#WhitmanWatch: Yang Ye

Yang Ye of Syracuse University‘s Martin J. Whitman School of Management earned a B.A. in economics from the University of International Business and Economics and an M.S. in economics from Georgia Tech. However, while working on her M.S. degree, she realized that her interests lie more in management than economics.

“While economics researchers study how the economic environment changes, I found I am more interested in how firms are affected and behave during organizational decline—specifically how organizations improve performance through innovation,” said Ye.

With this realization, Whitman was a clear choice for Ye to continue her education.

“It is an ideal school for pursuing a Ph.D. in management,” she shared. “Members of the school’s distinguished faculty are leading scholars in the field, and they are supportive of Ph.D. students in their research efforts and career aspirations.”

She appreciates Whitman’s customized Ph.D. experience, specifically the independent study opportunities.

“I have worked closely with my advisor, Professor Natarajan Balasubramanian, to tailor my program to include independent study courses that suit my interests,” explained Ye. “This gives me freedom and motivation to work hard, and it better prepares me for future academic challenges.”

Ye feels that having the feedback and opinions of both peers and advisors strengthens her work.

“Once you come to Whitman, you do not learn or grow by yourself, you grow and learn together with the entire community,” said Ye.

One of Ye’s fondest experiences at Whitman was teaching an undergraduate strategic management course. She advised her students to bravely express their opinions in and out of the classroom.

“I want them to see their studies as more than gaining knowledge about a new field but more importantly as a time to develop their own critical thinking and analytical skills,” said Ye.

She hopes to take that approach to teaching to a faculty position at research-oriented university after graduating from Whitman.

This article first appeared in the Fall 2016 Whitman Magazine.