Isenberg OIM Students Compete at Manhattan University Analytics Competition

Two teams of undergraduate students from Isenberg’s Operations & Information Management (OIM) program, both advised by Dr. Ali Shirzadeh, OIM faculty, competed in a prestigious analytics competition hosted by Manhattan University. Each team, composed of four dedicated students, spent the spring semester analyzing investment opportunities in OECD countries using a comprehensive dataset supplemented with targeted research.

Throughout the semester, students engaged in every phase of the analytics process—data cleaning, transformation, visualization, modeling, and interpretation—culminating in strategic recommendations based on their findings. The first phase concluded with virtual presentations evaluated by faculty from outside institutions.

The second phase took place in person over three days at Manhattan University. On Day 1, teams presented their semester-long work; on Day 2, they addressed new research questions within a 12-hour time frame; and on Day 3, they presented final insights to a panel of industry judges. Out of 20 highly competitive teams, one Isenberg team advanced to the final round of six. 

The experience was so impactful that several students expressed interest in returning next year—and even graduating seniors offered to mentor future teams. Faculty noted that the caliber of the students’ work was comparable to a graduate-level thesis.

Finalist Team

• Ammar Sherwani

• Omer Alptekin

• Anastasia Ziaziulia

• Elizaveta Bezzubova

Non-Finalist Team

• Analisa Bailes

• Manjari Kannan

• Henry Phan

• Nic Williamson