Meet Emily Dinh, MTM Class of 2024

Emily is originally from the Bay Area and received a BS in Psychological and Brain Sciences at UCSB prior to beginning the MTM graduate program. 

Q: Why did you want to join the MTM graduate program?

A: I wanted to be in the MTM program to expand my knowledge in the business and technology fields and get more exposure within these sectors. I have always been involved in management and leadership roles in the past, so I thought this program would help me hone my skills and learn the necessary concepts for succeeding in technology-driven organizations.

Q: What has been your favorite moment of the year?

A: My favorite moment of the year was our final presentation for our marketing class, where each group chose a brand and presented a suggestion for rebranding given what we had learned in the course. It was a really fun experience not only presenting our own project but seeing everyone’s creativity and engagement with the cohort.

Q: What is something you learned that you look forward to using in your next job?

A: I look forward to implementing the strategies I learned in regard to leading and managing teams, particularly in tech-driven companies. Knowing how to handle conflicts while fostering positive collaboration and encouraging productivity is incredibly important. 

Q: What is your favorite course and why?

A: My favorite course so far has been Professor Leonardi’s Digital Transformation course, because the course layout gives students the opportunity to complete assignments that intrigue them the most, and the content was extremely engaging and applicable to future occupations that I can see myself pursuing. The course gave me helpful insights about the digital age that we are currently facing, especially in the workplace. Professor Leonardi did a great job eliciting new ideas and considerations from us and getting us to think more critically about new and evolving concepts.

Q: What is your favorite part about going to graduate school in Santa Barbara?

A: I attended UCSB as an undergraduate directly before going into the MTM program, and my favorite part about continuing school in Santa Barbara is the beautiful campus and amazing atmosphere. Despite people coming from various backgrounds, everyone is so kind and welcoming. It is such a great community that I have been extremely lucky to have been a part of, and it has contributed to both my personal and professional growth.

Q: What is your field project, and what skills are you using to solve this business challenge?

A: My field project involves working with Deckers Brands, and our objective is to propose a solution that will reduce their current go-to-market (GTM) process. I am applying the course learnings from classes like Project Management, Digital Transformation, and Data Science in order to analyze their current GTM process and shorten their decision making. I took a closer look at how Deckers can use a RACI matrix to organize who is associated with each key milestone and see how they can shorten decision-making times and feedback loops.

Q: What job roles are you pursuing as you complete the MTM program?

A: My aspire to have a project management role where I can apply the skills and knowledge I have developed over the years, particularly through this program. My enjoyment of planning and managing projects has been enhanced by the learnings of the MTM program, and I feel even more equipped to enter this field.

Q: What is your favorite new technology?

A: My favorite new technology is GenAI, because it has proven to be very useful in generating new ideas that can really help companies enhance their productivity or automate tasks so that other tasks can receive more focus.

Q: What advice do you have for others who are considering joining the MTM graduate program?

A: Stay open-minded, because you have a lot of resources at hand and a lot of people willing to help you get through the program. This includes people from your cohort, but also the professors and career services team within the MTM program. This program is an experience you can learn from no matter what, and as long as you embrace the idea of your goals evolving, figuring out what you want to do and your next career step is something that is truly possible through this program. 

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilydinh16/

Learn more about MTM: https://tmp.ucsb.edu/academics/master-technology-management