Student Highlight: Nicole Nie

Nicole Nie, Class of 2027

Christensen Center Product Lab Fellow Nicole Nie (’27) is an Economics major with a passion for connecting ideas across disciplines through product management. Inspired by the role of PMs as “conductors of the orchestra,” Nicole has grown from a curious first-year student in Product Management 1 to a teaching assistant and now a Product Lab Fellow, helping shape the future of Duke’s emerging product innovation community.

Major / Academic Focus

Economics Major, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Certificate, Visual & Media Studies Minor

Why do you like Product Management?

When I took Product Management 1, one guest speaker described product managers as the “conductor of the orchestra,” and I was immediately drawn to that idea. PMs are involved in every aspect of a product but aren’t necessarily experts in all of them. Ever since I was little, I’ve been curious about a little bit of everything. I may not be an expert in every area, but I can quickly understand new concepts, connect ideas across disciplines, and lead cross-functional teams, which is exactly what PMs do.

PM Journey at Duke + Summer Internship

I signed up to take Product Management 1 my freshman year without really understanding what product management was. Through four amazing instructors and weekly guest speakers, I quickly became fascinated by product and could see myself in their shoes. I learned that PMs don’t necessarily have to be technical, as long as they can speak the language. The following semester, I became a teaching assistant for the course and continued for a year. After completing Product Management 2, I joined CFCI as a fellow and now help lead Product Lab in its inaugural semester.

Looking Ahead as a Fellow

I’m excited to be part of building and shaping Product Lab at Duke. Our team is constantly reflecting, iterating, and improving the program as we go, and it’s been a challenging but incredibly rewarding journey. As a junior, I’m looking forward to seeing the program grow and strengthen over the next year. Word is already spreading on campus, and I can’t wait to see what’s ahead.