Together@TMI
Diversity and Inclusion
Together@TMI reflects the commitment of the department of Technology Management and Innovation to diversity and inclusion. It emerged from the collaborative work of a committee of students, staff and faculty who came together in Fall 2021 to brainstorm and develop a strategic vision as well as concrete actions to nurture TMI commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive learning community.
Department Statement on Diversity and Inclusion
The mission of the TMI department is to develop principled global leaders who will aim to create sustainable and meaningful innovations and make a positive impact on the world. We acknowledge that this can only be accomplished by cultivating a community rich in diversity of thought, identity, and experience.
Our scholarship, teaching, mentoring and engagement will be informed by our support of societal pluralism, and we hold ourselves accountable for treating all individuals with respect, regardless of race, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or socio-economic background.
Diversity is essential to teams and organizations, and the concept encompasses diversity of identity, thought, experience, and perspective. It is at the core of our community, which we consider a space where everyone — students, staff members, and faculty — feels a sense of belonging and inclusion and knows they have a valuable contribution to make.
Our classrooms will be a safe space for exchange and dialogue across cultural, socio-economical, disciplinary, and individual boundaries, and the same will apply beyond the classroom, in extracurricular activities, clubs, or informal conversations.
As a department at the intersection of technology, management, and innovation within an engineering school, we have a unique opportunity to make a broad impact on the development of ethical technology, as well as on social and economic equity. By encouraging research and teaching that focuses on ethical technology and socially and economically sustainable management, we can cultivate business practices and tools that promote social, economic, and environmental justice.
We recognize that this statement is aspirational and that we are a work in progress, both as individuals and as a department.
Stories
Share Your Story of Inclusion and Community @ NYU TMI
TMI fosters a community of diverse identities, thoughts, experiences, and perspectives. Please join us as we reflect on and celebrate the impact that this has on us individually and as a broader collective.
If you would like to share your story, please write to tmi@nyu.edu and we will let you know how to make your submission.
Story Submissions
"As an international student, family is a word that so far away. I don't talk about difficulties to my family members; I concern that they will get worried about me. Looking for a job is a number game, filled with constant emotional highs and lows. Karine is the associate dean of career service. During the career consultant appointment, she always gives great suggestions and encourages me to keep applying. Finding a career is closely linked to identity, so I feel like searching for a job is like searching for a piece of myself. Until that piece is in place, I feel unsettled and incomplete. After applying for over 200 positions and didn't get any interview invitation. One day, this feeling of incompleteness went up to the peak. I felt utterly lost. That day I happen to have an appointment with Karine. While I was telling her my progress, as usual, I felt my throat closing up, and tears couldn't help welling up in my eyes. She said, wait for me for a second, then she showed me:(Insert the screenshot) Looking at the hand-draw encouraging words and smiling face, I got so moved and started to tear, but with a smile and a warmed-up heart. "I will always be here when you need me." I feel so grateful and lucky in the NYU big family. Together@TMI."
- Angela Peng, MOT Class of 2021
"My experience at TMI has been one of immense involvement and growth. The diverse student body helps one to learn from work experiences of peers from different parts of the world, expand cultural horizons and consequently leads to a stronger understanding of the contents of the course with insightful discussions. The variety of students who are all at different timelines in their careers helps one to learn from more experienced peers and also have a chance to show one new tools and advancements in the field. The departmental organisations like INFORMS-NYU Chapter, IISE and TechSHRM constantly work in collaboration with diverse groups to cater to the student interests and provide external resources for students. My work as a student and a active member of the TMI department has lead to pivotal changes in my career and knowledge on the Industry. I aim to take this knowledge to the field to solve business and operational problems."
- Saad Tariq, IE Class of 2021
"Here’s to my class of 2021: All of us are floating through the rough waves of life right now 🌊 Don’t lose hope, we’ve got this and we are gonna come out stronger💪🏻"
- Sowdamini Pogaru, MOT Class of 2021
Committee Members
We are currently recruiting student participants for the 2024 - 2025 Academic Year. If you are a TMI student and would like to participate, please submit your interest through this form: Together@TMI
Student Committee Members
Noelle Cordell-Skillman
Major: Business Technology and Management, BS
What Together@TMI means to you: To support initiatives that promote dialogue and collaboration across diverse backgrounds to foster a sense of belonging.
Favorite Spot Around Campus: AvaBrew by Oren's Coffee.
Rupa Maitreyi Akkiraju
Major: Management of Technology, MS
What Together @TMI means to you: A way of giving back to the community by fostering a culture of mutual respect, belonging, and collective growth.
Favorite Spot Around Campus: Pebble Beach!
Vishnu Samudrala
Major: Industrial Engineering, MS
What Together @TMI means to you: It represents a vibrant and inclusive community where diversity of thought, identity, and experience is not only celebrated but essential for driving meaningful innovation. It is a space where everyone, regardless of their background, feels a sense of belonging and is empowered to contribute toward creating ethical technology and sustainable solutions that positively impact society. Through collaboration, dialogue, and mutual respect, Together @TMI fosters the growth of principled global leaders committed to social, economic, and environmental justice.
Favorite Spot Around Campus: The Gaming Center at 370 Jay st, where i am often playing a lot of video games.
Past Students
Ayanna Seals
Ayanna Seals is a Ph.D. candidate who is passionate about creating technology solutions within the fields of health, wellness, and civic technology.
Ajinkya Shinde
Ajinkya Shinde is the President of NYU IISE Student Chapter and Vice-President of Programming in the Graduate Student council. He is a second-year Industrial Engineering graduate student at NYU Tandon School of Engineering with an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. Born and raised in India, he has completed internship in Mercedes Benz India and also has worked as a Production Planning Specialist in his families manufacturing business. Ajinkya is passionate about design, manufacturing, and project management field. He also has an interest in supply chain and logistics industry. In his free time, he likes to play soccer and has recently developed a hobby of cooking after moving to New York.
Angela Peng
Angela (Jie) Peng is a second-year graduate student in the Management of Technology program. Her passion is to bridge the gap between technology and the people who use them - to design business solutions that understand the people they serve. A firm believer in the nurturing power of human connection, Angela is always looking for ways to strengthen the community, wherever she finds herself. She enjoys a wide variety of music, a wide variety of herbal tea. Living in the culinary heaven that is New York City, Angela is often on the hunt for the next great food adventure.
Elisabeth Aka
Graduate Student at NYU Tandon (Industrial Engineering). She is passionate about Project Management, Technology, and Manufacturin
Azel Conway
Azel Conway is a senior in Business Technology Management at Tandon with a passion for IT and Audio Engineering, planning to produce his own big projects ranging from Radio & TV to Animation and Fantasy. He currently runs two podcasts, one on WNYU called No Puzzle, No Pieces and another on independently known as The Wave. He loves laughing, eating and playing bass as well as a good challenge every now and again.
Arnab Gogoi
Arnab Gogoi is a graduate student in the Management of Technology program, with an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering. He is a Product Manager looking to take his product capabilities to the next level with his degree at the TMI department by learning to question solutions we use today, and envisioning the next best product to develop. In his free time he likes to sing covers and listen to music, and also spends time with his friends streaming the games he plays. If his Product Management career doesn’t pan out, he hopes his content creation career will!