About

What does a PhD by Portfolio mean?

A PhD by Portfolio is a doctoral journey that leverages a significant body of prior original professional work encompassing articles, book chapters, patents, and designs when all of that can be linked to a cohesive undertaking. This is a degree that recognizes real-world achievements and the greater value of the whole.

Why am I choosing this path?

I am a design professional interacting with academia on emerging technologies as part of my job, while also moonlighting as an independent scholar. I have been encouraged to consider a doctoral route on a part time basis. A Phd by Portfolio intersects the rigor of scholarly research with actual lessons learned while reflecting on implications for current and future work.

In that context, combining critical and forward-looking thinking is key to the overall thesis quality. Doctoral studies develop original research that moves and advances industry. This means producing new work that becomes a reference point with novel insights, methods, or applications.

Background to work with.

In this journey, I am drawing on my multi-faceted background that includes:

• Innovation: award winning designs with products showcased at premier technology venues
• Visibility: featured in industry reports as well as original publications as author and co-author
• Recognition: credited as a lifelong distinguished technologist at a legendary R&D institution
• Experience: more than three decades as an entrepreneur, individual contributor, team member and executive leading global organizations
• Industry: a wide range of job experiences at a design agency, two startups, three Fortune 500 tech corporations and a Big 4 professional services firm
• Interdisciplinary: job rotations in design, operations analysis, technical marketing, product management, innovation management and business development
• Academia: university stints as a course developer, lecturer and mentor, as well as an advisory board member at two leading technology institutes
• Academic Record: undergraduate and master’s degrees, augmented with three post-graduate studies, professional certificates and industry bodies’ memberships

Why blogging?

The above is the product of a child-like naïve curiosity that stays with me throughout my entire career. My experience is that inquiry takes all kinds of conversations, including open public discourse on this blog.

My continued participation in professional conferences is also instrumental to set up the foundation for my PhD. I am hoping that those of you interested in my work benefit from our exchanges as much as I do, and that we inspire others.