Archive for September, 2010

This past summer 12 Thunderbird students obtained international internships through the University of Arizona/Conacyt Annual Technology Transfer Program. The following post is from Mike Hathaway, MS ‘10

Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT) has mandated that its research centers engage industry through technology transfer initiatives. That sounds simple enough, but with a closer look, we see that this objective is fraught with challenges. Among these challenges is one major organizational incongruity: How can an entrenched, policy-driven government bureaucracy act flexibly enough to achieve commercial success in its IP licensing and venture incubation activities?

The solution comes by facilitating relationships. INAOE is unique among the CONACyT centers in that it employs a full-time, dedicated technology transfer coordinator, Ms. Teresa de Leon, who has both an MBA and a master’s degree in technology transfer.

However, Teresa’s position and decision-making power would mean nothing if she didn’t have strong professional relationships with the people affected by technology transfer. Teresa served as a hub for INAOE researchers and administrators, sharing information and ideas between departments which had interests that were often divergent. In addition to acting as an information hub within the institute, Teresa serves as the public face of INAOE technology transfer initiatives, inviting feedback from lawyers, business leaders, government officials, and university administrators from outside the institution. Her extensive network of professional relationships means that within two phone calls, she can find the perfect person to advise INAOE on any given project, or to carry the project to the next level.

We were lucky to have Teresa’s support during the ATTP internship program. Problems that seemed impossible to solve were taken care of within minutes with her help. In all honesty, she wouldn’t have had any need for our help if only she had 280 extra hours in the week to manage these initiatives on her own! She always knew who the right person to contact was, and helped us to build relationships with the scientists whose projects we investigated. Teresa’s penchant for building and maintaining strong relationships made a big impression on me, and seeing how this talent contributed to INAOE’s success has inspired me to really value the people at the ‘hub’ in any organization.

Teresa serves as proof that the ‘transfering’ part of technology transfer is really just another way of saying ‘relationships’; technology has to be transferred from one party to another, or else it would simply be ‘technology obsolescing on a laboratory shelf’. By having a strong rapport among key players, both inside INAOE and outside, Teresa de Leon is able to make the introductions and manage the relationships that allow the institute’s technology to be cultivated and transferred for commercial success.

(Photo: The ATTP 2010 INAOE team comprised of Eric Ams, Syed Huda, Sonia Salam, Varun Voora, Jorge Cozarelly, Mike Hathaway, Cole Shaw and Teresa de Leon.)

By Kate Robertson ’10, full-time MBA student

Brazil is a huge country. So which areas does the “Sustainable Business in Practice” winterim cover? Take a look at this Google Map to see the two-week journey we take as participants with Thunderbird Professor John Zerio, Ph.D. The Winterim course covers a lot of ground, but there remains more to be seen. (No complaints there. I’m always looking for an excellent excuse to head back to Brazil!)

(A) Sao Paulo
(B) Jacarei, Sao Paulo
(C) Eden, Sorocaba, Sao Paulo
(D) Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo
(E) Sertaozinho, Sao Paulo
(F) Piracicaba, Sao Paulo
(G) Itapecerica da Serra, Sao Paulo
(H) Rio de Janeiro – an “extended stay” in Brazil or return to United States!

By Kelly Fuson, MBA Global Management ‘11

With so many new students on campus, many of them have been asking for my advice about whether they should buy a Mac or a PC for their graduate school experience. Here’s my final vote: since returning to Glendale, I have been using my PC full-time and have not missed using the Macbook Pro that I used during my internship. Therefore, I’m still a PC’er at heart.

That’s not to say that a Mac doesn’t have good qualities, but unlike the saying, “distance makes the heart grow fonder,” my fondness for the Macbook Pro has not grown since leaving Colorado. There are so many adjustments that people must make when leaving the working world and adjusting to life as a full-time student that if you aren’t already familiar with how to use a Mac I don’t suggest making the transition now. It is a learning experience that takes time and commitment, qualities that new students simply can’t afford on top of the myriad of other priorities. On the other hand, perhaps a Mac would make a good graduation present…?

My fondness for my internship has grown, however, and has actually made my adjustment back to school life a very easy one. Working “8-5″ has prepared me for somehow cramming in all of the responsibilities that I have taken on this year, including my positions as a Peer Career Advisor, Career Development Chair for the Thunderbird Marketing Association, and Company Visits Team Leader for the Fall Marketing Trek to New York City.

My internship was also a good reminder that the reason I am here at Thunderbird is to accelerate my career and be thrown back into the working world. I am now savoring every moment that I have with my amazing classmates and insightful professors, knowing that this experience is only temporary. Just like I said to my classmates on the train in Prague, this experience is going to be over before we know it. We may have nine months to go, but don’t close your eyes or else you’ll miss it.

Three hundred international masters students, 111 degrees on a blazing Friday afternoon, and dodgeball. This was the setting for the closing event of Foundations Week for new students fondly known as ThunderOlympics.

“Athletic competition is an important experience and relevant to MBA’s,” said Jennifer Lin, 25, a Dual-MBA student from Taiwan.

The students, split into cohorts of 10-15 people for the week, ended their initiation to Thunderbird with dodgeball, a dramatic obstacle course including a ride on a tricycle, piggy-back rides and cheer-offs in the sweltering September heat.

“We had to plan before the game starts to be successful here today,” said Bo Lin, 32, an Accelerated MBA student from China. “In school we have to plan to coordinate and educate.”

The day ended with an awards ceremony, hamburgers and hot dogs, and drinks all-around. What will they take with them to class?

“We had to really focus on teamwork and school is about being a leader, or learning to follow when you need to,” said Ching-Wen Wang, 29, an Accelerated MBA student from Taiwan. “We strategize and get our priorities right here today, and we will do the same next week in class.”

The ThunderOlympics is a long-standing tradition new students participate in and caps their first week of orientation, lectures and campus events. Returning students volunteer as cohort leaders and lend advice from the time at Thunderbird they already have under their belt.

“ThunderOlympics is a great bonding activity for the incoming class and a fantastic way to close the week of Foundations,” said Audrey Dorfman, MBA ’11, a Foundations leader.

“After a long week of lectures and programs the incoming students really enjoy the opportunity to let loose and play some games. It’s a great way to introduce them to the Thunderbird experience which emphasizes unity, hard work, and fun.”

Check out more photos of the ThunderOlympics on FlickR.

–Claire Ford

This summer 12 Thunderbird students obtained international internships through the University of Arizona/Conacyt Annual Technology Transfer Program. The following post is from Marcelo Nieto, Full-Time MBA.

Every plan and every idea in planning has to be executed with the framework of a project management mindset. The major factor for success at an internship at CONACyT is the skills that only a project management class can provide. Even though I am marketing focused, I became aware of the need to at least take a class on project management and I have never been so grateful for the lessons I learned in Professor Karen Brown’s project management class.

The beginning of the internship required careful investigation of potential technologies at the research center, but once the technologies have been acquired the team is flying solo. This is when leadership through internal discipline and adaptation to the working environment really begins to show in everyone. Because of past team experience I understand that organization can fracture a team. Now I was in a team with other MBA’s and I was uncertain what their mindset would be.

The critical path is universal. Getting all the tasks written down on little sticky notes and color coding them really helped inventory what needed to be done. I know it sounds very basic, but it helps to visualize things in small manageable bits of information so that overload is not an issue.

Not only did the team feel comfortable identifying where the bottle necks were, but we were prepared to deal with them on schedule. I could feel an air of relief in everyone when we moved through the critical path of the project and finally had accomplished all the major steps for final delivery even a few hours ahead of schedule.

I can still remember the feeling of having four technologies and no plan of attack for completing all the reports and presentation on time, only through project planning were we able to accomplish our goal.

By Kate Robertson ’10, full-time MBA student

Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, the not-for-profit Conservation International empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity and for the well-being of humanity. Watch Conservation International’s short video, narrated by Ana Paula Araujo, Brazilian model and advocate for the Amazon rainforest. Ana discusses the important role that the Amazon has played in her life and the need to preserve the region.

If you happen to be in Brazil, stop by the Conservation International offices in Belo Horizonte (wouldn’t that be nice, a quick trip to Brazil?)! But first, take a peak at the organization’s website: www.conservation.org to read about country-specific projects.

If you are lucky to participate in the Brazil Winterim, “Sustainable Business in Practice,” you will be exposed to additional initiatives that are under way throughout Brazil in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

Guest Post by Raj Arumugam, Spring 2010 MBA in Management Consulting and Strategy

The 2^nd Annual Asia MBA conference was held in New York under the banner CONNECT, ENGAGE and INSPIRE. The conference draws its inspiration from National Black MBA and National Society of Hispanic MBA conferences which have been successfully staged for many years. The conference a brain child of an Asian immigrant Jino Ahn has taken off after the first year and this year saw the birth of National Association of Asian MBA’s. The objective of the organizers is to help Asian Leaders Rise To New Heights.

This year’s conference opened with a reception at Asia Society. The founders laid out the vision for the next five years and the keynote address was delivered by Anju Bhargava, Member, President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith Based Initiatives & Neighborhood Partnerships and a Bank of America Executive. Ms. Bhargava tied her address to the conference theme and also explained her work with the various administrations she has been involved with so far. She recanted her journey from when she arrived in the country thirty years ago as a new immigrant, a rising star, and a parent. The evening concluded with ample opportunities for networking with recruiters from companies such as Target, Dell, and notable Asian American personalities from all over the country.
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