Gargi
Singh

Where do you currently work? What is your role?

I work at Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) as an Assistant Research Scientist.

What does a typical day look like for you in your position?

A typical day usually includes meetings with my team members to coordinate current research projects, discuss progress and hurdles, and brainstorm solutions. In the afternoons, I prefer to code to explore and analyze data or automate an existing analysis – understanding and cleaning the data. Transportation data is ever-evolving and dynamic, which keeps transportation professionals on their toes, and I love it.

What is your favorite thing about your current position?

The ability to collaborate with different programs at TTI is the best part. I acquired various data science skills at work because my team works with big data, which also allows me to work on freight, transit, etc.

How does what you learned at Texas A&M help you in your current role?

PLAN 674 (Transportation System Analysis) and GIS classes were highly applicable to my current role.

Why did you choose Texas A&M?

I heard great things about the transportation planning program, Aggie Spirit, and the opportunities to work on research projects at TTI as a grad student. Also, the scholarship sealed the deal!

What is your best piece of advice for incoming or current MUP students who want to work in the area of planning that you do?

I would advise new students to take as many quantitative courses as possible in the program and outside. Classes on GIS, basic statistics, programming skills, and transportation knowledge would be ideal. Also, ensure you seek what you enjoy and do not follow the herd. Planning is a great field to be in due to the diversity it offers; everyone can find something they enjoy.