Jimmy Qiu is a current Goodman MBA student who made the switch from Science to Business. He shares his thoughts about BioLinc, why he picked the Goodman MBA and his surprising other side of the brain.
You completed an undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology. Why did you decide to switch disciplines and earn your MBA?
The discipline switch was largely due to my recognition that the world of academia was often times too esoteric and not very pragmatic. I wanted to learn how to create value for society in a way that is both economically and environmentally sustainable. One practical way of doing this is to earn an MBA where I’ll be taught about all the different aspects of business operations.
We’ve heard that one of your biggest deciding factors for picking the Goodman MBA was being able to work with BioLinc. Why is having access to BioLinc so important to you?
BioLinc provides a place where like minded entrepreneurs can mingle and allow their creative ideas to stir together. More importantly, BioLinc can provide entrepreneurs with money to start their own business if the idea has high potential to create value for the region. I personally felt like BioLinc had significantly more incentive compared to other business incubators to mentor entrepreneurs because of Niagara region’s need for an economic renewal.
At the Goodman School of Business, we always talk about the importance of “commercializing research”. How would you explain the process of commercializing research to a layman?
Any business that has ever existed throughout the history of time has used some sort of method to create their service or product. This “method” needs to come from somewhere, either through experience or research institutions (i.e.: Brock University). At its core, commercializing research is the process of utilizing new knowledge and technology to create a product or service that society will be willing to pay for. Without the process of research commercialization, we would still be stuck using horses as transportation!
How do you see your career transforming after earning your MBA?
Over the past month of being at Goodman, I can already see the effect that some of the courses are having on me in terms of leadership development. I can definitely see my career transforming into a more managerial role where goal setting and leading by example becomes important. Additionally, earning an MBA at Goodman will allow me to step into an operations management role where I can combine my strong interest in mathematical modeling with my desire to create value for society.
What is your “other side of the brain?”
My “other side of the brain” is definitely making origami!
Origami, which is the art of paper folding, is so much fun and I love to create hand crafted book marks and cards for my friends. It’s so important to exercise that creative side of your brain because it allows you to be fluid in the way you handle difficult business situations. I enjoy the fact that many of my current projects are structured in order maximize creative solutions and minimize application of just one method. It’s something I never really got to experience in my undergrad studies!
