For years, I thrived in the vibrant chaos of the eLearning industry. Every day was a whirlwind of meetings, deadlines, and brainstorming sessions. Designing platforms, managing teams, and watching ideas come to life—it was electrifying. Yet, amidst the excitement, a quiet question began to stir in my mind: Are we truly transforming education, or just repackaging it?
That question planted a seed of curiosity that grew louder with time, eventually nudging me out of my comfort zone and into the slower, reflective world of academia.
Building Bridges in the EdTech World
My journey began in Bangladesh, where access to education was scarce, and opportunities were even scarcer. Determined to make a difference, I threw myself into the EdTech industry. From co-developing an English learning app with over 1.5 million users to leading multinational teams at Ilmiya and Staff Asia, I built tools designed to empower learners across the globe.
Every project was a new challenge, a new opportunity to innovate. I worked with engineers in India, writers in the UK, designers in Morocco, and educators in the US. Together, we created solutions meant to bridge gaps in education. But even as we celebrated product launches and milestones, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.
I wanted to understand not just what worked in education, but why and how. Why do some tools empower learners while others fall flat? How can we create solutions that are not just marketable but meaningful? The answers to those questions weren’t going to come from the industry alone.
Entering Academia: A New Landscape
When I transitioned to academia, it was like stepping into a completely different world. Gone were the buzzing offices and tight production schedules. Instead, I found myself immersed in a world of questions, theories, and deep, deliberate thought.
The pace of academia is different. It’s slower but richer, filled with opportunities to peel back the layers and explore the heart of learning. My independent study on generative AI at Michigan State University gave me the space to investigate how tools like ChatGPT could empower language learners to take control of their own education. It wasn’t about rushing to market or meeting KPIs—it was about understanding what makes learning meaningful.
Two Worlds, One Vision
The industry taught me how to create. Academia has taught me how to question. Together, these worlds have shaped my vision for education. From the industry, I bring the creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving needed to build innovative solutions. From academia, I bring the rigor, reflection, and empathy required to ensure those solutions are impactful.
What unites these two seemingly different worlds is a shared purpose: a belief in the transformative power of education. Whether working with international teams on cutting-edge platforms or conducting research on underserved learners, my goal has always been to use education as a tool for equity.
A Journey with Infinite Possibilities
This journey isn’t about choosing between industry and academia—it’s about blending them. It’s about designing tools that are not only grounded in research but inspired by real-world needs. It’s about creating learning environments that are as inclusive as they are innovative.
Where this path leads next doesn’t matter as much as the work itself. As long as I’m creating, questioning, and striving to make education accessible to all, I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not about the destination—it’s about the bridges we build along the way.
Mahbub Amin 