| Sponsor a rising star. Travel costs are often a limiting factor for early-career attendees who want to attend the ECPN. If interested in supporting early-career professionals, visit https://tinyurl.com/supportECPN to make a micro (or macro!) donation, which exclusive goes directly to ECPN attendees. |
| Dr. Robin Lougee |
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| KnitWell Group |
The Early Career Professionals’ Network (ECPN) is designed to help new and soon-to-be analytics professionals accelerate their careers in industry, business and government. Created for aspiring practitioners by experienced leaders, the ECPN celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. At the heart of the ECPN program is a workshop held each year on the Sunday of the INFORMS Analytics+ Conference. The 2025 workshop took place on April 6th in Indianapolis, Indiana. We thank the co-chairs of the 2025 ECPN Committee, Heather Moe (Esri) and Qinglin Duan (Bayer Crop Science) for their leadership in organizing the event. The ECPN brings together select early-career professionals from across the country to learn, network and grow together. Attendees are nominated by their organization, university or other INFORMS sponsor, with typically no more than two attendees accepted from any one institution. More information on the application process is available on our website. We’re delighted to have four attendees from the 2025 ECPN cohort from Texas, Washington, Maryland and Missouri, share their candid perspectives.
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Tell us about yourself and your career goals.
Kareem: My name is Uthman Kareem. I recently completed my PhD in Industrial Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. I work in the intersection of operations research, data science, simulation and statistical modeling. My career goal is to continue to develop my expertise in these domains through industry exposure, consulting and part-time research activities.
Sharma: My name is Aashi Sharma. I’m honored to have been selected to attend the INFORMS Early Career Professionals’ Network (ECPN) Workshop at the 2025 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference in Indianapolis! I recently completed my master’s degree in Business Analytics at the University of Washington (UW), where I focused on applying data to solve business challenges. My career goal is to grow into a role that bridges analytics with strategy to drive meaningful impact.
Yang: I’m Jiaqi Yang. As a Master’s student in Business Analytics & Risk Management at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, my goal is always to be a communicative business analyst who can translate data into compelling narratives. INFORMS ECPN was the bridge between academic theory and a career in business analytics. When I was nominated by Professor Naser Nikandish and successfully enrolled for this program, I was thrilled.
Zhao: I’m Ziqi (April) Zhao, a graduate student in analytics, and I felt incredibly honored to join the ECPN Workshop. It was an ideal start to my first day at the INFORMS Analytics+ Conference. New to this community, I quickly felt welcome and eager to engage. In a fast-paced role-play, we got a fictional company background, interacted with “in-house” staff in different roles, and worked to uncover the real problem.
How did you learn about the ECPN Workshop, and what was your experience participating in it?
Kareem: I heard about the Early Career Professional Network (ECPN) through Professor Jay M. Rosenberger and Professor Victoria C.P. Chen who were my research supervisors. They sent the application link and advised me to apply. Therefore, I wasted no time in submitting it. The application process was very smooth. I was very happy to be selected among the cohort.
Sharma: I first learned about the Early Career Professionals’ Network (ECPN) from a UW alum of the same program, whose positive experience inspired me to apply. The process required a brief application and an endorsement from my professor. This was my first INFORMS conference and my first time traveling specifically for a professional development event. I expected to gain industry insights and expand my network, but I was pleasantly surprised by the openness of mentors and panelists. They shared not only their successes but also their challenges and career pivots, offering lessons that felt both practical and encouraging.
Yang: The thrill continued to the welcome dinner that allowed our cohort to bond in a relaxed setting before the official meeting. This foundational connection made it remarkably smooth to transition into the formal conference activities. As I was prepared for complex algorithms that could be discussed during ECPN workshops, I wasn’t expecting the vibrant, human-centric discussions around them. Through role-playing, speed mentoring and elevator speech practices (which can be fully used during the following conference days), seeing how talented professionals are pushing these boundaries toward more empathic and creative problem-solving was incredibly inspiring.
Zhao: This pushed me to focus on the big picture instead of tiny details—harder than it sounds! Speed mentoring and elevator pitch practice taught me that self-knowledge is key to connection. Still finding my place in analytics, I asked myself: What makes me unique? What do I have to offer? These sessions at the ECPN gave me confidence to answer honestly. Over the next two days at the Analytics+ conference, I attended sessions on predictive modeling, AI ethics, supply chain management and more. It was fascinating to see data-driven decisions solve real-world issues across industries, but the best part was the people—students and professionals alike, all curious, passionate and supportive.
What stood out to you the most at the Analytics+ Conference?
Kareem: I had attended the INFORMS Annual Meeting in October 2024 and a few other conferences before the 2025 Analytics+ conference. However, INFORMS Analytics+ was very unique. It was a rewarding experience and an environment filled with exposure as I got to witness different competitions like I had never seen before. One of the highlights was watching the presentations of the Franz Edelman Award finalists.
Sharma: What stood out most about the ECPN was the balance of structured sessions and informal networking. The workshops provided actionable takeaways on communication, leadership, and career planning, while the conversations in between sessions sparked authentic connections. One piece of advice that truly resonated with me was that “you are just one handshake away from a new opportunity.” I left Indianapolis with new ideas, lasting connections, and renewed confidence. The ECPN reminded me that while the early years of one’s career can feel uncertain, they are also full of possibilities waiting to be embraced.
Yang: As a first-time major professional conference attendee, to be honest, I initially felt the weight of imposter syndrome, but the supportive environment quickly set me affirmed. A changing moment came from my Launchpad 1:1 mentor, Mehdi, who told me, “You are qualified for the opportunities that are qualified for you.” This simple truth solidified my identity as a communicative analyst who understands her worth.
Any parting thoughts for prospective ECPN attendees?
Kareem: I felt proud to be an Industrial Engineer in the field of operations research and analytics watching the event. It was a different atmosphere than I had witnessed in any other conference. While my expectations were all about networking at the conference, the competition and knowledge shared at the ECPN are rare to come by. The ECPN facilitators took their time to strategically give us life-time professional lessons through a series of elevator speech practice, role-play exercise and feedback. In addition, the ECPN events were organized in an effective manner such that every participant interacted with one another. I almost missed the presentation part. It was another moment of learning from fellow students while the facilitators also advised on more effective approaches for problem solving and solution delivery. We were issued certificates of participation but beyond the certificate, I made new friends and professional mentors.
Yang: This journey wouldn’t have been the same without the distinctive experiences and affirmative support from the ECPN cohort. I am deeply grateful to the dedicated mentors, my brilliant peers, and the entire ECPN community for helping me discover my boundless potential. I left Indianapolis not only with cutting-edge knowledge about analytics, but also a renewed spirit for the future with full self-belief.
Zhao: I highly recommend INFORMS. If you love analytics, data science or operations research—student, early professional or curious—get involved. Thanks to every friend, mentor and kind stranger who supported me. I’ve made special connections and sincerely hope we stay in touch!
These four reflections highlight the unique value of ECPN in shaping careers, building confidence, and fostering a supportive professional community. We look forward to building on this success with next year’s ECPN.
If you are interested in attending the next ECPN, or know someone who could benefit from this unique opportunity, consider applying or nominating a candidate for the 2026 program. The 2026 ECPN will be held on Sunday, April 12, 2026 in conjunction with the 2026 Analytics+ at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, MD, https://meetings.informs.org/wordpress/analytics/.
The 2026 ECPN Organizing Committee Chair is Subbu Narayaswamy (Wells Fargo). For more information, email [email protected]forms.org.
Acknowledgements: We would like to thank Kara Combs for taking time to review this article. The header and footer images were provided by the author and the INFORMS Analytics+ 2025 photo album.