Industry
Insight
Projects
Apply your skills to industry projects to solve real organizational challenges.
LEARN MORE
Apply your research skills to industry challenges.
Are you interested in applying your research and analytical skills beyond the lab or classroom? Industry Insight Projects offer doctoral scholars and postdocs the chance to work in small, interdisciplinary teams to solve real-world challenges presented by industry partners. These short-term projects will rely on your varied expertise with data analysis and research while you step into the role of a student consultant, delivering insights and recommendations to a real client.
Through this hands-on experience, you’ll strengthen highly sought-after skills such as adaptability, communication, teamwork, and decision-making, all while exploring potential career pathways. You’ll gain exposure to the consulting process, build your professional network, and produce tangible outcomes that can be highlighted on your resume. No prior consulting experience is required—just curiosity, initiative, and a commitment to collaboration.
Sharpen your transferable skills through student
consulting experience.
Project Management
Scholars will gain hands-on experience managing timelines, milestones, and deliverables within the scope of client-defined objectives.
Problem-solving
Each project challenges scholars to define, analyze, and address ambiguous problems using data, fostering strategic thinking under real-world constraints.
Decision-making
Practice evaluating different approaches and choosing the most effective strategies that address client goals.
Collaboration
By working in interdisciplinary teams, scholars will work together to deliver solutions that meet the needs of the organization
Stakeholder Engagement
Through direct interaction with industry partners, students will learn how to build rapport, gather requirements, and respond to client feedback.
Adaptability
Working with dynamic industry data and evolving client needs will teach students to remain flexible and pivot approaches as needed.
Part-time projects for real world application.
Short-term
Commitment
Get matched with an industry partner for an 8-10* weeks for about 10 hours per week. While full project timelines may vary, general scope will be shared during match process.
Skills
Sought
Employers are seeking doctoral talent with strong analytical thinking, clear communication, adaptability, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines to solve complex, real-world problems.
Paid
Experience
All projects are paid, with doctoral consultants receiving their stipend upon completion of the project. Stipend amounts will be disclosed when scholars are matched with a project.
Interested? Here’s how to get started.
Express
Interest
Complete a brief form and share what skills you hope to contribute to a project. No previous consulting experience required.
Get
Matched
You’ll be matched with 2-3 other students to work on a project with an industry partner. Upon being matched, we will share the scope of work and stipend.
Kick-off
Call
Once matched, you’ll have a Kick-off Call with your team and employer point of contact to better understand the project and deliverables.
Project and Deliverables
Work with your small group to execute the project in 8-10* weeks and communicate your results.
Ready to tackle an Industry Insight Project?
For any questions about the program,
please reach out to Shannon
Bockmiller, Assistant Director of
Employer Partnerships and
Experiential Learning at
sbockmi1@jhu.edu
Scoping an Industry Insight Project
Partner with our Industry Insight Projects initiative to tap into the advanced research and analytical expertise of doctoral students across JHU PhD programs. These short-term, team-based projects are designed to address real data-driven challenges your organization is facing. This is a low-risk, high-impact opportunity to engage with the next generation of problem-solvers and explore innovative solutions tailored to your needs.
Why partner with doctoral talent?
Scoping a project for JHU doctoral scholars is an opportunity to:
- Access research-informed insights grounded in rigorous data analysis and advanced problem-solving approaches.
- Benefit from fresh, unbiased perspectives as student consultants approach your challenge with curiosity and creativity, leading to innovative solutions that internal teams may overlook.
- Receive support in project scoping and implementation to clearly define an organizational challenge that needs solving.
- Build connections with top doctoral candidates who are exploring career opportunities.
Interested in developing a doctoral-led consulting project?
Reach out to Shannon Bockmiller, Assistant Director of Employer Partnerships and Experiential Learning at sbockmi1@jhu.edu