Professional Overview

I have always been incurably curious about almost everything around me, most specifically about how and why people decide to learn something. Personally, for me, there are topics that have held my interest more than others and those that have been a struggle. Organic chemistry was one such struggle in high school. There were other subjects of study, however, on which I could spend hours upon hours and still want to keep going, economics, psychology, business, and so on. Early in my professional career, I got an opportunity to work as an instructor on a Ministry of Tourism program in New Delhi, India, that trained students from low-income backgrounds for various roles in the hospitality industry, and I was hooked. As I progressed through my professional career, I craved a deeper understanding of the psychology behind the learning process.

What prompts people to be interested in one thing and not another? What impacts this interest? These questions prompted me to enroll in an Educational Psychology, Master of Education Degree program at the University of Texas, Austin. Upon graduation, I continued working in corporate learning and had the opportunity to be involved in several technology-related projects, which prompted another question. Does the technology used in corporate learning have an impact beyond digital recordkeeping? What features in technology are helpful in engaging learners, and what do learners find hard to navigate? As I worked with teams developing and implementing various learning platforms across business scenarios, it further piqued my interest in the role technology plays in learning.

As a professional with over 2 decades of experience working in corporate learning across industry sectors and in various roles and having contributed to the development of learning platforms in firms such as Dell, IBM, and KPMG, I felt the need to delve further into the research into the impact of technology on learning and improve my understanding of the field. This brought me to the Doctoral program at the University of North Texas. As I continue to consult and work with various firms and start-ups in the world of learning and educational technology, I feel better equipped to advise my clients on various issues from a more research-based context.

My journey through the doctoral program has been one of discovery. I have forged some amazing relationships with colleagues and professors who have encouraged and challenged me. I have developed a better understanding of research and argument, which has made me a better consultant and advisor to my clients. Through this program, I have been able to view my years as a practitioner in learning technology and instructional design in a more logical and pragmatic view and have deepened my love and curiosity for all things related to learning. During my academic journey, I have actively participated in coursework and collaboration with colleagues. This opportunity has immersed me in compelling research endeavors encompassing both qualitative and quantitative studies. Moreover, my proficiency as a writer has seen significant enhancements, owing to the invaluable feedback and support received from professors and peers alike.

This academic pursuit has enabled me to streamline my diverse interests into distinct areas of expertise, particularly focusing on adult and corporate learning. As I reflect on this program, I am equipped with a myriad of skills essential for my ongoing development as a researcher and for their practical application in my professional journey ahead.

Research Interests

My research interest focuses on ways to improve the selection and use of technology in corporate learning environments. There are millions of dollars spent each year on technology with an aim to improve business outcomes. However, there is typically no scientific study on what impact learning technology has on the business bottom line and learner productivity in corporate learning environments. All the elements that I have studied in this program are encapsulated in the use of technology for learning, whether it is content development and delivery or use of technology to engage and track learning outcomes. In my research, I want to drive a better understanding of the use of technology and its impact on outcomes. It is my hope that this will drive a better cost-benefit analysis of learning technology and the use of established frameworks in the selection process.