79 Applications: PSYC100 Alumni in Industrial/Organizational Analytics
By Rahul Patel, Riley J.T. Bonar, and Meghan E. Norris
In this unit, we explored topics related to intelligence and decision making. Topics in this unit are very relevant for Industrial/Organizational Psychology. We are pleased to introduce an alumnus who has extended his training in PSYC100, and interest in game theory, to pursue a career in assessment and analytics.
Introducing, Rahul Patel!
Rahul Patel is a Research Scientist who graduated from Queen’s in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology! Rahul chose this career path during his undergraduate studies, as he was inspired by his experiences as a Marketing Assistant Manager, the completion of an Organizational Behavior course, and his role as a Research Assistant. Working as a Marketing Assistant Manager exposed him to managerial tasks, which made Rahul curious about how organizations hire qualified candidates through interviews and other assessments. Rahul took an Organizational Behaviour course at the Smith School of Business to understand human-centric issues in organizations, which mapped onto what he observed as a manager. Rahul was also a Research Assistant in the Psychology department, though he felt that he was missing a practical component, which led to an “Aha!” moment: researching his workplace experiences would fill these gaps. Rahul then researched Industrial/Organizational Psychology and the Canadian programs that offered this degree.
By taking PSYC 100, you join a vast community that contains members who have graduated and had a variety of experiences! We caught up with Rahul and asked what his favourite memory from PSYC 100 was. Rahul told us that there was one lab he remembered where he had a lot of fun while engaged with active learning. The lab completed a modified version of the Prisoner’s Dilemma Game to understand Game Theory. The “tit-for-tat” pattern was something that he did not understand until being immersed in it through that lab. Rahul recalls it being a fun experience and it allowed him to see a different side to his lab partner too! Rahul also offered some advice about careers to students currently taking PSYC 100 and said that it is important to reflect on what you would generally value from a career and to let that guide your decisions. Rahul’s career path values research and evidence-based decisions that impact candidates’ and employees’ success. Secondly, reflect on your current courses and extracurriculars—what is it that you enjoy? Rahul knew that he enjoyed research, but the Psychology research and courses he was taking lacked the practical component of the human workplace. Thirdly, network with people—your professors, your TAs, alumni from your program, and professionals on LinkedIn. Simply asking for a quick chat could lead to the source of inspiration for your career path. Lastly, gain relevant experience and think from an outside perspective about what is needed to operate effectively in that role and for the lab/organization as a whole. In other words, become curious about your work environment!
If you are interested in learning more about what Rahul does for a living, you can check out this Amazon Science link!
Psychological science is a discipline with many subdisciplines. One area that might be of interest to you, especially as you read this profile, is Industrial/Organizational Psychology (often referred to as “Industrial/Organizational Psychology”). This is a discipline that studies how people think and behave in work contexts. If this is an area of interest, we invite you to read an open-access chapter about I/O Psychology in Canada, written by Dr. Kelloway (also a Queen’s alumnus who completed his PhD here!)
References:
Amazon Science. (n.d.). https://www.amazon.science/
Kelloway, E. K. (2019). Industrial/organizational psychology. In M. E. Norris (Ed.), The Canadian handbook for careers in psychological science. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/psychologycareers/chapter/industrial-organizational-psychology/
How to cite this using APA Style:
Patel, R. D., Bonar, R.J.T., & Norris, M.E. (2026). Applications: PSYC100 Alumni in Industrial/Organizational Analytics. In PSYC 100: Principles of psychology. eCampusOntario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/testbookje/chapter/applications-psyc100-alumni-in-industrial-organizational-analytics/
