December 1, 2013
As an Industrial Engineering student at the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, China, Mengxi Lu focused on mastering the technical skills he knew he would need in the workforce. Upon graduating and starting a small business with a friend to help non-profits in China, he realized that while his technical skill set was sound, he really needed (and wanted) a stronger business background in order to transform his technical ideas into sound business plans. A little research led him to realize that a Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degree was exactly what he needed – a bridge between his technical base and the soft, business skills he needed in order to reach his career goals.
After graduating from Duke’s MEM in 2011, Mengxi Lu is currently a Senior Media Solutions Analyst at comScore in the DC area. In his role, Mengxi Lu researches the way people interact with search engines. For example, he may analyze the rate at which people do or do not click on a sponsored ad that pops up on the side of an internet search. He will then share that information with the company that has hired comScore to provide them with market research which informs their future marketing approaches.
When asked how MEM helped prepare him for his role with comScore, Mengxi Lu had lots to say. “I learned all of the technical stuff in undergrad, but what MEM offered me was insight into the bigger picture – how I can leverage these data and technical skills in a way that leads to better solutions.” Mengxi Lu also appreciated the networking opportunities he had while in MEM. “MEM taught me how to network. In my job I have to talk to different kinds of teams all the time. Because I was able to talk to people from tons of different industries while I was in MEM, I am able to do that comfortably now.” Additionally, Mengxi Lu felt that his practicum experience afforded him a great opportunity to work on a team with people from all kinds of backgrounds – something he does regularly in his job.
Mengxi Lu is an excellent example of an MEM student who took full advantage of everything MEM and Duke had to offer. Through his coursework, connections with people from various backgrounds, and focus on building strong communication skills, Mengxi Lu prepared himself for the job search process and for his current role as research analyst.
Mengxi Lu
MEM Class of 2011
BSE Industrial Engineering, South China University of Technology