For the past two months, Anuj Tyagi has been logging more than 70 hours of work each week—and he couldn’t be happier.
By day, Anuj works for a large investment company based in the United Arab Emirates, developing new businesses and investment opportunities in the energy sector. Since September, he has dedicated the rest of his waking hours to the Executive Master of Science in Technology Management program at the Columbia School of Professional Studies.
“The experience so far has been incredible—it’s even more intense than what I was expecting,” he said. “The amount of course material is inexhaustible. And there are a number of additional recommended books, so I try to read as much as possible.”
Before I could begin to transform the industry, I had to transform myself.
— Anuj Tyagi, '21SPS, Executive M.S. in Technology Management
An engineer by training who began his career in operations, Anuj went on to earn a graduate business degree before transitioning to the energy industry. Inspired by the industry-wide trend toward intelligent, cleaner, more efficient operations through the use of AI, advanced analytics and autonomization, he sought opportunities to develop new technology-driven initiatives while immersing himself in self-guided learning.
“Before I could begin to transform the industry, I had to transform myself,” he said. “I recognized that there was a need to expand some of my professional competencies in managing the change. It was less about the technology itself—it was about the people who could combine business and technology management skills to drive those changes to re-invent organizations.”
He looked for executive graduate programs that were global in scope and geared to his level of seniority and decided that Columbia was the perfect fit. The intensive week-long residency at the start of the term affirmed that decision, setting the tone for what has been a thoroughly engaging and challenging experience.
“The faculty is top-notch, of course, but the industry practitioners that the university invites to talk to us and teach us are also exceptional,” said Anuj, recalling his amazement at participating in a video session with the “legendary former IBM executive” Nick Donofrio.
“The program is very well set up for distance learning,” he continued, “because you actually have professors present on the other side of the screen, taking our questions and teaching us in a manner that is as in-person as possible.”
Anuj has particularly enjoyed the camaraderie among the diverse students in his cohort, who have reconvened throughout the week to continue conversations from class. The intellectual rigor is inspiring, he added, recalling an especially memorable remark by Dr. Arthur M. Langer, Ed.D., the Academic Director of the program.
Dr. Langer told us, ‘At Columbia, we don’t tell you how to get the right answer. We teach you how to present the right argument to get to the right question and then to find the right solution.’ That really resonated with me.
— Anuj Tyagi, '21SPS, Executive M.S. in Technology Management
“Dr. Langer told us, ‘At Columbia, we don’t tell you how to get the right answer. We teach you how to present the right argument to get to the right question and then to find the right solution,’” Anuj said. “That really resonated with me.”
Now that he has been matched with his mentor, a seasoned global technology leader, Anuj is excited to develop his Capstone project over the coming year and put his learnings into practice.
“I want to develop the next generation of technology and data-driven businesses that are more ‘bionic’ in nature,” he said. “By that, I mean putting human capabilities and new technologies together to enable an organization to work in a seamless, efficient, and resilient manner.”
Learn more about the Executive Master of Science in Technology Management.
