David
Operations Research Analyst, Princeton Office
Education
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
M.Eng. in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering, 2006
B.S. in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering, 2005
Activities at Cornell: Optimization Teaching Assistant, Interfraternity Council Communications Vice President, Acacia Fraternity President, University Chorale Member
Memories of Cornell: My favorite class in college was CS 482: Introduction to Algorithms, which was taught by Jon Kleinberg. The reason I loved this class so much was because of the instructor. He was brilliant yet completely humble—you could ask a ridiculously silly question, and he would make you think you just invented the lightbulb.
Hometown
Newton, NJ
ZS Career Path
Operations Research Analyst Intern (Princeton office), 2005
Operations Research Analyst, 2006
On the work
"This summer, I worked on helping a pharmaceutical company improve the effectiveness of their sales force for a specific product through market research. We designed, fielded and analyzed a study designed to identify the drivers of doctor satisfaction and usage, which will be used to educate the company's sales force on tailoring their marketing message. I am currently working on a project to quantify the effect of hospital sales on retail sales for a product, to help a client determine whether a hospital price increase will justify its losses in the retail sector."
On ZS Values
Do The Right Thing: "I was once working late on a project, and I asked an associate down the hall if they were busy and if they could help me. They stopped what they were doing and worked with me for a half-an-hour to get what I needed working. Later that night, I was on my way out after finishing my project and noticed that the associate who had helped me was still there himself. Even though he was busier than I was, he stopped what he was doing to help me. That selfless team spirit is a core ZS value that I work every day to emulate."
On life outside work
"In my spare time, I take karate lessons and am a facilitator for a church youth group. I also enjoy playing tennis and golf, going canoeing in the summers, and throwing around a football when the temperature is in the fifties. I also like reading about current events and history books—right now I am working on a Lincoln biography."
On the Princeton office
"Princeton is located in a beautiful area of New Jersey. Being a college town, it has many things to offer to young people. Almost any type of outdoor recreation is readily available on or around the Princeton campus. Additionally, Princeton is only a short train ride away from New York and Philadelphia, so the cities are always a fun option. The office also has a lot of young employees, so it is a great place to meet people."