Touba Marrie has always had a knack for numbers, even winning a national competition in his native country of The Gambia. The first-generation student then honed in on that talent across three continents, ultimately earning three degrees, including an MBS in Industrial & Applied Mathematics from Rutgers–Camden.
“Today, professionally, I can call myself a data scientist, a mathematician and quantitative analyst, but of all these things, the central pillar is mathematics, and I’m proud of it,” he said.
Marrie’s educational and professional journeys crisscrossed continents, spanning Africa, Europe, and North America. Marrie earned a bachelor’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus; soon, he joined NYU’s engineering school data analysis and visualization department in the United States.
His path then took him to the United Kingdom through the Chevening Scholarship, a competitive program that funds graduate studies for international students. The scholarship enabled Marrie to earn a master’s of data science and analytics at Cardiff University in Wales.
While he quickly found work and enjoyed his time in the UK, Marrie believed he would have more opportunities in America. Discovering the Rutgers–Camden MBS program intrigued him from the start.
“I read about the business and science aspect, the networking events and everything surrounding it was just fantastic,” he recalled. “And I said, then, what can I do with my background? I looked at the curriculum. It had business, science, and a lot of mathematical components. I said, ‘This fits me, and that's what I'm doing.’”
The program, and campus, have fit Marrie well. Through the MBS program, he earned a fellowship with the Louisville & Indiana Railroad, a federally funded project in which he created the first benefit-cost analysis for U.S. train accidents for application by the Federal Railroad Administration.
This spring, he presented at the Showcase of Projects, Art, Research, and Knowledge (SPARK!) poster exhibition on financial mathematics and risk modeling using The Gambia as a case study.
Some of his most memorable moments at Rutgers–Camden included playing indoor soccer and cooking good food with the friends he’s made, something he noted as especially meaningful when traveling or studying abroad.
Marrie’s graduate experience at Rutgers–Camden has already affirmed a long-held dream to remain in America and obtain a U.S. citizenship. One day, he hopes to launch his own data research consulting firm, seeing a need he hopes to fill with his expertise. “There are a lot of students who are conducting research but who struggle to analyze their data. You have a lot of information, but you don't know what insights to take away from it. So, I'll work on that,” he said.
A scholar with international roots, he also aspires to establish a branch in his native Gambia. “I can do so all thanks to the knowledge that came from Rutgers and from my previous institutions,” he said.
