Our MDI Scholars

What was your journey to the DSAN program at Georgetown?

I became exposed to Data Science through my undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia. In one of my introductory data science courses, my professor recommended that I pursue the Georgetown DSAN program, which landed me where I am today, a semester away from graduating with my Masters in Data Science and Analytics! I was looking for a program that would allow me to sharpen my technical skills in areas such as natural language processing and deep learning as well as a program that would afford me the ability to pursue my studies part-time since I work full-time as a data scientist.

What excited you about the opportunity to work with the Massive Data Institute? How has working with MDI enhanced your experience both in the DSAN program and at Georgetown?

The MDI Scholars research program interested me in that it allows students to get hands-on experience in academic research while working to solve key social justice issues. The MDI program goes a step beyond presentations or research projects one would do as a part of typical coursework, and actually connects the student with the research team, allowing for a more in-depth research experience. In addition to the enhanced research experience, I was also interested in meeting fellow data scientists beyond the DSAN program. Overall, research with the MDI has been a great supplementary experience to help me gain experience in academic research while continuing my studies with the DSAN program. 

What was your journey to the DSAN program at Georgetown?

My journey to the DSAN program at Georgetown began with my wish to go back to school in Washington DC. Beforehand I studied Applied Mathematics & Statistics at Stony Brook University and worked as a data analyst for almost two years. One of the reasons I wanted to move to DC is its proximity to public policy and government. I always found the data side of politics fascinating. Therefore I was eager to work within the Massive Data Institute. 

How has working with MDI enhanced your experience both in the DSAN program and at Georgetown?

Throughout my time working within MDI, I have become more familiar with Twitter data, topic modeling, and social media dynamics. This experience has enhanced my understanding of how data can be used through a public policy lens. I have had the opportunity to meet people from other programs within Georgetown and learn from their projects as well. Overall, my time at MDI has given me the hands-on experience to strengthen the skills I have learned within the DSAN program. 

What was your journey to the DSAN program at Georgetown?

I am currently an undergraduate senior and a part of the 5-year combined/accelerated DSAN program, so I have been at Georgetown for a little longer than most DSAN students. I heard about the creation of a new 5-year program a few years ago, and as someone who is hoping to obtain a career in data science, I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to continue at the school that I love while also taking advantage of obtaining a graduate-level education while still being an undergraduate student. 

What excited you about the opportunity to work with the Massive Data Institute? 

I was excited to continue to enhance my knowledge in all facets of the data project life cycle. I desired the opportunity to work with and learn from fellow Georgetown students and professionals in the field to develop my skills and enhance my repertoire. Through the MDI Scholars program, I have been able to present my work at the end-of-semester research showcase, which has allowed me to build connections and learn to adjust my presentation style to effectively inform groups of people that may have varying degrees of prior knowledge about my research.

How has working with MDI enhanced your experience both in the DSAN program and at Georgetown?

It was beneficial to do my first semester of the MDI Scholars program at the same time as taking ANLY 501, which outlines the data science lifestyle through a semester-long project. It has helped me in the MDI program, as I am better able to focus on what exactly I want to accomplish in each step of my project and effectively plan out how I intend to follow through on that goal. My first semester as both a DSAN student and an MDI Scholar has enhanced my capabilities as a data scientist, and I am excited to continue to grow and learn during my second semester in both programs. 

What was your journey to the DSAN program at Georgetown?

I majored in Economics and Quantitative Social Sciences at Dartmouth College for my undergraduate studies and was primarily focused on leveraging quantitative tools for environmental solutions. My senior thesis was on socioeconomic and demographic predictors of groundwater well overdraft in California counties and used a myriad of Econometric techniques, but I felt that diving deeper into Data Science and building a more robust modeling toolkit would allow me to make a greater impact when addressing these issues. I found the DSAN program at Georgetown fit exactly what I was looking for: strengthening my computational, mathematical, and statistical abilities, and proximity to some of the nation’s most cutting-edge environmental work where I could apply these tools.

How has working with MDI enhanced your experience both in the DSAN program and at Georgetown?

My work at the Massive Data Institute’s Environmental Impact Data Collaborative has given me the opportunity to not only apply computational and analytical skills to environmental issues but has allowed me to connect with the nonprofits and community leaders working at the forefront of DC’s climate solutions. My work has primarily been in building tools and developing reports that help identify marginalized communities for major climate infrastructure funding. Getting to work with large-scale data across industries, using data analytics skills honed from DSAN, and building leadership and project management skills for an impact-driven organization like MDI has been extremely fulfilling.

What excited you about the opportunity to work with the Massive Data Institute?

As an MDI Scholar, I have been able to gain valuable insights into the role of social media in society, particularly during the ongoing pandemic. Through my research, I have seen the power of technology to connect people and bring about positive changes in the world. However, I have also come to understand the potential negative impacts of social media, and the need to carefully consider how advanced technologies are used.

How has working with MDI enhanced your experience both in the DSAN program and at Georgetown?

I hope to continue exploring the use of data and models to predict and mitigate the negative impacts of social media on society and to use machine-learning methods to help people in need. I am particularly interested in using unsupervised and supervised learning methods to gain a better understanding of social media dynamics and to develop strategies for addressing the challenges posed by these platforms. By engaging with MDI in the future, I hope to continue advancing my research and making a positive impact on society.

What was your journey to the DSAN program at Georgetown?

Before coming to the DSAN program at Georgetown, I spent the last three years working in the defense consulting space in the DC area, where I worked as a data analyst, software tester, project manager, consultant, and wargame designer. After a lot of hard work in that space, I found myself wanting to return to my undergraduate degree in Statistics. I had the desire to combine what I learned during that time with my favorite aspects of working in data analytics professionally. Data Science has interested me for years, but after some time away from school gaining confidence and additional skills, I felt prepared and motivated to apply. I’ve always wanted to attend Georgetown, so joining the DSAN program has really felt like a dream coming true. 

What excited you about the opportunity to work with the Massive Data Institute?

During my undergraduate career, I decided to major in both Political Science and Statistics, two fields that seemed wildly different and even unrelated to many people. My jobs and internships during that time involved working as a Political Science research assistant, and my jobs once I graduated leaned in more heavily to my Statistics background. Working with the Massive Data Institute was finally an opportunity to combine two things I was passionate about. Additionally, the specific research projects being done at MDI really interested me, and I found it really appealing that they could have broad-reaching impacts on the community and the nation. 

How has working with MDI enhanced your experience both in the DSAN program and at Georgetown?

MDI has been crucial to my success so far in the DSAN program and at Georgetown overall. As someone who did not join the program with a significant coding background, my work at MDI has pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to gain experience in many more advanced data science and coding projects. I feel that the most effective way to learn a skill, especially something like coding, is by having to face and work through projects that are challenging, sometimes even feeling frustrating or beyond your skill set. The work being done at MDI has motivated me a lot to improve my skills by jumping in the deep end, and has made me more passionate about Data Science as a whole.