04 | Operations Research at Columbia University - with Shivani Dharmadhikary

Shivani Dharmadhikary |

Analyst, Cornerstone Research

Shivani Dharmadhikary graduated from the American Embassy School in Delhi and then majored in Operations Research at Columbia University. She currently works as an analyst at Cornerstone Research, where she does economic and legal consulting.

Arjun and Shivani discuss her unique major and the opportunities it presents, as well as the benefits of networking and reaching out to alumni. They also spend some time discussing the potential changes in education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Episode Takeaways

Early Days at Columbia

Shivani took time to adjust in her first year, but found her groove in the second semester, making friends through clubs and exploring NYC. She believes that Columbia was a great fit for her and she can’t imagine her life studying anywhere else.

Major

She went in expecting to study chemical engineering, but decided against it. She majored in operational research, a field where you use mathematical tools to optimise processes and analyse financial markets. It’s a very data driven subject, and falls under the engineering school at Columbia. It is extremely applicable to the fields of finance, math and data science.

Career at Cornerstone

She works in a niche industry, at the intersection of economic consulting and law. There is a temporary slowdown due to the lockdown right now, but she expects work to pick up soon, as the fall in the economy will lead to more legal action being taken in the financial sector.

Advice for Graduating Students

“Everything is temporary so don’t give up hope. It’s important to network and tell your story and to reach out to Alumni from your college. This makes a big difference. Applying for a job is similar to the college application process, you need to put your best foot forward.”

Mentors

She received a lot of help from a friend of hers in college who was also a year above her but in the same major. She stresses the importance of open communication with friends, as they are also a part of your network.  

College Application Process

Working with Edbrand helped her stay on track and finish her application ahead of time, without the last minute rush. She feels that Edbrand really helped her put her best foot forward, especially in terms of the brainstorming and essay writing process.

The Future of Education

Even though education and college life might be virtual for the next few months it’s important to help people stay connected even through small steps, such as video call over audio call.