The Office of Career and Life Design hosts several networking nights each year for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
Mingle with advanced degree alumni and fellow graduate students at our dynamic networking events. These gatherings are ideal for forging connections and fostering professional relationships.
Qualitative Research Night for Masters, PhDs and Postdocs
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 5-7 p.m. | Glickman Conference Center
Are you an advanced degree student or scholar engaged in (or want to learn more about) qualitative research? Interested in chatting with professionals working in qualitative research positions? Come meet with alumni and recruiters in a relaxed environment. Ask alumni about their career journey, from academia into industry, their current role, advice on entering the job market and ways to be a competitive candidate. Some alumni will be accompanied by a recruiter from their organization who can answer questions about hiring and navigating the HR process. Represented organizations may be hiring for immediate openings and others will be looking to connect with future candidates. Recommended dress code for this event series is business casual.
Stay tuned for a list of participating companies and recruiters!
Register Now
2026 Alumni & Recruiters
Click through to learn more about our Spring 2026 participants and read their bios. Check back for updates!
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Julian Asher
Sr UX Research ManagerTarget -
Jerica Bornstein
UX ResearchExpedia GroupHuman Development and Family Sciences, Ph.D. -
Vershanjali Chauhan
Senior UX DesignerTargetMSIS 2024 -
Lynn Cowles
Health and Food Justice Programs ManagerEvery Texan -
Merrill Davis
Vice President of CommunicationsTexas 2036Master of Public Affairs -
Sydney Hussett
UX ResearcherExpedia Group -
Stacia Long
Senior Research ScientistGibson Consulting GroupUT MA Language and Literacy Education -
Amber O’Connor
Food Policy AnalystEvery TexanAnthropology, Ph.D. and MA -
Stacey Swinehart Ganderson
Head of AccessibilityCornerstone OnDemand -
Jacqueline Whearty
Research AssociateCenter for Policy ResearchHuman Development and Family Sciences, Ph.D. 2021, M.A. 2018 -
Jess White
Director of UX ResearchExpedia GroupLinguistics, Ph.D. and M.A. -
Jocelyn Wright
Director, Community and Market DevelopmentSix Red MarblesFrench, Ph.D. and M.A. -
Rick Ybarra
Senior Program OfficerHogg Foundation for Mental Health
Past Participating Alumni & Recruiters
View alumni and recruiters who have joined us at past Qualitative Research Night events.
Past Networking Nights
Quant Night for Masters, PhDs and Postdocs
Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 5-7 p.m.
Texas Science & Natural History Museum
Are you a quantitative/data-focused advanced degree student or scholar? Interested in chatting with professionals within the data science field? Come meet with alumni and recruiters in a relaxed environment at this campus-wide networking event.
Ask alumni about their career journey, from academia into industry, their current role, advice on entering the job market and ways to be a competitive candidate. Some alumni will be accompanied by a recruiter from their organization who can answer questions about hiring and navigating the HR process. Represented organizations may be hiring for immediate openings and others will be looking to connect with future candidates. Recommended dress code for this event is business casual.
Companies Include: Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Demand Side Analytics, Holdsworth Center, Maximus, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Expedia, SOAR, Goldman Sachs, Evolent Health, Sandia National Labs, Gibson Consulting, and more- stay tuned for more updates!
2025 Employers and Alumni
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Jonny Beber
Senior Quantitative UX ResearcherExpedia -
Valerie Bradford
Principal ScientistProcter & GambleChemistry Ph.D., 2008 -
Conor Cunningham
Vice President of EngineeringMicrosoft -
Georgia Eberley
Engineering Campus RecruiterGoldman Sachs -
Alejandra Garza
Senior Program CoordinatorThe Holdsworth CenterHistory, Ph.D. -
Melissa Humphries
Assistant Director of Data Management and ResearchTexas Higher Education Coordinating BoardSociology, Ph.D. -
Yughi Kim
Senior Director, Data Management & ResearchTexas Higher Education Coordinating BoardHigher Education Leadership, Ph.D. -
Darshan Kobla
Partner, Pathfinding, Product & Test EngineeringMicrosoftElectrical Engineering, MS -
Kristen Lopez
Sr. Specialist - RecruitmentMaximus -
Michelle Lucas
Senior Data AnalystThe Holdsworth CenterHuman Development, Ph.D. -
Cathy Malerba
Executive DirectorGibson ConsultingHuman Development and Family Sciences, Ph.D. -
Adam Markman
Senior Data ScientistProcter & GambleElectrical and ComputerEngineering, Ph.D. -
Amy McCurdy
Director, Data Management and ResearchTexas Higher Education Coordinating BoardHuman Development and Family Studies, Ph.D. -
John Miner
Chief Information ArchitectSandia National Labs -
Nadine Miner
UT Campus Partnership ManagerSandia National LabsPh.D. -
Jorge Naciff
Principal ScientistProcter & GambleMolecular and Cellular Physiology, Ph.D. -
Yewande Obuekwe
Manager, Reporting and AnalyticsMaximus -
Fatma Tarlaci
Chief AI OfficerSOARAdjuct Assistant Computer Professor, UT AustinComparative Literature, PhD, 2016 -
Jennifer Vandewalle
Director of Support ServicesMaximusMPAff, Public Affairs, 2006 -
Nikolaos Vergos
Director of Data ScienceEvolent HealthPhysics, Ph.D. -
John Walkington
ConsultantDemand Side AnalyticsEconomics, MA, 2022 -
Alyssa White
Head of UX ResearchExpediaApplied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology, Ph.D.
Past Participating Alumni & Recruiters
View alumni and recruiters who have joined us at past Quant Night events.
Arts & Humanities Night for Grad Students and Postdocs
Thursday, April 10, 2025 | 5-7 p.m.
Are you a graduate student or postdoc interested in a career in culture, literature and the arts? Interested in chatting with industry professionals who share your creative spark? Arts & Humanities Night is a campus-wide networking and recruitment event for graduate students in the arts and humanities.
Come meet with alumni and recruiters in a relaxed, open environment. Ask about their career journey, the transition from academia into industry, their current role and advice on entering the job market, being a competitive candidate and navigating the HR and hiring process.
Recommended dress code for this event is business casual.
SHIFT Makers mocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served.
Past Participating Alumni & Recruiters
View alumni and recruiters who have joined us at past Humanities Night events.