A conversation with DAA 2018 Awardee

Prof. Reena (Garg) Aggarwal (Pilani, ‘79) obtained her MMS degree from BITS and subsequently did her PhD from the University of Maryland, USA in 1985. She is the Vice Provost for Faculty at Georgetown University and Robert E. McDonough Professor of Finance at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. Among many achievements, she has been the recipient of “Outstanding Faculty Award" in the Business Week Guide to the Best Business Schools and voted as the ‘Outstanding Professor’ by EMBA students, and described her as the Favorite Professor of the ‘Best & Brightest’ Executive MBAs, Poets and Quants. Here are some insights into her journey.

Women in Academia

What were some of the highlights of your time in BITS Pilani?

I went to BITS to study Electrical Engineering, however, I got interested in Finance. I had a talk with my professors and they allowed me to change my subject. Every day, even now, I am extremely grateful to BITS for allowing me to make the change seamlessly, There are tons of fond memories from my days at BITS: Sunday morning dosas, cassata ice-cream for Sunday lunch, a special dinner at Volga, the fun prep. leading up to the annual fest; all the plays we put on. Most importantly, I cherish the friendships with my classmates that continues to this day.

As a professor, how do you feel teaching and the curriculum has evolved over the years and how do you keep your students engaged and yourself updated?

My expertise is in finance, this is a dynamic area that keep changing all the time and I do real-world cases with guest speakers in class. For many years, I co-taught a Private Equity course with the co-founder of one of the best private equity firms. I also serve on the Boards of financial firms that keep me grounded in the real world. There is a lot more emphasis on experiential learning these days, BITS was way ahead, we had practice school even in my time. It was a great learning experience.

How did you decide your line of work and what made you stick to it?

Professor J K Mittal ignited my interest in Finance and I got solid quantitative training at BITS, that has been ex- tremely useful. I enjoy each aspect of my work - I enjoy institution building, in my position as Vice Provost at Georgetown University, I am responsible for all faculty issues, including the recruitment and retention of the best faculty. I enjoy teaching students, doing research, serving as the Director of the Georgetown Center for Financial Markets and Policy, and serving at corporate boards.

What advice would you like to pass on to female students studying in BITS Pilani right now?

I know it’s easier said than done but don’t focus too much on grades, instead focus on learning. Learning happens both inside and outside the classroom, get involved in clubs and activities that you care about and enjoy. The new generation will change careers several times in life so they should always be eager to learn, take risks, and try out new possibilities.