informs.org