PhD Networking Night with Employers Valuing Doctoral Expertise

The Georgia Tech Career Center is excited to invite you to PhD Networking Night with Employers Valuing Doctoral Expertise on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at Exhibition Hall! This in-person NETWORKING event provides a unique opportunity for PhD students and PostDocs to connect in a relaxed setting with employers and alumni who recognize the invaluable advantages that PhDs bring to their organizations.

The evening is divided into two key segments.

• 4:45 pm: Check-in begins
• 5:00 – 600 pm: Employer career panel discussion
• 6:00 – 7:00 pm: Networking with employers from a wide variety of industries

Discover potential career paths, gain insights from employer panels, and forge valuable connections during our focused networking session. Don’t miss this chance to explore a range of industries and connect with employers who understand the value of your PhD journey.

Please note that this event is NOT a Career Fair.

Light refreshments and beverages will be provided. RSVP is not required but appreciated! This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Postdoctoral Services.

• Submit Your Resume to PhD Networking Night E-Resume Book: Submit your resume if you are interested in sharing your resume with the participating employers before or after the Networking Night event.

• Participating Employers (alphabetical order): For more information about the participating companies, please visit HERE
  • Alcon *
  • Bend Bioscience *
  • Champion Talent Consulting LLC
  • Destined for Greatness Outreach Youth Center, Inc. *
  • ExxonMobil *
  • Foundation Psychiatry, P.C. *
  • GA Environmental Protection Division *
  • Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
  • Heat Technologies Inc. *
  • Intuitive *
  • Kaizen Analytix *
  • McKinsey & Company
  • Marvell Technology *
  • Northside Tutoring
  • Secretariat LLC
  • Silicon Creations, LLC *
  • United Airlines *
  • Verifacto *
  • Walaris *
  • WSP USA *

* Employers eligible to hire Georgia Tech international PhD students and postdocs

Panelists Scheduled to Join (alphabetical order):

• Ahmet Keha, Ph.D. (GT Alumni), Sr Principal Engineer at ExxonMobil
• Mauro Robbe, Ph.D., Manager, Sr Manager, Propulsion and Thermodynamics Analysis
• Patty Nelson, Manager, Talent Acquisition at Secretariat LLC

 Panelist Bios

• Ahmet Keha, Ph.D. Ahmet B. Keha is a Senior Principal Operations Research Engineer at ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering from Middle East Technical University in Turkey, and earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, where he was advised by George Nemhauser. Following his Ph.D., Ahmet joined Arizona State University as an Assistant Professor before transitioning to ExxonMobil in 2009. Over the years, he has held a variety of roles, including research engineer focused on mathematical optimization algorithms, operations research engineer developing optimization-based decision support tools, technical leadership roles in supply chain and refinery optimization, and supervisory positions. In his current role, he oversees the Operations Research capability at ExxonMobil. Ahmet maintains strong ties with Georgia Tech, serving on the advisory board for the Master of Science in Analytics program. He is also a proud Yellow Jacket parent.
• Mauro Robbe, Ph.D. Mauro Robbe holds a PhD in Energy Systems and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy. He has extensive experience in engineering and management across the aerospace, defense, and energy sectors, with a strong emphasis on system engineering, software development, turbomachinery, and simulation tools. In his recent roles at Gulfstream Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, and Solar Turbines, Mauro focused on reorganizing teams to modernize workflows and improve efficiency. He is committed to disruptive product development that addresses the needs of a changing world while exploring sustainable solutions.
• Patty Nelson: Patty Mosley Nelson is a Senior Manager in Talent Acquisition for Secretariat Advisors, LLC, a leading global expert services, litigation consulting, engineering, economics, and data advisory firm. Patty has a BSBA in Accounting from Auburn University and is a CPA in the State of Alabama. She moved from auditing with a “Big 8” firm into recruiting and has over 35 years of experience in all phases of talent acquisition: contingency search, retained search and internal corporate recruiting. She has headed teams of recruiters as the Southeast Area Director of Experienced Recruiting for KPMG, the Director of Global University Talent Acquisition for Kroll (originally Duff & Phelps) and now leads the university recruiting efforts for Secretariat as they expand internationally. Patty works with 2 groups within Secretariat that hire outstanding PhDs – the Engineering Sciences practice group and the Antitrust & Competition practice group. Patty and her husband Jon live in Decatur with their 4-footed furry “child”, Rowdy.