Eryn
2022
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Why did you choose to do a PhD?
An insatiable thirst for knowledge, and true sense and art of living.
Why did you choose to do graduate education at NUS? If you received offers from other universities, why did you pick NUS?
The PhD programme of IORA at NUS introduces me to the world of independent research – a kind of intellectual masterpiece, created in close collaboration with my supervisors and co-authors. I am also encouraged to discover more new research opportunities due to the interdisciplinary nature of this programme. Research is often a solitary pursuit, while IORA creates a comfortable environment to support students in many ways, including collaborations with industry, weekly seminars as well as outdoor group activities.
Briefly share about your research or thesis (i.e. dissertation topic for Masters by Coursework students).
My research interests focus on understanding how the on-demand business model is re-shaping the management and sustainable operations of firms and service platforms, as well as how mathematical models and data can be applied to answer practical questions regarding the sustainability of platform operations. In my dissertation research, I aim to combine rigorous mathematical analysis with real data to alleviate operational challenges for on-demand service platforms. For example, my first work on dynamic order allocation in a hybrid workforce aims to balance the trade-off between the system’s profits and the platform’s grow dynamics. In my second work, using tools from operations and economics, I investigated properties of services that make on- demand platforms vulnerable or resistant to off-platform threats, and provided managerial levers that can be used to counter platform leakage. Besides, I have been involved in a sustainable management project for Upwork, a freelancing platform, in which I develop an optimization-based approach for recommendations to reduce recommendation inequality and help freelancers grow. I also work on a project in agricultural supply chains to understand the impact of e-intermediaries and develop insights into the structural drivers of farmers and supply chain profitability in emerging markets, based on the dataset from a flower delivery platform in China.
What impact do you hope to have with your research?
My work focuses on why platforms fail and how to help platforms reach their long-run sustainability. Via a close connection with industry and the use of real data in my analysis, my research aims to address real-world problems and make an impact in practice.
Share a challenge you faced in graduate school and how you overcame it.
COVID-19 🙁 I had to find methods to teach effectively online and only attend conferences online.