Shally Deng (Ph.D ’16) says achieving her Doctorate of Philosophy in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Project Management was about more than just expanding her knowledge base. “It changed my way of thinking and learning,” she said. “All the experiences I had in my courses guided me to learn new methodologies and explore new areas.”

Today, Shally is an Applied Scientist at Amazon. “I collaborate with software engineers, project managers and program managers to develop machine learning models for products and features,” she stated. “The way the UMD program taught me to think and learn has really helped me deal with new challenges in my current position.”

In her job at Amazon, Shally is working in transportation and technology—a change from her previous work in construction. She stated, “Although the projects I worked on are very different, all the basic rules to deliver a successful project that I learned from my Ph.D. program are the same.”

The process of diving deep and understanding the philosophy behind the scenes is what attracted Shally to earning her doctorate. “Having a Ph.D. in Project Management has enabled me to explore different opportunities in my field,” she said. “I’m not limited to construction. With this degree, I can explore the larger field of engineering and science.”

The hardest part of her doctoral program, she remembers, is finding a good research topic. There were many people who helped her as she was working toward her degree.  “If I had to choose one though, Dr. Gregory Baecher would be the person I could never thank enough, she said.  “He was my doctoral advisor and I was lucky to have the opportunity to work with him. His insights and suggestions always guided and encouraged me to be a good researcher, not just in school but also in my career.”

“I would say that no matter what your background is, as long as you would like to grow and keep learning in your career and in your life, the project management program at UMD will help create a foundation and can fit your special needs.”

Shally liked all the aspects of the UMD project management program. “The professors were all knowledgeable and helpful,” she said. “There was flexibility in the courses I chose, and I also got the chance to meet interesting graduate school peers and make new friends.”

For anyone considering whether investing the time and energy into an advanced degree in project management is worth it, Shally believes her degree has proven to be highly beneficial to her career. “I would say that no matter what your background is, as long as you would like to grow and keep learning in your career and in your life, the project management program at UMD will help create a foundation and can fit your special needs.”

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Earn your competitive advantage just like Shally Deng and many other UMD graduates. Apply for a Master of Science in Civil Engineering with a Major in Project Management, a Doctorate of Philosophy in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Project Management or a Master of Engineering in Project Management (MEng) today.