Q&A with Teacher of the Year and Alumnus Mehul Rangwala

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Coming from Nigeria for graduate studies at UC Davis, I've had to answer two major questions: "Why the U.S.?" and "Why UC Davis?"  

I'm even more convinced that I made the right decision to join the UC Davis Master of Science of Business Analytics (MSBA) program because of the plethora of options exclusively available here—especially the high-quality faculty, such as Mehul Rangwala.  

Before joining the UC Davis community, I earned a bachelor's degree in computer science at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria. I worked in software engineering and data analysis roles at CrowdForce. 

I've made significant changes in my career, one of which was the decision to leave a company I so much admire for a world-class analytics program to challenge myself and acquire essential skills critical to building a trillion-dollar economy in Africa.

One of the first courses I took at UC Davis was statistics, led by Rangwala, a lecturer at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management who has taught in both the MSBA and MBA programs. 

His scholarship in the field is unsurpassed, and he is eager to build strong technical competencies in his students. 

I recently had the opportunity to interview this amazing faculty member to learn about his experiences at the intersection of industry and academia, what attracted him to academia and his advice for prospective MSBA students. 

Wondering about my motivations for meeting with him? Here's just the tip of the iceberg I'd like to share about him:  

• Rangwala is a two-time winner of the "Teacher of the Year" award, as voted by students at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management (GSM). As a lecturer and practitioner, he focuses on the application of statistical methods in critical decision-making, using quantitative and economic principles. 
   
• With more than 20 years of experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis in industry and academia, Rangwala has led several efforts in the provision of cost/benefit analysis and asset management for both government and private institutions empowering executive management to make the best investment decisions in I.T. operations and support. 
   
• And Rangwala is an alumnus of UC Davis, earning his UC Davis MBA in 2009. Soon after, he started in a part-time teaching role, where he became fond of teaching. His excellent content delivery earned him an offer to teach another statistics course. Fast-forward to 2018; he accepted a full-time lecturing role at the UC Davis GSM.

Here’s a synopsis of our conversation: 

What attracted you to academia? 

I became fond of working with students and demonstrating to them students how statistical methods can be used to derive actionable insights for driving business decisions, and that's why I decided to make a switch from the industry to academia in 2018. It was a dream come true because now I've got the opportunity to teach full-time. .  

What companies do you admire? 

My admiration for companies is based on their abilities to innovate new technologies that transform lives and develop environmentally friendly solutions.  

What can students expect to learn in the UC Davis MSBA program? 

The UC Davis MSBA program is one of the unique programs offered in the U.S.—not just for the content but also for the lifelong relationships established with our students and industry partners. We have an excellent team of staff who coach our students from day one until they land their dream job. So, there's no doubt that our students will learn the contents in the best form, be well-equipped to be better human beings and walk out with a very high standard. We don't just train our students to be technical nerds; we also cover the business and social dimensions.  

We provide networking opportunities with business executives and alumni.  Our career services team is extremely dedicated to providing students with any advice related to their career goals, preparing resumes, mock interviews, and connecting with alumni. Therefore, students will be well-rounded upon graduation from the program. Our students don't compete with each other; they collaborate throughout the program. 

How important are communications skills for data analytics? 

Just like I've always advised students in the classrooms, you've learned something if you can explain it to a layperson. Take on the challenge of explaining complex technical concepts to someone who doesn't know the idea. Practicing this could be hard at first, but it will help you in the long run because employers are looking for people who can express themselves, not just coders.

People who grow and stand out can articulate concepts in layperson terms. Everybody knows how to write a query and will learn the definitions of p-value or standard deviation. Still, explaining those terms to a layperson could be very hard, and 80% of people cannot do it without difficulty. So, my advice from a technical standpoint is that for any technical concept, it would not hurt if you practiced how you could explain the concepts to a layperson. 

What makes the UC Davis MSBA program stand out? 

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First, it's the life-long relationship that we build with the students. The alumni help new students seek career opportunities, mentoring and helping one another achieve their life goals. The MSBA leadership team and the staff work extremely hard to help students establish those connections. It takes time, effort and commitment to achieve our graduate's career success. 

Secondly, it's the very exhaustive career-building initiatives that we've established. We assist students from resumé preparation to mock interviews, all the way to landing a dream job. It's fantastic also to know that we've been accomplishing this goal even with a class size of 100. I'm impressed with the executive director and staff for this consistent achievement. The effort it takes to coordinate these activities is not monumental, but they've mastered the art. 

I'd also like to add that we are multicultural and open to celebrating festivals from all cultures. We unite people from all nations and cultures as part of one united family. So, you'll not only develop technically but socially as well. These are unique opportunities that not many MSBA programs would offer.