After two years of working for the Air Force and now pursuing an MBA at MIT, Brigham Wilson still traces his career interests back to BYU.
“I started doing research with Sean Warnick, a BYU computer science professor,” Wilson said. “Working in his lab was a great opportunity to get exposed to different problems and technical methods.”
Wilson went on to earn his BS in mathematics and economics, and MS in computer science from BYU in 2010 and 2012, respectively. Through the skills he gained here, he secured jobs and positions at the Air Force and other prestigious locations, such as Infosys, Argonne National Lab, and the Pentagon.
“[The Air Force] wouldn’t have hired me if I didn’t have the degree that I did,” Wilson said. “I needed to understand the analytic methods, algorithms, and statistical methods . . . in order to do my job.”
While Wilson has been successful in his academic and career pursuits, he acknowledges a difference between the two.
“In school you’re learning new stuff every day,” Wilson said. “When you work . . . you can end up relying on only a couple of [your skills]. If you do that for too long, some of the other ones become soft.”
Along with keeping their skills sharp, Wilson advises current BYU students to work hard and stay motivated.
“Reach out to people who are practicing in your field and understand how the things you are learning are applicable to the workplace,” Wilson said. “That way you won’t be slogging through school without knowing why.”
Because of his dedication, Wilson is on track to be an asset no matter where he goes.
“I’m looking a lot towards airlines or companies where operations are the core part of their business,” Wilson said. “I’ll have done the technical aspect of the work but also have the MBA management training. Those together are a good combination to be successful in many companies.”
Wilson is grateful for his BYU experience and all the things he learned here.
“I’m really glad that I was at BYU to do my undergrad and master’s,” Wilson said. “BYU is a great school and the skills . . . I learned there enabled me to work for the Air Force and get where I am now.”