“I explore the movie industry's increasing use of big data to gain insights to influence product performance.”

I completed undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester, specializing in economics and mathematics. This gave me a solid background to pursue a PhD in Strategic Management.

In my dissertation, I explore the movie industry’s increasing use of big data to gain insights to influence product performance and explore why systematic differences persist between movie studio strategies.

I visited the University before deciding on my program—I was persuaded by the beautiful campus in the middle of downtown Toronto, the profiles of the faculty in my department, and the vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.

In the Strategic Management department, faculty members spend a lot of time advising and guiding PhD students. They are genuinely interested in our success; this is an invaluable part of the program.

The Business Information Centre (BIC) is a great resource for students at the Rotman School of Management. The librarians are extremely helpful and knowledgeable, even when it comes to data that is challenging to find.

I am excited to embark on the next step of my career. I plan to apply for academic positions. The academic job market is global so it helps that I have travelled to numerous conferences during my PhD, starting with the Trans-Atlantic Doctoral Conference in London, UK, in my third year, a great conference organized and run by PhD students. I have also attended conferences to present my work in Philadelphia, Palo Alto, Boston, New York, and New Haven. All these experiences strengthened my own research through the meetings and feedback I received, and they helped broaden my academic horizons.