CSpotlight: Applying Data Analysis and Visualization

Why did you choose to pursue a degree in data science specifically at the University of Minnesota?

I first did my undergrad in computer science in India, and I wanted to do a specialization since computer science is a broad field. I thought I wanted to specialize in one particular field, and data science aligned with my interests. I was always interested in drawing patterns, or matching and trying to find some insights from data, which is why I chose data science. I have a cousin who lives in Minnesota, so I came here to be near my family. 

How did you become interested in data science? What are your specific interests within the field?

I liked the analysis and making decisions based on the data. I wanted to learn the tools and skills required to do that stuff, because most companies in today’s world make decisions based on data that they have or that they are collecting. I like the data analysis and reporting part of data science. Not just the analysis, but showing results to management or a business. I like making easily interpretable visualizations for business users. 

Tell us more about your internship experiences.

I had an internship in a financial service company called Piper Sandler, which is located in downtown Minneapolis. After my internship period, I got extended for two more semesters. I am still working with them as a part time employee. I was initially on the Salesforce team, where I was making some customizations and changes to the reports and dashboards in the Salesforce platform for business. Since I was doing my master’s in data science, they wanted to move me to the data science team. Now I’m working on natural language processing and using some python applications that help in financial trades, such as reconciling the jobs between two different systems to make sure the totals match. 

Are you involved in any student groups? What inspired you to get involved? 

I am an international student and have been involved in a couple international student groups and organizations. International Student and Scholars Services (ISSS) organize an event called Small World Coffee Hour which I am the event coordinator for. This is a social event for international students to come together and socialize over cultural food and provide a platform for international students. Two other international students and I organized these events biweekly and I take care of catering. I am also the International Outreach Intern with the Department of Public Safety at the university where I work with the university's police department as the international intern. My work mostly involves acting as a liaison between the international student community and the police department at the university and making sure their safety concerns are addressed. 

What do you hope to contribute to the data science community at the University?

I am doing a capstone project and hopefully contributing to the data science community working with Professor Mokbel. The global road network data changes everyday, and I am trying to make a visualization that can show people all the changes that are happening over a period of time. 

What advice do you have for incoming data science students?

The University of Minnesota has a lot of opportunities, not just in data science but in general. They have so many opportunities where one can try and experiment with what they want to do. It's a great place where students should try everything they can and then figure out which one works best for them. 

What are your plans after graduation?

I am currently working with the same company that I interned with before. My hope is to get a full-time offer from that company and continue my work over there. I really like the people that are in that company and my work in general. If not, I’ll be looking for any other software company around Minneapolis. 

Are there any additional experiences you did that you would like to highlight in the article?

As an international student, I was scared about how it’s going to be here and how the people are going to treat me. Fortunately for me, from day one I had a really good experience. I got to connect with people here and connect with the locals and I got to experience American culture. I got to go on hikes, I kayaked, and I love the lakes near here, so I enjoyed my experiences I’ve had in and around Minnesota.