Student Profile: Genie Sohn
MBA Student Builds Bridges Between Science and Business
Genie Sohn, Manager of Market Research, Abbott Nutrition International
It’s not every day that a scientist with a PhD in nutrition and a master’s degree in biopsychology becomes a brand manager. Yet this is exactly what Dr. Eugenia “Genie” Sohn, a current Lake Forest MBA student, has done. Sohn is a Manager of Market Research for Abbott Nutrition International. She is part of a core team overseeing research for all of Abbott’s international adult and pediatric nutritional brands, including Ensure, Glucerna, and PediaSure, to name only a few. Sohn evaluates research to identify market opportunities, test new product performance, and make recommendations to management. Later this year, Sohn will move from market research to marketing as a brand manager.
Prior to joining Abbott, Sohn earned her master’s degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she studied the biological factors that drive eating behavior. “I wanted to understand the mental and physical reasons that contribute to why we are hungry,” Sohn explains. "Then, at the University of Illinois, Sohn earned her PhD. She studied nutrition and developed expertise in the relationship between soy, estrogen, and menopause.
Despite pressures to continue her lab work, Sohn had a different vision for her career. “I’ve always liked the idea of applying science to business and doing something that is meaningful to consumers,” Sohn muses. “In the lab, the goal is to win an award. I want to turn science into something marketable,” she contends.
Between her master’s and PhD programs, Sohn worked with Quaker, where she evaluated eating behaviors and trends. She also worked for Functional Foods for Health, where she was part of a collaboration of schools doing research for the food industry. Sohn is now advancing her vision by bringing her scientific expertise to her work at Abbott Nutrition International.
With multiple graduate degrees and a position with a leading diversified healthcare company, why did Sohn pursue an MBA from LFGSM? “Just a background in business or nutrition is not enough,” she explains. “To build a bridge between nutrition and business, I need foundational knowledge in both.” Relative to the Lake Forest MBA versus other programs, she says, “I wanted a degree that was going to help me evaluate business opportunities in a very practical sense. "This is what LFGSM is all about.”
Sohn does not question the practicality of her experience at LFGSM to date. Since she started the program in 2004, she has identified multiple ways in which her MBA experience has helped her to marry her science background with her role as a market researcher. First, while she was continually doing indepth research and analysis in her doctorate work, Sohn was not exposed to business decision-making per se.
She elaborates, “The class discussion around case studies has been important for developing critical thinking skills. I really respect the faculty. Having taught at the university level, I know the amount of dedication it takes. My professors work all day and then come to class with endless energy and enthusiasm.
Second, group decision-making is also essential in business, a dynamic not always as prevalent in the academic scientific arena. Sohn explains, "The experience at LFGSM of working with a consistent group of classmates on projects has highlighted the importance of tapping into each person’s strengths at different times. This simulates the work environment. In class and at work, it is about leveraging a team of people to evaluate information and reach conclusions collectively."
Third, Sohn credits her LFGSM courses with broadening her perspectives and enhancing her ability to communicate effectively. “My Executive Communications class was integral to improving my presentation skills,” she says. “My Human Resources Management class opened my eyes to important personnel issues that I’ve never considered. My Business Economics class has inspired me to follow what is going on globally in the news.” Sohn adds, “I’ve really gotten ‘out of the lab,’ so to speak.”
With her nutritional expertise and business education and experience, there’s no doubt Sohn will continue to play an important role in both the scientific and business arenas. The LFGSM community is proud to be a part of this scientist’s ongoing quest to improve health through nutrition and move science from the lab to the marketplace.