Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences, University of Pennsylvania ‘25
Postgraduate Executive Certification in HRM, XLRI Jamshedpur ‘21
BA in Communication and Media, Psychology and Literature ‘19
My Background & Transition to MBDS
When I first arrived at the University of Pennsylvania, I actually enrolled in a completely different program. It was not until I connected with someone in the MBDS cohort that I first learned about the Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences program. Certain key aspects of the program stood out to me immediately, especially its blend of analytical rigor and real-world execution.
I reached out directly to speak with the associate director, and once they made sure I was the right fit for the program, the entire transition process was made super smooth. I came in with strong inclinations toward exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and human behavior, applying behavioral science in practical settings, and mastering the core methodologies of experimental research. Moving into MBDS gave me the exact multidisciplinary platform I needed to merge my prior academic background with cutting-edge decision science.
Hands-on Capstone Experience
A major highlight of my time in the program was our capstone project. My team and I had the opportunity to work closely with an industry Affiliate all the way from Italy. Working on a real-world client problem across international borders taught me so much about how consulting in behavioral science actually works in practice. The project pushed us to translate theoretical frameworks into strategic, actionable interventions, giving me a firsthand look at how behavioral science solves complex organizational challenges on a global scale.
Cohort & Community
My overall experience with the MBDS cohort was amazing. The collaborative, diverse environment brought together brilliant people from all over the world, each bringing unique perspectives to class discussions and group projects. I made incredible, lasting friends along this journey, and I am proud to say that I remain in close touch with them today. The network and sense of community we built during our time at Penn continue to be a source of support and inspiration.
Founding CulturaFi & Building Behavioral AI
After graduation, I saw how many students were struggling to navigate an increasingly complex and competitive job market. Wanting to create a meaningful solution, I decided to take the leap and start my own company, CulturaFi.
Building CulturaFi allowed us to create a first-of-its-kind behavioral decision engine and pattern recognition framework, bridging behavioral insights directly with AI. The tool was initially designed completely around providing students with career clarity, helping them understand their unique strengths and align them with the right opportunities. Today, student career clarity remains a central part of our use cases alongside our expanded enterprise solutions.
As an international student, building my own AI startup in the United States looked considerably more challenging on paper. However, the university as a whole guided me in the right directions, providing the resources, mentorship, and support system I needed to navigate those hurdles and grow rapidly as a founder.
Coming Full Circle as an Industry Affiliate
The MBDS program immensely helped me by building a rock-solid foundation and shaping how I analyze problems through a strategic behavioral lens; I cannot thank the program enough for this. Within just one year of graduation, I came back to the program as an industry affiliate, which fills me with immense pride. Marco Carrara and Nazli Bhatia have been instrumental in helping me navigate that transition as I stepped into this role. Coming full circle allows me to mentor current students, bring real-world industry applications back to the classroom, and stay deeply connected to the MBDS community that played such a pivotal role in my career.
