A Recipe for Success

As the aroma of a carefully prepared meal fills her kitchen, Mingyu Liu (MPM '26) adjusts the heat and ingredients with the same curiosity she brings to her professional endeavors.

This blend of creativity and precision mirrors Liu’s personality, which led her on a diverse academic and professional path that brought her to Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Project Management (MPM) program.

Liu’s route to the built environment sector is as varied as the dishes she loves to cook. Originally from Beijing with a bachelor’s degree in biology, she initially pursued a business-to-business marketing career in the transportation industry. As she looked to further her career growth, she identified a gap related to applying technical knowledge.

“When I was doing marketing and working with transportation professionals, I sometimes felt like I didn't fully grasp their area of expertise,” Liu said. “This created a little bit of a barrier in communication and limited my ability to fully engage with and enhance the projects I was working on.”

This realization sparked Liu’s interest to deepen her knowledge of the transportation wing of the built environment sector while maintaining her marketing skills. Her search for a program that could blend those interests led her to the MPM program.

“I definitely want to promote sustainability initiatives in the future,” Liu said. "After discovering MPM had specializations in transportation and sustainability with a well-designed curriculum, I felt this was the right program for me.”

The MPM program’s interdisciplinary approach allowed Liu to explore various aspects of the built environment sector, from technical skills to business strategies. She has also embraced the opportunity to take courses outside the program, lead group projects, and tackle real industry challenges, all of which have helped strengthen her leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities.

One of the most impactful experiences for Liu was a guest lecture in class from Google executive Guy Trerotola about his company’s Bay View sustainable building project.

“I was really impressed by both the project itself and his dedication to his career,” Liu said. “Like him, I aspire to be a professional driven by a strong sense of passion for my work, capable of fostering innovation and making a significant social impact.”

As an international student, Liu has faced challenges adapting to a new culture and dealing with uncertainty. The experiences, however, have been transformative.

“The more uncertainty I face, the more possibilities I see,” Liu said. “MPM has taught me how to navigate challenges, continuously explore and adapt, and embrace the unknown — not as a source of discomfort, but as an opportunity for growth and transformation.”

That transition allowed Liu to deepen her self-exploration, pushing her to step out of her comfort zone and embrace new challenges.

Looking forward, Liu is excited to complete her dual specialization while deepening her expertise in business analysis. Her goal is to apply her cross-disciplinary background in a consulting role that combines transportation and sustainability to drive strategic and data-informed solutions.

As she continues to embrace new challenges and opportunities, she said she is benefiting from the supportive environment within the MPM program. That environment is like a well-placed cookbook in her kitchen that gives her access to the guidance and confidence to create culinary delights.

“The atmosphere within the MPM program definitely changed me a lot,” Liu said. “The professors have been incredibly supportive, always encouraging me to build confidence in my abilities and take on challenges. Their guidance has helped me develop resilience, embrace continuous growth, and become a more optimistic and driven professional.”