Kyle Pfeiffer ’22 MTL: Advancing the art of technology leadership

Science translator, applications architect

Pfeiffer is a bit of an anomaly at Argonne. He works in a research leadership capacity, yet he doesn’t have a technical degree. He’s surrounded by researchers with PhDs but opted to enroll in Brown’s Master of Science in Technology Leadership program to earn his third master’s degree instead of pursuing a doctorate.

“I chose the MTL program at Brown because it was a little quirky – just like me,” he says. “It’s a joint program between the School of Engineering and the School of Professional Studies. I loved that because it fit me and the role that I play at Argonne, which is often one of science translator and applications architect. I feel like this program trained me to be the middleware between the technical and business crowds. That is proving to be invaluable.”

Pfeiffer says the faculty in the program “was extraordinary” and recalls with particular fondness the training he received from Barbara Tannenbaum, Distinguished Senior Lecturer in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies. Pfeiffer says he had always been a capable albeit unremarkable public speaker. Now, thanks to Professor Tannenbaum, he is more effective and engaging when he lectures at workshops, conferences and universities. “I did not expect that a professor from the Theatre Department would have such an outsized impact on my development in the MTL program,” he says. “So brava, Dr. Tannenbaum! And most importantly, thank you.”

He is also a big fan of the program’s cohort design, which provided him with a diverse group of friends and mentors, many of whom he is still in touch with weekly. “The Brown Admissions team does a masterful job in recruiting and screening candidates so your future classmates will be world-class,” he says.

Embracing ambiguity

Pfeiffer doesn’t point to a single moment that changed the trajectory of his career. He believes success is the product of skill, luck and presence, and that “you really need all three to get your big break or breaks.” He recalls working as a junior consultant on a contract with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help implement a Presidential Policy Directive. Through the project, he got to collaborate with individuals who later became senior-level cabinet appointees. He also presented at the White House and on Capitol Hill, and met people who helped him grow professionally. More than a decade later, “many of us are still working together, though we’re all at different companies or organizations. So there was no ‘big’ moment,” he says. “Just a lot of little opportunities of which I took full advantage.”

According to Pfeiffer, the MTL program prepares students for such opportunities by allowing them to discover their talents, polish their skills, learn new concepts and share their ideas. “If you find a little ambiguity and creativity in your workplace and academic journey to be exciting, this is the place for you,” he says. “If you are more interested in strategy and leadership, and less interested in the minutia of things like managerial accounting that are required in most MBA programs, this is the place for you.”