It’s pronounced ‘Nucular’

Actually, no it isn’t, but if that’s how Homer Simpson wants to say it then it’s okay by me. 

One of the awesome things about LGO is you get to learn about all of the important business stuff from leading big brain business people, but you also get to learn about technical stuff from leading big brain technical people.  No other business school shares a campus with the best engineering school in the world.

One of my classmates (and summer team member) Natallia organized a tour of the MIT nuclear research reactor yesterday and it was pretty amazing.  A group of about 13 of us spent three hours with Ed Lau, the Superintendent of Reactor Operations, who was kind enough to answer all of our questions and show us how the facility works.  We got to see the control room, the process they use to remove spent fuel from the reactor, their medical research setup and a bunch of other stuff. 

I was intrigued by a form of cancer research established as a joint program between MIT and Harvard.  From the website explaining how the process works:

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a binary form of cancer therapy which uses a boron-containing compound that preferentially concentrates in tumor sites. The tumor site is then irradiated by a neutron beam. The neutrons in the beam interact with the boron in the tumor to cause the boron atom to split into an alpha particle and lithium nucleus. Both of these particles have a very short range (about one cellular diameter) and cause significant damage to the cell in which it is contained. In this way, damage is done to the tumor cell, while largely sparing healthy tissue.

Seemed pretty amazing and then they showed us their diagram of how the reactor and the patient interact:

I could just imagine sitting in a room with a doctor as he (or she) explained to me that they were going to aim a nuclear reactor at my head.

Walking home it made me realize how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to participate in LGO.  I can’t think of another place in the world with so many innovative thinkers, cutting edge facilities, and interesting visitors.  I really do learn something new everyday. 

Fall semester home stretch

Word on the LGO street is that the first two semesters (summer, fall) of the program are the most difficult.  My opinion won’t count until I’ve actually made it through all the semesters so I’ll reserve judgment for now.  I’ve been a pretty crappy blogger for the past few months but in an attempt to redeem myself here’s an overview of what fall has been like for me:

Classes

MBA Core – All LGOs take these classes with Sloan students to give us the foundation for the rest of our MBA degree.  Core includes Economics, Accounting, Communication for Managers, and Organizational Processes.  This is a great introduction to a broad range of topics.  As my Economics professor put it “We’re going to cover three courses of material in the next six lectures so come to class on time.” 

Sloan Electives – As the name implies, this is the elective part of my MBA coursework.  After the MBA core you can take just about anything else you want in the business school to fulfill your degree requirements.  I haven’t counted them but I believe there are over 150 electives to choose from.  I’m taking Finance Theory  this fall as my only business elective, but my next two semesters will be all electives for MBA classes.

Engineering – I’m taking two engineering classes this semester which will leave me with only two more to take to complete my requirements.  Logistic Systems is a class that covers a number of topics that were briefly discussed in the summer Operations Management course but in much more detail.  Integrating the Lean Enterprise covers examples of  companies that have reshaped themselves in order to transition to a lean organization and a methodology to apply the concepts to other firms.  

Other – A fun thing about MIT is when you reach the credit limit (and you will) in a single semester you can audit classes as long as the class isn’t at capacity.  This means you attend lectures and in some cases do coursework but don’t receive a grade.  I am auditing two speaking series: Professional Seminar which is a series of industry leaders, generally from partner companies, who come to campus to speak to the LGO class and Leadership and Ethics taught by two long time supporters of LGO who were in executive roles before retirement. 

The last few weeks of the semester are pretty full with major team projects due in most classes and preparation for finals.  On the bright side, winter break at MIT is incredibly long.  My last exam is December 16th and I don’t start spring classes until February 2nd!  With that much time off I might remember how to play video games.

The application process

Some (or many) of you are reading this looking for advice on applying to the LGO program.  At this time last year I was checking the 2010 and 2009 blogs for the same reason.  Here are some thoughts that will hopefully help:

• Have a plan - Read the website and make sure you create a timeline that allows you to get everything (essays, recommendations, cover letter, resume, GMAT or GRE test) done in time for the December 12th deadline.
• Get some help – I relied on friends and family to review my essays and resume to make sure my ideas were clear and concise.  I think I rewrote one of my essays at least six times, but the final draft was much better than what I started with.  It helped to have people with no experience in the type of work I did look at my materials so I didn’t get too technical or specific.
• Play to your strengths – Make sure you understand why you think you’re a good fit for the LGO program and state it in your application materials.  I knew I wasn’t as strong academically as some others who would be applying last year but I felt I had a lot of relevant leadership experience.  I was candid about both points in my application essays and my interview.
• Get as much information as you can – There are a lot of places to get your questions answered.  Feel free to email me, or any of the other student bloggers.  There is still time to visit campus before the application deadline to visit a class, meet faculty, hang out with students and check out Boston.

Above all else don’t stress out about the process and best of luck if you decide to apply. 

Iceland was awesome

 

We had a blast on our trip to Iceland.  It was a quick four days but we accomplished a lot.  A group of about 40 flew out on Thursday night right after class and came back on Monday evening just in time to study for midterms this week.  We got to visit the central bank to learn about Iceland’s economy and we toured a geothermal power plant.

Here are my highlights of the trip:

Visiting Iceland’s natural wonders

Checking out the city of Reykjavik

And having fun with friends

If you want to see more pictures here is my Iceland album on picasa.

Sloan Treks, or, I’m going to Iceland

One of the cool “extra” parts of going back to college (especially at Sloan) is the opportunity to travel.  Throughout the year different groups organize treks to various parts of the world.  Most of these trips line up with long weekends or vacations.  They generally have a purpose like making connections for a job after school, learning about an industry, exposure to a new culture, or just to visit somewhere you’ve never been.

Some of the treks are organized by LGO, like the domestic plant trek in January and the international plant trek in March, while others are organized by Sloan students but are open to LGOs.  Sloan treks scheduled for this year include trips to LA to meet with media companies, New York City and London for finance and banking, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and others, literally anywhere you could think to go.

I’m leaving tonight to go to Iceland on my first Sloan trek.  A group of about 40 of us are taking advantage of the long Columbus weekend and spending 4 days snowmobiling, visiting the Icelandic National Bank, and checking out other cool stuff.  I’ll have pictures and stories to share when I get back.

Finding a place to live….. again

Like most other people who moved to Boston for LGO Kerin and I spent a frantic weekend back in April looking for somewhere to live for at least one and possibly two years during the program.  After looking at about seven places in different neighborhoods we found one we liked and made arrangements to move in on June 1st.  We’ve been here three months and were starting to get comfortable when we found out that our landlord is selling the property to someone who wants to turn the building into condos.  This means we have to move…again.

On the bright side we have more time to figure out what we want.  In case you’re ever in a similar situation here’s our general thoughts on areas to live while attending MIT:

In our situation (married, no kids, dog, Kerin working in downtown Boston) it makes sense for us to stay on the red line.  There are also other possibilities using buses or driving in and out of the city, but the subway line is very convenient and makes it possible not to bring a car to the city.  There are very distinct neighborhoods around each subway stop with different average rent prices, night life, and general feel.

Sorted starting furthest from MIT

Alewife – This stop is right at the edge of the Cambridge city limits and includes a fairly large parking garage for commuters.  It is possible to walk to this stop from certain parts of Arlington.  There isn’t too much in terms of nightlife around Alewife, but there are some nice parks and recreational sites.  It is possible to find a decent sized (2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1000 sqft) apartment for around $1600 here.  Commuting time from Alewife to MIT is about twenty minutes on the train plus the walk to the station on each side. 

Davis – The Davis T stop is in the city of Somerville.  It’s a pretty cool area near Tufts University with bars, restaurants, a movie theater and other night life.  There are about five LGOs living in Davis from the 2011 class.  It would be easy to find a 2 bed, 1 bath, 1000 sqft apartment in Davis with a parking spot for between $1600 - $1800.  Davis is also a good option if someone in the family will need to commute out of the city for work as you can get to both 93 route 2 quickly.  The subway ride from Davis to MIT is about 15 to 17 minutes.

Porter – There is less nightlife in Porter than Davis, but Porter has a little bit more of a family neighborhood feel.  There are a lot of parks in the area especially to the west of the subway stop.  A handful of bars and restaurants on Mass Ave near the main square are good but can also get old.  Porter has a couple of great advantages over other neighborhoods, a good supermarket right next to the subway station and when it gets boring it’s only a 12 minute walk to Davis Square and a 20 minute walk to Harvard Square.  A comparable sized apartment in Porter will run about $1700 - $1900 and it’s a 12 minute subway ride to campus. 

Harvard – Harvard is an interesting place.  It’s one of the more famous spots in Boston and as such is normally packed with tourists.  There are some cool bars, restaurants, and shops but you’ll also pay a premium to live in the area and parking will cost extra.  A 2 bed, 1 bath, 700 sqft apartment in Harvard will start at about $2000 and a parking spot could be another $150 per month.  Unless you’re planning to take a lot of classes at Harvard or absolutely want to have the experience of living there it’s probably better to leave in one of the other neighborhoods and visit when you get the urge.  The subway ride from here to MIT is about 10 minutes

Central – Central has a lot to offer with bars and restaurants spread up and down Mass Ave.  It doesn’t have as many trees or parks as further up the red line, but you can walk to the west side of MIT campus (gym and athletic fields) from here in about 15 minutes.  You can find a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 800 sqft apartment for $1600 - $1800.  Central seems to be the most popular spot for people in LGO who don’t want to live on campus.  It’s only about a 7 minute ride to campus from here.

Kendall – This is the stop right at MIT campus and is only a couple hundred yards from the Sloan buildings and the building with the LGO office.  There is some off campus housing here but most of it is in high rise apartment complexes.  Rent tends to be a little more expensive here and it’s also harder to find places that will take pets.  A 1 bedroom, 1 bath with 600 sqft can run close to $2000.  MIT has a number of good options for grad students although they don’t take pets and many of the buildings are on the opposite side of campus. 

Mass General Hospital (MGH) – This stop is across the Charles River from Cambridge in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston.  It’s a great spot to be in if you don’t need a lot of space and want to be close to downtown.  It’s also near a bar that many Sloan students visit on a weekly basis, Beacon Hill Pub.  A 1 bed, 1 bath, 600 sqft place here can be $2000+.  It’s a five minute subway ride to campus and only about a 20 minute walk across the Longfellow Bridge with one of the best views of the Boston skyline in the city.  It’s also close to the hatch shell, a famous outdoor venue on the banks of the Charles River that hosts frequent free concerts.   

There are many other stops further down the red line and other great possibilities for places to live while in LGO, but these are the areas that Kerin and I have looked at.  We’re still looking at the moment, but we’ll probably end up either staying in Porter or moving to Davis or Central.  We have a couple more weeks to decide but we’re planning to move as soon as possible so I can get back to focusing on school work football.       

Sloan orientation and fall semester

Sloan orientation wrapped up last night after 4 days of informative lectures, meeting a new team, and a number of social events.  The class is split up into six different cohorts which are given ocean names and take core classes together.  I’m in the Indian Ocean.  Each ocean then has teams of six or seven that do group projects together similar to our LGO summer teams.

For the fall I will be taking five classes for my MBA, two engineering electives, and two courses as part of the LGO curriculum.  I will also continue to participate on committees and possibly join some Sloan clubs.  It will be a very busy semester. 

To add to the fun Kerin and I found our recently that we will need to move again.  We currently live in a three family in Cambridge but the owners are selling it to someone who wants to convert the building into stand alone condos.  That means he needs to do some significant renovations and we’ll have to find a new place to live.  Luckily we kept all of our boxes and we have a lot of experience packing.