Leila Shirin- Third- Year PhD Marketing student

Q. What brought you to pursue a PhD, and was it always part of your plan?

A. It wasn’t my original plan. After nearly ten years in industry solving problems, I realized I wanted to understand their roots rather than fix their surface, and that fundamental way of working is what brought me back to academia.

Q. Now that you’re in your third year, how has your research identity evolved since you first started the program?

A. I began the program searching for the one solution that would satisfy consumers, industry, and society alike. I’ve since learned that each party, and even each consumer, sees a problem through their own experiences and values, so there is rarely a single answer that satisfies everyone. Now I choose one lens, go deep into it, and defend my work, while staying open to other perspectives.

Q. Where do you see yourself after the PhD, and has that vision changed since you began?

A. I see myself as a professor, devoted to both research and teaching, which I genuinely love. My vision hasn’t changed direction; it has become stronger, more detailed, and broader as I’ve discovered how much more I can contribute.