Yusuke Legard is a Varsity Swim Team Captain at Duke University who interned at MOSIMTEC as a Simulation Consultant in the summer of 2018.
The Men’s 100m Butterfly Final at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics was decided by one hundredth of a second.
The winner? Michael Phelps.
That race, that hundredth of a second, contributed to his unprecedented goal of eight gold medals at a single Olympic games.
Swimming races and careers are defined by the smallest of margins and details. It is the focus on such minute details, behind the scenes leading up to the big races, that will determine whether one succeeds.
As a varsity student athlete on the Duke Swimming and Diving team, I have learned to focus on the small yet critical details of my trade in order to ensure that the outcomes align with expectations. That skill of paying attention to detail has been critical in the work I have completed for MOSIMTEC this summer, and why I have enjoyed my time working for the company.
When learning how to utilize simulation tools effectively, I came across the term, GIGO – “Garbage Input, Garbage Output”.
This simple concept is critical in our simulation development work. One must ensure that both the inputs and the simulation model are an accurate representation of the real-life system being modeled. Only then will one leverage the power of simulation. Through careful attention to intricate details in the development of simulation models, we gain invaluable insights into the inefficiencies and bottlenecks of a system; as well as potential solutions for them.
Our simulation models have provided recommendations and opportunities leading to an average of 10 times the Return On Investment (ROI) for our clients.
As an Economics Major, also studying Behavioral Finance, Markets and Management, I have learned that, overall, humans are not rational decision makers.
When humans must make decisions, emotions can hinder one’s ability to select the optimal choice. This is why simulation is a crucial tool. The simulation development conducted at MOSIMTEC negates all emotion and only looks at the data. We accurately create a digital twin of a system and identify bottlenecks and pitfalls.
Furthermore, through simulation, we are able to run a variety of scenarios, in a sandbox environment, to determine the optimal strategy for one’s system. My data analytical skills have improved during my time at MOSIMTEC as I developed models and using their data to provided valuable insights for clients.
Communication is also a critical component for any company to succeed.
I have been fortunate enough to have been selected for leadership roles at various stages in my life, most recently as captain of the Duke Swimming and Diving team. My communication skills have grown as a result. Without effective communication, coworkers and teammates will not know their role, common goals cannot be set, and – most importantly – miscommunication may lead to poor product delivery for clients. In my time at MOSIMTEC, I have further enhanced these skills by being responsible for organizing and leading company-wide meetings and calls with clients.
MOSIMTEC is a rapidly growing company. In my short time interning with the company, I have witnessed incredible growth.
I have created several new brochures which are crucial to our marketing and helped in the development of our new website. Every day we receive several phone calls from potential clients wanting to learn more about the power of simulation, and to understand if we can improve their knowledge base.
Not only have I seen the growing popularity of simulation, we have also expanded our offices into a space over twice the size. There is no doubt that the company is growing and more firms are noticing how invaluable the insights simulation and MOSIMTEC can provide.
I am grateful to everybody at MOSIMTEC for giving me this fantastic opportunity.
I have learned a great deal, both professional skills in the workplace and indispensable knowledge across several industries. There is no doubt that what I have learned during my time will be utilized in my final year at Duke as I complete my honor’s thesis in Behavioral finance, amongst my other fields of study. I am looking forward to potentially working on behalf of MOSIMTEC again in the near future and continue developing my skills with modeling and simulation.