Prasid Dasgupta, MSEE, EMTM'08

"Filling in the Blanks" with a Business Focus on Technology

A software developer, consultant and entrepreneur, Prasid is cultivating a many-pronged, multi-dimensional career. After getting a degree from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Prasid came to the United States and began working for DuPont in the 1980s. He later earned a masters in electrical engineering at Drexel University, served as a technology consultant for Merck and started a valve manufacturing business. Last January, Prasid began working at the Judge Group, helping to reenergize business solutions division of the Philadelphia based staffing, training and technology solutions company. "I work with turnkey projects and outsourcing in India. I also do technical sales and work as a software architect, so I wear a lot of different hats."

Why EMTM?

It was working on his own manufacturing business that led Prasid to EMTM. "I found I was essentially on my own in understanding the world of business. I learned things like reading a financial statement on the fly and by trial and error," he says. As the company evolved, diversifying into plastic parts, testing and product development, Prasid felt he needed to update his education to better manage the business's growing demands.

He was considering pursuing a PhD when a primary client, Dan Jones, EMTM'98, owner of Philadelphia Scientific, suggested that EMTM might give Prasid more practical exposure to cutting edge technology and management theory. "Prasid was very technically capable, but based on my own experience at EMTM I knew the program would help him put the business focus on technology and that, from an entrepreneurial perspective, he would be able to network and develop connections to expand his potential and possibilities," says Jones.

Prasid visited the campus and found that the program was rigorous both quantitatively and qualitatively. "I was interested in the qualitative side, understanding how the numbers fit in with management concepts, but I was also glad to see that the math portion was not watered down." Prasid joined EMTM in 2004, and is funding his participation in the program himself.

Career Impact

Prasid has found that the program has wide-ranging application to his life, both as an entrepreneur in a growing venture and as a consultant. "EMTM has given me lots of management tools — and my decision-making process has improved because I'm no longer relying just on common sense, but on real skills. Recently, for example, I helped develop a statistics-based quality control process based on my Statistics class. At the same time, I have been exposed to new technology from my peers in other industries, and I feel I can participate in a meaningful way in discussions about how to move my company forward," he says. With a better understanding of Finance, he now feels he is in a better position, for instance, to possibly acquire another company.

EMTM has also helped Prasid in his current role at Judge. "In addition to technology electives like Human Computer Interaction, which I need for systems development, I am getting more and more involved with the financial reporting and financial planning for our division. This has come about only after I completed the EMTM core courses on Accounting and Corporate Finance, which filled in the blanks I had in spite of handling my company accounts for years!"

One year later, Prasid feels the decision to enroll in EMTM was the right one. "I'm very happy with this particular path that I've taken. EMTM has been completely rejuvenating and it's a wonderful boost to my career and my life in general."

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