MSU alumni Rochi Varma and Sivajyothi Vemulapalli have a lot in common but did not know one another until a brief encounter at the ISM Ascend Conference held in Denver, Colorado last April. They were each there to accept the Institute for Supply Management’s 30 Under 30 award, a recognition program for emerging supply chain management professionals who demonstrate excellence in their field.

Varma, who lives in Seattle and works for Microsoft as a supply chain manager, and Vemulapalli, a supply chain product manager for the automotive supplier company Silver MetalX Inc. in Troy, Michigan, traveled to Denver to be recognized by ISM and industry peers.

The two Spartans shared the stage long enough for Varma to hear Vemulapalli call out “Go Green!” as Varma passed by backstage.

Not only are they superstars in the world of supply chain management, both studied engineering at Michigan State University as international students from India. They each discovered an interest in supply chain after setting their sights on engineering as the foundation to build their studies.

Solving complex problems

Vemulapalli pursued her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in manufacturing from 2015-18. She landed an internship at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB, Michigan State’s world-class research and training center that accelerates heavy ion beams for the production and study of rare isotopes. The internship led to a full-time position that became a catalyst for a bourgeoning career in supply chain management.

“My career journey is a story evolving from a highly technical engineer into a supply chain executive who is trying to combine engineering precision with commercial strategy in order to deliver measurable business outcomes for companies,” said Vemulapalli.

“I wanted to study engineering first and business second so I could develop a strong foundation in the technical side of engineering while also understanding its financial and business implications.”

Vemulapalli excelled as a mechanical engineer and accelerator physicist, contributing to multiple engineering and research projects, including the fabrication and assembly of very fragile microscopic wire grids used for low-energy ion transport. That experience sparked her passion in bridging technical expertise with business strategy. Her next move took her down the road to the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business where she earned a master’s degree in supply chain management.

“Michigan State University provided me with an exceptional engineering foundation and is globally recognized for its excellence in supply chain management,” said Vemulapalli. “When I decided to complement my engineering background with business and supply chain expertise, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business offered a rigorous one-year master’s program that was an excellent fit for the next stage of my academic and professional journey.”

After completing the master’s program, Vemulapalli accepted her current position with Silver MetalX Inc. where she leads end-to-end supply chain strategy and operations, driving initiatives across the company’s global supply network from supplier to customer.

“What began at Michigan State as a technical curiosity evolved into a passion for transforming supply chains into strategic growth engines,” Vemulapalli said. “I think supply chain is interdisciplinary with engineering, and when I was doing a lot of engineering at FRIB, I realized what I was doing fell under supply chain, too.”

Vemulapalli’s current position is multifaceted. Her technical understanding of product design and manufacturing helps her navigate complex product development and validation challenges, while her supply chain expertise enables her to translate engineering decisions into global sourcing, operational and commercial strategies. She brings this interdisciplinary perspective to the table in discussions with major automotive customers and partners.

“I think I bring a very niche expertise to my current role,” said Vemulapalli, whose long-term goal is to lead large scale supply chain and manufacturing transformations to help organizations build more efficient operating models.

“I’m interested in understanding how leading global organizations are leveraging technology to adapt to geopolitical shifts, improve operational efficiency, and drive sustainable growth. I believe supply chains are evolving into strategic business functions that directly influence competitiveness, profitability, resilience and innovation.”

Building a hybrid career

For Varma, his interest in supply chain management was born out of a curiosity realized after he had spent a year and a half studying mechanical engineering on Zoom from his family home in Kolkata, India. His path to supply chain was a bit circuitous as Varma began his studies during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once he was able to attend classes in person, he realized he had an interest in supply chain management.

“As I met different people, I learned MSU is also known for its supply chain program. I didn’t even know what supply chain was but quickly discovered it was an area I wanted to understand more — and take advantage of the incredible opportunities available through Broad College of Business,” Varma said.

Rather than leave engineering completely, which could have complicated his visa status, Varma decided to pursue a degree in applied engineering with a concentration in supply chain.

“Taking this route made the most sense because I wouldn’t lose any time completing my degree, and I could benefit from MSU’s supply chain program,” said Varma.

During his studies, Varma was actively involved in both colleges — as a member of the Society of Applied Engineering Sciences within the College of Engineering and a member of the Interdisciplinary Supply Chain Research Organization in the Broad College of Business; he also served as president of the International Students Association. Varma interned and started his career as a planning analyst with Levi Strauss & Co., but when an opportunity to work for Microsoft opened, he packed his bags and headed to Washington state.

Excited about what the future holds, Varma is in his second year of Microsoft’s three-year rotational program within the cloud supply chain organization.

“I am getting a variety of experiences with the overall goal of gaining an end-to-end understanding of cloud supply chain operations. By rotating through critical parts of the organization, I gain exposure to different functions, build a broader perspective and develop the skills needed to support Microsoft’s growing infrastructure,” said Varma.

“When I think about the broader impact of my work, the connection becomes larger. The facilities I support provide the infrastructure that powers countless digital services and applications that people rely on every day.”

Outside of his role, Varma enjoys helping students and new graduates navigate internships and full-time job opportunities.

“Helping people is what I want most in life. Through mentoring, resume reviews and career guidance, I’ve had the opportunity to support 900+ students and early-career professionals,” Varma said.

How to serve others and contribute to something bigger is at the forefront for Vemulapalli as well.

“I came to the United States because I wanted to learn from diverse perspectives and gain experiences that I could someday take back to India,” Vemulapalli said. “Ultimately, I want to build a manufacturing enterprise in India that supports local businesses and keeps economic growth centred in the community.