Teng Li

When Teng Li noticed the increased popularity of large language models like ChatGPT, it got her to thinking.

Originally from China, Li had a background in computer science and computer vision, and had been working as a Machine Learning Engineer for four years before considering a return to university.

“I’d spent years honing my programming skills, and suddenly, with tools like ChatGPT, it felt like anyone could program like a pro overnight,” she says. “That forced me to reflect on my career path and seriously think about where I could continue to add value”.

Li started looking into the field of data analysis.  

“I realized that while AI can assist with programming, I do not believe it can fully replace the human ability to interpret domain-specific datasets and uncover meaningful insights,” she says. “I had done some data-related work before, but I wanted to study it systematically to really build a strong foundation and develop a deeper intuition for data science—that’s what led me to the program.”

Li chose the Master of Data Science at UBC Okanagan because of the strong computer science and statistics-oriented curriculum, noting that the program dives into foundational topics like optimization and statistical theory.

Though she found the accelerated nature of the program to be demanding, she’s happy to have challenged herself.

“Beyond the technical skills, one of the biggest things I learned was how to manage my time effectively and balance life with study,” she says. “You’re expected to learn new concepts and tools very quickly, and not just understand them, but also develop the ability to apply them in projects. It’s a program that challenges and shapes you in many ways, not just academically, but also in terms of mindset and problem-solving.”

As part of the program, Li completed a capstone project with Fujitsu Intelligence Technology—a global business and technology solutions firm with offices in Canada and Japan. Li and her team were tasked with accurately identifying suspicious actions in real time from live video streams using cutting-edge deep learning models.

To achieve this, Li and her team designed a lightweight pipeline optimized for deployment on surveillance systems, and also built a full end-to-end system with data pre-processing, model training, evaluation and inference.

“This project really helped us bridge theory and real-world application, and it was an exciting opportunity to collaborate with an industry partner to solve a meaningful problem.”

Overall, Li says she highly recommends the program to those who are looking to transition into the data science field.

“It’s a well-designed program that equips you with a strong, well-rounded foundation in data science technologies and practices,” she says, adding that in addition to enjoying the curriculum, she also enjoyed living in the beautiful Okanagan Valley.

“I loved living in Kelowna. Compared to larger cities, it’s a much more peaceful and compact place, which made it great for both studying and living,” she says, noting that hiking and kayaking were her activities of choice.

Now graduated, Li has relocated to Vancouver and works as a Research and Development Engineer at Synopsys, a multinational leader in engineering solutions from silicon to system, enabling customers to rapidly innovate AI-powered products.

“I feel really lucky to have landed this role, because it allows me to use both my data science and computer science skill sets, and it’s been exciting to apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world industry challenges,” she says.

“My goal is to be a bridge between the two areas—I want to help build seamless, intelligent systems that combine strong technical infrastructure with data-driven insights—and thanks to my training at UBC Okanagan, I am now right where I want to be.”

Teng’s Top 3 Tips on Succeeding in the MDS Okanagan Program:

1. Get to Know Your Professors and Peers:  The smaller cohort at UBC Okanagan makes it easier to build relationships with those around you. Take the opportunity—these individuals will become valuable connections and part of your future professional network.
2. Take time to enjoy your new home: It’s important to have a study-life balance, so spend your time away from the classroom participating in outdoor activities like hiking, biking, snowboarding, kayaking, wind-surfing and more.
3. Don’t be Shy: This is an accelerated program, so if you don’t understand something, it’s important that you seek help from professors immediately, who are available to help and want you to succeed. 

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