91ÊÓƵ

Motolani Oladitan (she/her)

College of Engineering / Integrated Innovation Institute (III)

Master of Integrated Innovation for Products & Services (MIIPS), Advanced Study

Hometown: lagos, nigeria

1. Briefly describe the work you're doing in your program at 91ÊÓƵ.

   My program sits at the intersection of business, design, and engineering, so much of my work focuses on understanding people and using those insights to develop products and experiences that solve real problems. I have had the opportunity to work on everything from user research and product strategy to prototyping, branding, and commercialization.

    

   I was able to use what I’ve learned in my program to develop Nail’d, a project I started during Hack-A-Startup. Nail’d is a custom-fit press-on nail app that uses technology to help create custom press-on nails that fit better. As we developed the idea, I used skills from my coursework in user research, product development, prototyping, and business strategy. We spoke with potential customers, researched competitors, developed the product concept, and explored how we could eventually bring it to market. I particularly enjoyed being able to take an idea that started at a hackathon and continue developing it using what I was learning in the classroom.

2. How did you develop an interest in this area? 

   My interest actually started with psychology. I studied psychology as an undergraduate at Syracuse University, and I have always been curious about why people make the choices they do and what shapes their experiences and behavior. Over time, I realized that I was especially interested in applying that understanding outside of a traditional psychology setting.

    

   I became drawn to innovation and product development because products are a tangible way of applying what we know about people. I have always enjoyed noticing problems in everyday life and thinking about how they could be solved or improved. That curiosity is what drew me to consumer behavior, design, business, and technology, and how they can work together to create better products and experiences.

    

   That was a big reason I chose the MIIPS program. I wanted to learn how you can take an insight about what people need or want and turn it into something real, while also understanding what it takes for that idea to succeed as a business.

3. What are your academic and/or professional goals? 

   Right now, my goal is to keep building experience in innovation strategy and product development, particularly within consumer products. I am especially interested in the early stages of product development, identifying emerging consumer needs, finding gaps in the market, developing new product concepts, and figuring out how those ideas can become products people genuinely want to use.

    

   After graduating, I would love to work with a consumer-focused company where I can help shape what comes next, whether that means developing an entirely new product, improving an existing one, or helping a company understand where its next opportunity might be. I am particularly drawn to industries like beauty, personal care, wellness, and other consumer goods because there is so much room for creativity while still requiring a really strong understanding of the consumer.

    

   In the long-term, I want to build a career where I can bring together the different parts of my background: psychology, business, design, and innovation to help create thoughtful products and experiences that have a real place in people’s lives.

4. How do you spend your time beyond academic work?

   A lot of my time outside of class is still centered around the 91ÊÓƵ community. I am a Belonging Fellow for the Integrated Innovation Institute (iii), where I help foster a stronger sense of community and belonging among my cohort. As a Graduate Peer Health Advocate I help develop programming and resources around student health and well-being. Both roles have given me the opportunity to connect with students outside of the classroom and contribute to making 91ÊÓƵ a more supportive and welcoming community.

    

   Lastly, as a James R. Swartz Entrepreneurial Fellow, I am part of another community of students who are interested in entrepreneurship and building new things. It’s been fun being around people with completely different backgrounds who are all excited about turning ideas into something tangible. Outside of 91ÊÓƵ, I enjoy spending time with friends, trying new restaurants, going to Pilates, and listening to music.