What initially made you want to pursue a degree in data science?

Before going into the master's program, I completed an internship that showed me how applicable machine learning is in industry projects. I was immediately captivated by those sorts of applications and, having studied applied-mathematics as an undergraduate, thought that "data science" was a natural place to continue my studies in order to be better prepared for jobs in the future!

What are you currently doing now with your ScM in Data Science?

I am currently a Data Scientist at Nagnoi, working with the Algorithms and Machine Learning team on various projects.

What do you think are the most important skills you learned during the program?

The program reinforced my understanding of probability, statistics, and the foundational mathematics necessary to work in data science. Simultaneously, the program taught me the specifics of different ML and AI models and methodologies so that I could incorporate these tools into my data scientist toolbox.

What was the most rewarding experience that you had during your time in the program?

I particularly enjoyed my elective, "Computational Linguistics," more than I thought I would. We studied deep learning and neural networks through the specific lens of modern natural language applications. Professor Pavlick also made sure to give us a broader context of the field, its origins, and its most recent trends.

Did you have a favorite course during the program and why? 

I enjoyed every single class and can't pick one favorite! From the foundational data science courses with Professor Zsom, to the probability and mathematical simulation course with Professor Meng, to Data Engineering with Professor Pradhan (where we learned about emerging industry technologies like Spark and noSQL databases), and to Deep learning with Professor Singh - all of them gave us different perspectives as well as technical depth and breadth. The knowledge from all of these courses combined is what makes the strength of the program; students can learn industry trends in one class and then work on their mathematical abilities in the next, finishing the day with work on some exciting AI code afterwards.

Finally, what would you tell a prospective student about the DSI, Brown, or Providence as a whole to help them make the most of their experience here?

I would tell incoming students that there are many student clubs that are open to grad students. Whether you like to do martial arts, play a team sport, play music, or paint, there is always a crowd for you! There are also regularly occurring social gatherings specifically for graduate students. If all else fails, you can visit downtown Providence to check out different museums, cafes, restaurants, historic churches and libraries, shopping centers, and countless entertainment venues. You can also just relax on Brown's lovely campus and maybe play a game of chess with a fellow grad student (you can always learn something from your peers).