Students and Alumni

UBC MDS attracts bright minds from a wide range of backgrounds. Find out more about our students and alumni read about what they were doing prior to joining the program, their experience during the program, and their journey ahead.

Vancouver

Alumni

Employment Status 6 and 12 Months After Graduation

Employment Positions

Data Science Consultant/Contractor Software Engineer
Software Developer/Data Engineer Research and Innovation Intern
Data Scientist Machine Learning Engineer
Data Management Engineer Consultant
Data Manager Technical Business Analyst
Data Engineer Analyst
Data Analyst Faculty, Operations Management
Research Analyst Application Architect
Faculty/Data Analyst in Residence Artificial Intelligence Industry Analyst Intern
Computational Biologist Business Intelligence Engineer
Senior Data Analyst Data Intelligence Platform Analyst
Business Insights Analyst Quantitative Analyst
Manager Finance and Strategy Fraud Modeler
Machine Learning Developer Senior Data Scientist
Director of Data and Technology Specialist of the Department of Analysis and Strategy
Predictive Analyst Machine Learning Developer
Simulation Manager Director, Compensation Data and Research
Associate Director of Marketing Analytics Manager, Visualization and Support
Investigative Trading Analyst Senior Policy Analyst
Knowledge Engineer BI Analyst

Job Location

Alumni Incomes

Top Industries Worked In

* Based on MDS Vancouver alumni survey responses 6 months and 1 year after graduation since the class of 2017.

Students

Previous Degree

Where Students Come From

Previous Degree Level

Gender Identification

Years Since Last Degree

Class Size

* Based on all MDS Vancouver cohorts since the class of 2017.

Okanagan

Alumni

Employment Status 6 and 12 Months After Graduation

Employment Positions

Senior Analytics Specialist Data Analyst, Enterprise Business Intelligence Team
Data Science Research Assistant Data Developer
Public Health Epidemiologist Data Analyst
Research Analyst Data visualization analyst
Senior Data Scientist Director Industry AI
Quality Assurance Engineer Machine Learning engineer
Director, Research and Data Science Data Scientist & Engineer
Data Scientist  

Job Location

Alumni Incomes

Top Industries Worked In

* Based on MDS Okanagan alumni survey responses 6 months and 1 year after graduation since the class of 2019.

Students

Previous degree

Geography

Previous Degree Level

Years Since Last Degree

Gender Identification

Class Size

* Based on all MDS Okanagan cohorts since the class of 2019.

Computational Linguistics

Alumni

Employment Status 6 Months After Graduation

Employment Positions

Data Analyst Developer
Agile Developer Data Scientist
Machine Learning Engineer - Speech Recognition Applied Data Scientist III
Software Developer Data Science Intern
Business intelligence developer NLP/Deep Learning Engineer
Language Engineer Machine Learning Engineer
NLU Language Consultant Data Engineer
NLP Machine Learning Engineer AI Developer
Data Extraction Developer Marketing Data Scientist
NLP Data Scientist Software Engineer - NLP/NLU
Computational Linguist Senior Data Analyst
Senior AI Engineer Prompt Engineer

Job Location

Alumni Incomes

Top Industries Worked In

* Based on MDS Computational Linguistics alumni survey responses 6 months after graduation since the class of 2020.

Students

Previous Degree

Geography

Previous degree

Years Since Last Degree

Gender Identification

Class Size

* Based on all MDS Computational Linguistics cohorts since the class of 2020.

Student and Alumni Profiles

All

Class of 2024

Master of Data Science Vancouver John Shiu

John Shiu

“Tiffany [Timbers] greatly inspired me during the program. Her enthusiasm and dedication to advancing industry practices in data science are truly remarkable. I was fortunate to collaborate with her on the capstone project, which provided me with invaluable insights into the best practices in the data science field.”

Previous Degree: Master's of Philosophy in Physics from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2024

Over nearly a decade, I self-taught necessary skills in data science and software development. However, to overcome professional growth limitations and solidify my expertise for long-term success, I decided to strengthen my foundation through another master's program.

About John Shiu 

Before (and even throughout) the MDS program, John worked as a Portfolio Manager at CryptAM.fund, a specialized cryptocurrency hedge fund. This role involved significant data analysis related to financial data, the development and maintenance of in-house trading systems, and business decision-making with senior management. John is taking what he has learned in several MDS courses and applying it back to his organization. When not studying data science, John enjoyed driving, Muay Tahi and skiing around Metro Vancouver. Read John’s story.

Class of 2023

Master of Data Science Okanagan Vimal Singh

Vimaljeet Singh

“Learning MDS in the Okanagan has provided me a high-quality education combined with a well-rounded experience, including nature, industry connections, community support, and cultural exploration. It was an enriching and memorable journey.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication from Lovely Professional University    
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2023

During my pursuit of a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in International Business in 2019, I delved into the field of statistics for business and economics. Additionally, I dedicated a summer day to participate in a workshop focused on Arduino programming, where I had the opportunity to create a line-following robot. These experiences collectively revealed my profound interest in both statistics and programming. Through further exploration, I discovered that data science seamlessly merged the domains of mathematics, statistics, and programming, igniting my passion for this interdisciplinary field. 

About Vimaljeet Singh

Prior to joining the MDS Okanagan program, Vimaljeet pursued professional certifications in Python and Google Data Analytics. Vimaljeet was already residing in the Okanagan when he discovered that UBC’s Okanagan campus had a master of data science program. Studying MDS in the Okanagan has been an incredible experience for Vimaljeet. The region's natural beauty offers a refreshing break, allowing Vimaljeet to find balance and recharge amidst intense studies. The thriving tech ecosystem provided ample networking, internship, and job opportunities in data science for Vimaljeet. The close-knit community and smaller cohort size fostered strong connections and collaborations with classmates and professors, enhancing Vimaljeet's learning experience. When not in the MDS program, Vimaljeet listens to TED talks and Bollywood music. As well, Vimaljeet enjoys cooking and cleaning to relax. Read Vimal’s story.

Qurat-ul-Ain Azim, Master of Data Science Vancouver Headshot Square

Qurat-ul-ain Azim

“The UBC MDS program stood out for many reasons. UBC’s prestige, the breadth of topics covered in the MDS curriculum, and the 10-month duration were on the top of my list.”

Previous Degree: Doctor of Philosophy – PhD. Applied Mathematics from the Imperial College London  
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2023

Due to my training in mathematics, I always used to do numbers and analytical work. My work involved looking at applicable problems from a math perspective, and I kept thinking of shifting the lens where I do applications that leveraged math and analytical skills. Data Science was a perfect combination of numbers, analysis and amazing applications that really make a real-world difference.

About Qurat-ul-ain Azim

After obtaining her PhD in Mathematics from the Imperial College London, Qurat-ul-Ain Azim spent six years working as an academic teaching and doing research in Applied Mathematics. Qurat hopes to use all that she has learned to teaching data science skills, or where she can leverage her abilities to benefit people’s life in general. When not in the MDS program, Qurat enjoys spending time with her son. Qurat also bakes for some much needed me time. Read Qurat’s story.

Master of Data Science Okanagan Ricky Heinrich

Ricky Heinrich

"I appreciated the fact that the UBC MDS program did not require a statistics or computer science undergrad, but rather accepted interdisciplinary backgrounds. This meant not only I could apply, but my peers were sure to come from varied and interesting backgrounds."

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from University of Alberta 
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2023

I realized that my favourite parts of my courses as well as my work experience were the data parts: gathering data, analyzing it, getting insights, visualizing trends and results … I liked my analytical chemistry courses the best, where we needed to replicate experiments with high precision and gather data to analyze. I enjoyed the reports that required use of regression modelling. Getting trained in data science would give me skills to go work anywhere and with anybody.  

About Ricky Heinrich

Ricky obtained their Bachelor of Science in Physical Sciences (and minor in business) from the University of Alberta. Ricky appreciated that the MDS Okanagan program did not require a statistics or computer science background but accepted those from interdisciplinary backgrounds. The program provided Ricky a great base of skills that are widely applicable and they wouldn’t have been able to learn as many relevant skills to data science in the 10 months without it. Outside of MDS, Ricky loves to go climbing, and in the winter enjoys ice-skating and skiing. Read Ricky’s story.

Master of Data Science Computational Linguistics Kai Maurin-Jones Headshot

Kai Maurin-Jones

“The content covered in the program is specifically chosen by staff to be not just what is fundamental and necessary to the field, but also exactly what is most sought-after in-industry at the moment”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Arts – Language and Intercultural Relations, French & Language and Cognition from Toronto Metropolitan University
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2023

I’ve always been a very analytical person, and though I came from a qualitative background I wanted to fulfill the part of me that was curious about the quantitative side of things. Combining my interest in linguistics with my interest in quantitative methodologies, MDS Computational Linguistics seemed like a perfect fit. 

About Kai Maurin-Jones

Kai completed his Bachelor of Arts in Language and Intercultural Relations, French & Language and Cognition from Toronto Metropolitan University. During his second year, he worked as a Research Assistant working on a project investigating multilingual codeswitching practices in the Philippines, which introduced him to the world of data science. The top benefits of the program for Kai included the diversity of the students coming into the program, the breadth of content covered in such a short time, and the non-academic resources available to the students. In his free time, Kai enjoys keeping active and music, where in another life he was an audio engineer and has recorded music professionally. Read Kai’s story.

Master of Data Science Okanagan Lili Tang

Lili Tang

“The MDS program at UBC offers an accelerated 10-month curriculum that covers all stages of the data science value chain, providing me with a comprehensive skill set in a relatively short period of time. Moreover, the program's structure allows me to quickly return to the workforce after completing my studies.”

Previous Degree: Master of International Business, International Trade and Investment and Financing Management from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics 
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2023

In today's era, the advancements in computer technology have opened new possibilities for data analysis, leading to the growing significance of quantitative analysis in the financial industry. With a strong desire to explore the optimal synergy between human insights and machine capabilities, I was eager to transition my focus to Quantamental (Quant & Fundamental) analysis. This professional ambition places high demands on my analytical expertise, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. Therefore, pursuing a master's degree in data science had become a pressing priority for me.

About Lili Tang

Prior to joining the MDS Okanagan program, Lili was a fundamental analyst in bulk commodities, focusing on price trend predication and providing arbitrage strategies for trading based on futures and derivatives markets. Lili’s time in the MDS Okanagan program gave her the ability to effectively leverage data science skills to solve practical problems. Outside of MDS, Lili enjoys hiking and cooking. Read Lili’s story.

Michelle Yun, Master of Data Science in Computational Linguistics

Michelle Yun

“I was intrigued by the MDS Computational program because it offered me the chance to step out of my comfort zone and gain new skills in coding and working with data.” 

Previous Degree: Bachelor's in Speech Science from the University of British Columbia   
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2023

While I’d initially planned on pursuing a masters in speech-language pathology, I was intrigued by the MDS Computational Linguistics program because it offered me the chance to step out of my comfort zone and gain new skills in coding and working with data. After tackling some small projects related to data science and learning about cutting-edge developments in the field of NLP and Computational Linguistics, I realized this was a career I felt passionate about.

About Michelle Yun

Michelle received her Bachelor of Arts in Speech Sciences at the University of British Columbia. During her undergrad, took some graduate level classes in semantics and syntax where she was immediately interested in the way that language could be analyzed in a logical, mathematical way and wondered if there was a way to apply her background in theoretical linguistics to a technical field. This led Michelle to the MDS Computational Linguistics program. Read Michelle’s story.

Master of Data Science Vancouver Nabi profile

Nabi Zadeh

“MDS is a transformative and comprehensive program that will equip you with a solid foundation in data science and the necessary skills to thrive in the industry. It is intense and requires dedication and commitment to the classes and labs.”

Previous Degree: Master of Business Administration, Marketing from the University of Tehran      
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2023   

As a data-driven marketer, I implemented marketing and analytics strategies and tactics to interact with users and evaluate their engagement with digital products. Simultaneously, I expanded my skills and understanding of business administration by pursuing an MBA in Marketing in 2017. In a nutshell, my career has consistently intersected with data, making the MDS program a logical next step in my professional and academic journey.

About Nabi Zadeh

Nabi holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of Tehran and believes the MDS program exposed him to a broad range of courses, from causal inference and deep learning to data visualization and communication, that has effectively prepared him for the job market and transitioned him into a data science career. Outside of the MDS program, Nabi co-hosts the "Data Science at Home" podcast, where he delves into new Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence techniques. As well, when not in MDS, you will find Nabi recharging his batteries doing several outdoor activities like road cycling, skiing, and hiking. Read Nabi’s story.

Meiyu Zheng, Master of Data Science in Computational Linguistics

Meiyu Zheng

“This program stands out due to its unique blend of data science and NLP courses, serving as a quick refresher and bridges the knowledge gap for students like me who completed their bachelor's degrees years ago and are transitioning from non-STEM fields.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Zhejiang University
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2023

I love learning and teaching languages and I’ve also always been passionate about leveraging data to solve business problems at work. This has led me to realize that computational linguistics is the perfect crossroads of these interests.

About Meiyu Zheng

Meiyu has a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Zhejiang University. Prior to entering the MDS Computational Linguistics program, Meiyu was a curriculum designer at Duolingo where she realized the she wanted to pursue a master’s degree in data science with a focus on Natural Language Processing. When not in the MDS Computational Linguistics program, Meiyu enjoys biking and learning new languages. Read Meiyu’s story.

Master of Data Science Lauren Zung Capstone Project

Lauren Zung

“There is something in MDS for everyone, regardless of where you’re starting from. Some of us were engineers or programmers before the program, while others have backgrounds in STEM, arts, business, all walks of life. At the end of the day, we all brought something different to the table and are now trained technical professionals.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia      
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2023   
 

During my undergrad, I signed up for a programming course on a whim and ended up really enjoying it. I decided to take more electives over the years in data structures and algorithms, statistical modeling, database design, and applied machine learning and found a particular interest in data science.

About Lauren Zung

While completing her Bachelor’s of Science Behavioural Neuroscience from the University of British Columbia, Lauren worked as a junior data scientist for the UBC Digital Emergency Medicine lab where she was developing machine learning models to aid in the detection of lung pathologies. It was this experience that made Lauren realize she wanted to learn more in this area and found MDS’ comprehensive curriculum gave her the breadth and depth of knowledge she desired. Outside of MDS, Lauren is a big foodie and loves trying new restaurants around Vancouver. Lauren is also a film buff and gaming enthusiast. Read Lauren’s story.

Class of 2022

Ruben Master of Data Science Vancouver

Rubén De la Garza Macías

"The MDS program is one the highest-rated data science programs in Canada. It is a program that prepares you to work in data science as soon as you finish."

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey
Prior Experience: SaaS Implementation & Analytics Consultant – Logistics, BTC Business Transformation Consulting
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2022

My job as a consultant made me realize how much I loved analyzing and working with data. I was also able to see how powerful it can be to automate processes to clean, gather summarized statistics and relevant patterns from data, especially when it is big.

About Rubén De la Garza Macías 

Prior to joining the MDS program, Rubén was working as a SaaS implementation consultant, mainly focused on supply chain optimization software. Rubén credits the MDS program for giving him the data science skills needed for him to kickstart his data science career and eventually hopes to start his own data science consulting practice. In his spare time, Rubén enjoys playing music and even brought his guitar with him to Vancouver. Read Rubén’s story.
 

Gautham - Master of Data Science Vancouver

Gautham Pughazhendhi

"I wanted to find a curriculum that will enable me to add data science skillsets to my software engineering toolbox. The UBC MDS program perfectly matched all these requirements making me want to be a part of this program."

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering from Anna University
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2022

My bachelor’s capstone project was based on machine learning in which my team and I built a machine learning model to predict whether an earthquake can cause a tsunami given the earthquake characteristics. During my professional experience, I worked on building conversational AI agents for major multinational retail and financial corporations. All these contributions made me realize my interest in this field, and I wanted to pursue a professional master’s degree to gain in-depth academic knowledge.

About Gautham Pughazhendhi

After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering from Anna University, Gautham worked as a software engineer as part of a machine learning team at Sirius Computer Solutions, a CDW company. Because of the intense nature of the MDS program, Gautham credits the program for teaching him to manage my priorities efficiently and be productive. When not in class, avid swimmer, Gautham frequented the UBC Aquatic Center. Read Gautham’s story.
 

Nico Van den Hooff Master of Data Science Vancouver

Nico Van den Hooff

"The UBC MDS program offered a great balance of the skills needed to succeed in machine learning and data science.  In addition, the 10-month duration of the program was very attractive as it was really the fastest way for me to pivot with additional education."
 

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Technology in Accounting from British Columbia Institute of Technology
Prior Experience: Senior Accountant / Consultant, KPMG
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2022

At KPMG, I worked on a few projects where we utilized data analytics and data visualization which introduced me to the world of data science. I saw the value that data science could provide to companies, and after some time found my true passion which is machine learning. mainly worked with large banking, credit union, wealth management, manufacturing, and real estate clients.

About Nico Van den Hoff

Vancouver native Nico obtained his Bachelor of Technology in Accounting from British Columbia Institute of Technology and was working in finance at KPMG LLP prior to joining the MDS Vancouver program mainly working with large banking, credit union, wealth management, manufacturing, and real estate clients. It was while working at KPMG that Nico realized his passion for machine learning. In Nico’s spare time, he enjoys long distance running (marathons), playing golf, and collecting whisky and wine. Read Nico’s story.
 

Class of 2021

Ela Bandari Headshot

Ela Bandari

“I decided on MDS because of its 10-month duration, the breadth of topics covered and its focus on community.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science, Honours in Behavioural Neuroscience (Minor in Biology), University of British Columbia
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2021

During my undergraduate degree, I was involved with multiple research projects. In these projects, my favourite stages of the research cycle were experimental design and data analysis. MDS was the perfect opportunity to further my understanding in these topics.

About Ela Bandari

Prior to MDS, Bandari completed my B.Sc. in Behavioural Neuroscience with a minor in Biology at UBC. After completing the MDS program, Bandari will be starting medical school at the University of Western Ontario in the fall. Bandari believes MDS has given her a broad knowledge base and technical skillset that will serve her in her future career and put her in a unique position at the intersection of data science and medicine. Outside of MDS, Bandari loves spending time outdoors like doing multi-day backpacking trips. Read Ela’s Story.

Selma Duric

Selma Durić

“One of the greatest strengths of the MDS program is their openness to students from different academic backgrounds.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance, Simon Fraser University
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2021

As a CPA, I believe that I am in a unique role where I have a good understanding of the business needs but also have the strong analytical skills needed for programming and statistics. I consider data science as a tool which can be applied to many different fields and see it as being the path forward to significantly improve the work that accountants do and the analytics and reporting that business operations rely on. 

About Selma Durić

Prior to entering the MDS Vancouver program, Selma earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance from Simon Fraser University. Selma worked as a senior accountant where much of her accounting work relied on data. It was there Selma realized the potential value she could bring by finding better approaches to working with data. As a long-time Vancouverite, Selma loves spending her time outdoors. When the sun is out, Selma likes to walk/cycle around and explore the different neighbourhoods of Vancouver. Read Selma’s story.

Rafael Pilliard Hellwig

Rafael Pillard Hellwig

"Coming from a non-STEM background, one of the things that drew me to the MDS is that it has a broad and diverse mission statement for recruitment. This program is known for being diverse, and I continually gain insights from the experiences that my peers bring to the table."

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Law and Political Science, Carleton University
Prior Experience: Monitoring & Evaluation Lead, USAID Jordan Local Enterprise Support Project
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2021

An increasing number of tools now exist that fully automate the machine learning pipeline, such that anyone can fit a powerful model with little to no code. In some ways, that is wonderful because it democratizes the field. But it also opens up the risk that people use AI without understanding their models. This is why for me, a critical function of the data scientists is to interpret and explain. It is about knowing how to frame a problem before crunching the numbers. For anyone worried about the future job market, these human roles are going to be replaced by machines for a long time. With its emphasis on communication, ethics, and extracting knowledge from data, the MDS will give you the technical and critical thinking skills to become a thinking data scientist who can tackle a broad range of problems.

About Rafael Pilliard Hellwig

After completing his undergraduate studies in the social sciences, Rafael moved to the Middle East to work in organizational development, sustainability consulting, and economic development. In these roles, a common thread has been that Rafael helped companies and governments make complex data intelligible and accessible. His experience includes leading large-scale enterprise surveys, answering causal questions through quasi-experimental analysis, championing open-data initiatives and corporate transparency, and creating tools that automate the analytics pipeline. After moving back to his hometown of Vancouver in 2019, Rafael focused on helping foreign aid implementers communicate complex concepts through visualization. Rafael chose the MDS Vancouver program to deepen his technical acumen and build a network of like-minded professionals.

Tanmay Sharma

Tanmay Sharma

“The MDS program has been carefully designed to impart essential data science skills to make individuals job ready.”

Previous Degree: Master of Science in Computer Science, Santa Clara University
Previous Experience: Senior Associate – Data Analytics, Tredence Inc.
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2021

While I was working with a lot of data and had come to appreciate the bigger picture of data science through my training as a computer scientist, I felt the need for a closer and more rounded hands-on association with the different aspects of the discipline. The MDS program seemed to be a perfect match to help me achieve this goal and advance my career to its next level.

About Tanmay Sharma

Sharma started his career as a Hardware Development Engineer of SSD drives at a leading global data storage company. In that role, Sharma’s interest in data science was piqued as he was seeing the explosion of big data and the increase use of machine learning and artificial intelligence across all industries and its profound impact on transforming global businesses. Sharma highly recommend MDS to people looking to initiate or further a career in data science. Read Tanmay's story.

Class of 2020

Rob Blumberg

Rob Blumberg

“There are so many smart and friendly people from different educational and cultural backgrounds in MDS, which makes learning and collaborating so much easier.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Physics, McGill University
Previous Experience: Data Science Intern, BMO Financial Group
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2020

It was around my third year of undergrad that I started hearing and learning more about data science. My first real encounter with data science came through my passion for soccer, as I discovered articles and blog posts explaining how data science is used to inform decisions across various departments in professional clubs. I was particularly interested in learning about these models and algorithms that were capable of uncovering meaningful insights about soccer games from data which did not seem to contain obvious patterns

About Rob Blumberg

Prior to MDS, Rob obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physics from McGill University. Right before starting the MDS program, Rob interned as a data scientist at BMO, where he worked on the People Analytics team. His team analyzed employee data, and his job was to analyze employee exit surveys to find out what was driving voluntary turnover. Read Rob's story.

Alistair Clark

Alistair Clark

“I chose the MDS program as a way to quickly build the skills and credibility I needed to transition into data science. I could have tried to build these skills while working at my previous company, but that would have taken longer and would have made it difficult to break into the job market.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Queen's University in Kingston, ON
Prior Experience: Lead Product Developer and Head of Product, I Will Teach/GrowthLab and Management Consultant at Accenture Strategy
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2020

At the startup I worked for prior to MDS, I was facing big questions around our product and market strategy. We had plenty of data from our 40,000 customers and 500,000 email list subscribers, but we were only performing superficial analysis. I knew there were insights we were missing, but no one had the skills or experience to use and interpret the data effectively. I discovered the field of data science while looking for new tools and techniques to analyze our data.

About Alistair Clark

Prior to the MDS program, Alistair was the Lead Product Developer and Head of Product for I Will Teach/Growth Labs, an online e-learning startup. He also worked for 4 years as a management consultant with Accenture Strategy focused on financial modelling and business cases. Alistair came to the world of data science while looking for a better way to analyze customer data and make decisions about product and market strategy. Alistair holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Queen's University at Kingston.

Cari Gostic

Cari Gostic

“I’m finishing the program with confidence that I can pick up on new platforms, languages, methodologies, and frameworks on the fly.”  

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University
Previous Experience: Analyst, Consulting Team, Risk Management Solutions (RMS)
Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2020

I decided to pursue data science because it combines everything I like about research -- uncovering insights, the thrill of discovery, working with new and interesting data -- but is extensible across all fields. I love the idea that I can apply this skill-set effectively in completely different topics from day to day. It makes the future very exciting, because rather than looking for a specific type of job, I can instead look for a specific type of company whose mission and values I really believe in.

About Cari Gostic

New York-native Cari came to the MDS program after previously working as an analyst on the consulting team with Risk Management Solutions, a catastrophe modeling company. While working with RMS, Cari worked to streamline the integration of RMS software into clients’ workflows and complete custom projects like in-depth analyses of exposure or custom app development. Cari holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Atmospheric Science from Cornell University. Read Cari's story.

Class of 2020

Christian Hluchy

Christian Hluchy

“The smaller cohort in the Okanagan makes it more personable and it makes me feel more connected to the program."

Previous Degree: Master's of Business Administration, University of British Columbia
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2020

While I was born and raised in Kelowna, I always knew I wanted to pursue an education in a different city. After obtaining my undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus, I worked for seven years before returning to UBC, where I obtained my master’s degree. I then moved to Calgary where, in my operations role using large data sets to inform drilling locations, I began to see the importance and value of data analysis. When it came time to return to the Okanagan while also pursuing a master’s degree in data science, the more research I did about the MDS program at UBCO, I knew it was the right fit.  Now I’m combining my business acumen and technical background with working knowledge taught in the MDS program.

About Christian Hluchy

A Kelowna native, Christian relocated to Vancouver where he received his undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia.  Christian then obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration nearly a decade later, also from the University of British Columbia, before moving to Alberta to pursue a career in the oil and gas sector. After a successful stint as an operations manager that exposed him to the value of statistical analysis, Christian began looking for different career options that would help him find employment in the Okanagan. His research into the best data science program led him directly to MDS program on the UBCO campus, where he has excelled in the smaller learning environment. Christian hopes to combine his business background with the working knowledge taught in the MDS program to pursue a data related role in the Okanagan.

Kaitlyn Hobbs

Kaitlyn Hobbs

“UBC MDS Okanagan offers intimate class sizes and specialized professors that motivate participation, networking, and rapid skill development.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Medical Sciences Degree with an Honors Specialization in Biochemistry, Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2020

[While completing my undergraduate studies], I was lucky to land myself in dry labs, where I found myself enjoying statistical analysis and introductory-level programming. I wanted to elevate my foundational skills as I believe . . . data science is an effective tool that leads to a measurably impactful career in an array of disciplines. When looking at programs with accelerated learning combined with small class sizes and a campus with a close-knit community feel, the MDS program on the UBCO campus presented itself as the perfect fit. I hope to utilize the working knowledge taught in the MDS program to pursue a data related role in the global health sector.

About Kaitlyn Hobbs

Originally from Mississauga, Ontario, Kaitlyn obtained a Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree from Western University. It was during her undergraduate studies where she developed a deep appreciation for statistical analysis and programming and it was Kaitlyn’s investigation into the best data science program that led her directly to UBCO’s MDS program. Kaitlyn hopes to parlay the knowledge taught in the MDS program on the Okanagan campus into a job in the global health sector, where she would like to work on improving data collection. Read Kaitlyn's story.

Connor Lee

Connor Lee

“The UBC MDS Okanagan program provides a fast paced learning environment that provides you with the skills to get started in a career in data science or machine learning.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor Degree, Mechanical Engineering from the University of Victoria
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2020

I gained an interest in improving my data collection and analysis techniques through teaching myself how to use Excel VBA. I started to look into how I could further improve my skills and during this search, I found that data science was the field that employed the skills that I was looking to develop. I searched for programs that offered both small class sizes and an accelerated learning path. I quickly discovered that my best option would be to return home and attend UBCO’s MDS program. Now through the program, I have gained the skills and knowledge to apply for entry level data science, data analyst, and machine learning positions.

About Connor Lee

Connor, a native of Vernon, obtained a Bachelor Degree, Mechanical Engineering from the University of Victoria. Having developed a deep appreciation for data collection and analysis techniques, Lee’s desire to improve his technical abilities and love for the Okanagan led him straight to UBCO’s MDS program. Read Connor's story.

Swapil Paliwal.

Swapil Paliwal

“This is an excellent program, in an amazing location. The MDS-O program provides an exceptional foundation in the areas of data science.”

Previous Degree: Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2020

I have always had an interest in multidisciplinary fields which allow for collaborative work, and have applications in variety of areas. Data science is one such field and being able to see its wide impacts in almost all walks of life really got me hooked. Now through the program, I feel confident and prepared to enter the job market knowing the program has provided me with tools and knowledge I will need to succeed.

About Swapil Paliwal

Originally from (Firozabad, India), Swapil obtained a Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Washington. It was during his time working as a Data Scientist where he fostered an interest in sharpening his technical skills.  Situated in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, the MDS-O program, with its accelerated learning program and intimate cohort, caught Swapil’s eye. Having now completed the 10-month program, Swapil hopes to utilize the knowledge and technical expertise taught in the MDS program on the Okanagan campus as he prepares to continue working as a data scientist or data engineer in cross-disciplinary teams.
Read Swapil's story.

Elizaveta Volkova

Elizaveta Volkova

"Everyone in the program has different backgrounds, which is terrific because we get to see and hear different perspectives, but there is also a sense of community as everyone is willing to help each other."

Previous Degree: Bachelor’s Business Information Systems, Bauman Moscow State Technical University
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2020

While managing a system that collected vast amounts of data for a company I worked with in Moscow, I came to the realization that our customers would be interested in accurate predictions of both their revenue and future customers. This prompted a personal interest in building predictive models, however, I knew I would need to further develop my skills and experience in interpreting and using data. I recognized that the field of Data Science would provide me the skills I needed and the MDS program in Okanagan offered the perfect balance of small class sizes and accelerated learning. Now immersed in the program, I am gaining the technical expertise and practical experience that I know I will be able to apply when entering back into the workforce.

About Elizaveta Volkova

Originally from Moscow, Russia, Elizaveta received her undergraduate degree in Business Information Systems from the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. During her undergraduate studies, Elizaveta also took work with a Russian company that optimized business processes where she helped to manage a system that compiled and stored significant amounts of data. As a part of this work, Elizaveta identified the need to improve her skills and experience in interpreting and using data and it was in searching for different tools for data analysis and predictive modelling that she realized that the field of Data Science would provide her with the skills she was interested in. Having moved to Kelowna to enter into the MDS program, Elizaveta is now gaining the technical skills she so greatly wanted to enhance, from programming to practical experience, which will make her stand out as an exceptional candidate when she seeks opportunities after graduation.

Class of 2019

Vaghul Balaji

Vaghul Balaji

"When I was looking for a program to take my career to the next level, I found the program at UBC and it ticked all of my boxes – it’s accelerated, it’s in a field that I really like, and gives me the skills that I need for the current trend in the market; it satisfied everything I was looking for."

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Engineering – Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore
Prior Experience: Data Scientist and Data Engineer at HSBC
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2019

I’ve always been intrigued by the power of computers and what you can program them to do. After some time as a developer and analyst, I realized, that I don’t want to be a traditional or a standard software engineer. I want to get into my own niche area, and I really like the field of data science, especially these days with the amount of data that’s out there. When I was looking for a program to take my career to the next level, I found the program at UBC and it ticked all of my boxes – it’s accelerated, it’s in a field that I really like, and gives me the skills that I need for the current trend in the market; it satisfied everything I was looking for.

About Vaghul Balaji

Vaghul spent four years in the financial services industry where he began as a software developer before transitioning to the role of a data engineer. Since his childhood, he has been fascinated by technology, the power of computers, and what you can do with them. That is even more true today than it was then, with the amount of data in today’s world. During his time as an undergraduate student at the National University of Singapore, he did an exchange program that led to a term spent at the University of Ottawa, where he fell in love with Canada. When he decided it was time for a career change, Canada and data science were the two key requirements. Vaghul was part of the first cohort of MDS students on the Okanagan campus and graduated in the summer of 2019. He is now a senior data engineer at Meta.
Meet Vaghul.

Kira Wiese

Kira Wiese

"I really like that the program is 10-months and all course based. After coming from a degree focused on theory, I was really looking to gain practical knowledge."

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science – Statistics, University of Calgary
Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2019

Growing up in rural Alberta, my first step away from home was pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary. With an analytical but also creative personality, I was unsure of which path was my best fit. It was not until I completed my first statistics course that I started to see the applications of data analysis – whether it was in health care or agriculture, or anything, really. I gained a firm theoretical knowledge of statistics, but still wanted to see the real-world outcomes of my numbers. In the MDS program I’m getting the more practical training—the programming and the real-world applications—to accompany my theoretical knowledge.  

About Kira Wiese

Originally from Medicine Hat, Alberta, Kira got her undergraduate degree in statistics, with a minor in actuarial science, from the University of Calgary. Having excelled there, she began looking for career paths that would let her put her love of numbers to practical and important use. A fellow undergraduate told her about the MDS program at UBC, and when she saw it was being offered at the Okanagan campus – a smaller learning environment she thought might better suit her desire for a more close-knit, personal experience – all of the pieces seemed to fall into place. Kira hopes to be able to combine the practical skills she is learning in the MDS with the theoretical skills gained in her undergraduate degree to pursue a career interpreting data for industries relevant to her home region, like agriculture, oil and gas. Since completing the program, Kira is working as a Data Scientist at Hitachi Solutions.

Meet Kira.

Mohsen Zardadi

Mohsen Zardadi

"I have found people in Kelowna so friendly and easy to connect and students might find much better opportunities here. I strongly recommend students to consider small communities like Kelowna." 

Previous Degree: PhD, Electrical Engineering, University of Birjand
Program: MDS Okanagan – Class of 2019

I have been working with image data for a long time so, I was kind of familiar with machine learning, AI, and programming. I believe what we are doing with big data, machine learning, and AI is just the tip of the iceberg. It is like the internet in the 90s. I did so much research and talked to many people before I make my decision and switch to data science. 

About Mohsen Zardadi

Mohsen has a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Birjand and worked for Burnaby-based Kardium, a medical devices company, as a Usability Team Member. It was while in this role, he could see that everything is getting affected by machine learning and AI and saw a bright future for data science. Since graduating, Mohsen works as a data scientist for Kelowna-based TerraSense Analytics.
Meet Mohsen

Class of 2022

Oksana Kurylo Computational Linguistics

Oksana Kurylo

"I chose MDS Computational Linguistics as it offered a unique combination of data science and NLP courses. Also, a significant role in selecting MDS Computational Linguistics was the capstone project, where you can work on a real business problem with a company."

Previous Degree: Masters of Applied Linguistics from Lviv Polytechnic National University
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2022

As I was not from a Computer Science background, I wanted to get missing technical fundamentals and broaden my skill set to the data science toolkit. Also, it was essential to learn more about the state-of-the-art techniques in Natural Language Processing, namely Deep Learning for NLP.

About Oksana Kurylo

Before joining the MDS Computational Linguistics program, Oksana worked as a Computational Linguist and Natural Language Processing Researcher at several start-ups in her native Ukraine. It was while doing her first master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the Lviv Polytechnic National University, Oksana took a course on Computational Linguistics by Andriy Romanyuk, which opened a new world of Natural Language Processing for her. Outside of MDS Computational Linguistics, Oksana enjoys travelling. Read Oksana’s story.
 

Class of 2021

Celine Liu Computational Linguistics

Celine Liu

“The MDS Computational Linguistics program offers a strong focus on applied NLP, a perfect match for what I was looking for.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Computer Science, University of British Columbia
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2021

While working with intelligent systems in the industry and conducting research in the public health domain with text mining techniques, I witnessed the tremendous impact and potential that modern AI could have over solving global societal and business challenges, coming to the realization that NLP models are the foundation towards building a strong AI.

About Celine Liu

Celine obtained her Bachelor’s of Computer Science degree from the University of British Columbia. It was during an undergrad internship at Microsoft and Hootsuite that exposed Celine to the world of NLP and machine learning techniques. During the internship, Liu had the opportunity to build Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based machine learning (ML) systems and participated in a text mining research project with a group of public health researchers from UBC and BC Center for Disease Control to understand the landscape of digital public health. With the MDS-CL program now complete, Liu believed it offered here a holistic view of the classic ML models and a variety of language models as well as a great number of skillsets to her toolbox working with not only in NLP but machine learning in general. Read Celine's story.
 

Juan Roesel - MDS Computational Linguistics

Juan Roesel

“While several resources on the Internet can help people get the knowledge and skills needed to become a Data Scientist or NLP engineer, I think the structure of the MDS-CL program and the quality of the teaching staff take the learning experience to a higher level.”

Previous Degree: Masters in International Relations, Field Of Study Development Economics and International Development, Hult International Business School
Previous Experience: Data Scientist, NLP, Helelab
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2021

Back in 2017, I worked as an innovation consultant helping corporations fast-track digital transformation processes by partnering with tech start-ups. Some of these start-ups were using Artificial Intelligence solutions, so I needed to understand them to frame the right integration approach with the businesses' value chains. This experience was an eye-opening moment for me and triggered my decision to transition my career from a non-technical to a technical field.

About Juan Roesel

Before joining the MDS-CL program, Juan was working full-time running his consulting firm Helelab, which specialized in delivering and deploying digital solutions that leverage analytics, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and web development. As Juan was taking on more technical projects and learned new concepts, he realized that he was just barely scratching the surface of the data science universe, which led him to apply to the MDS-CL program. Outside of the MDS-CL program, Juan enjoys hiking, sailing, and mountain biking. Read Juan’s story.

Darya Shyroka - MDS Computational Linguistics

Darya Shyroka

“If you are like me and have a passion for languages and an analytical mind, and want to combine those skills to do something really interesting and impactful, then this program is for you.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Arts and Science, Computer Science, University of Toronto
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2021

I decided to pursue a career in data science because I wanted to use my programming skills to work with language data. I was always interested in languages and linguistics, but I did not see myself as a translator or language instructor. I have an analytical mind, and I knew that using my skills in mathematics and programming to analyze language could be really interesting. The MDS-CL program seemed like a perfect way for me to merge my skills from both areas. 

About Darya Shyroka

After completing her Bachelor of Arts and Science in Computer Science (with a minor in Linguistics) from the University of Toronto, Darya knew she wasn’t quite done with her education. Darya was looking to specialize in a particular area of programming that she would be interested in and it led her to the MDS-CL program and its more immersive computational linguistics curriculum. Outside her MDS-CL studies, Darya loves outdoor activities such as hiking, bike-riding, swimming and camping. Darya also loves reading, watching TV, and cooking (especially trying new recipes!). Read Darya's story.

Class of 2020

Ravi Gill, MDS Computational Linguistics

Ravi Gill

“The program exposed us to most of the big topics in computational linguistics such as sentiment analysis, text classification, or machine translation…I believe many companies would be ecstatic to find talent fresh out of university with these skills.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Computer Science, Vancouver Island University
Prior Experience: Performance Analyst Co-Op, TELUS
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2020

I was fully committed to finishing my bachelor’s and moving directly into a software position. My senior project in undergrad was a basic machine learning project where I attempted to look at social media metadata over time (number of likes, shares, etc) and try to predict the next most popular musician. This led to an 8-month co-op with TELUS which focused heavily on machine learning and text processing. This changed my perspective and interests from programming for software to programming for data science.

About Ravi Gill

After obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC native Ravi Gill didn’t want to move too far away from home to pursue a master’s degree in data science. Ravi’s 8-month co-op with TELUS changed his interest from software programming to programming for data science.

Read Ravi's story.

Niki Hajmoshir MDS Computational Linguistics

Niki Hajmoshir

“What I really like about this program is that we get more hands-on experience and work with data sets and corpora so when we go into industry we won’t be lost because we know how to handle these things.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor's in Medical Laboratory Science, University of British Columbia
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2020

Everything I am learning in MDS CL, from coding to statistics to Natural Language Processing is all interesting, relevant and applicable to what we've seen every day in the world. It makes you think how I can use this in my life and I like how the instructors put it in a way that I can easily apply these to multiple fields.

About Niki Hajmoshir

Niki received her Bachelor's in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of British Columbia. It was towards the last few years of her degree that Niki realized she wanted to switch fields into something more computer related and found herself working on projects that used Natural Language Processing. This resulted in Niki becoming very interested in Computational Linguistics and to apply to the MDS CL program. Meet Niki.

Chidera Okoma MDS Computational Linguistics

Chidera Okoma

“I am thankful to the MDS-CL at UBC for arming me with the skills to be a creative problem solver and a great critical thinker. These are skills that experts in the field are renowned for and I am confident that my training at UBC has prepared me adequately.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Engineering, Covenant University
Prior Experience: Data Analyst, BaverianVine Ltd.
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2020

I saw the MDS-CL program as a typical MDS program but with the cherry on the cake. It offered mostly what the Master of Data Science offers with an additional focus on natural language processing. This was the deciding factor for me. NLP was important for me because a lot of the data I had come across came as free form texts and it was important that I learnt to work with those.

About Chidera Okoma

Chidera holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Engineering from Nigeria’s Covenant University. Prior to joining the MDS CL program, Chidera worked as a data analyst with BaverianVine Ltd., a startup that consulted for the largest Nigerian institutions. It was while working in her role as a data analyst that she saw the impact that data insight had in decision-making. Read Chidera's story.

Toshiko Shibano MDS Computational Linguistics

Toshiko Shibano

“If you are like me and enjoy devising solutions to real world problems, have a desire to transfer knowledge and skills from a previous job to the digitized world, or are passionate about language, this program is worth the money and time.”

Previous Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of British Columbia
Prior Experience: Executive Vice President, Senior Translator and Programmer, Simulingual Inc.
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2020

“If you are like me and enjoy devising solutions to real world problems, have a desire to transfer knowledge and skills from a previous job to the digitized world, or are passionate about language, this program is worth the money and time.”

As a professional translator, I have always been interested in machine translation. In particular, I wanted to know how linguistic data were processed in deep learning models. I wanted to be able to test out my hypotheses about how to improve the current machine translation models.

About Toshiko Shibano

Prior to the MDS Computational Linguistics program, Toshiko ran a translation business in Japan, which specialized in financial accounting and her clientele included major international audit firms, listed companies, and multinational corporations. Toshiko picked up programming to automate routine processes so that she could spend more time on translation. After handing over her business, Toshiko moved to Canada and pursued a Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Read Toshiko's story.

Aaron Tian MDS Computational Linguistics

Aaron Tian

“The biggest benefit you get coming into this program is you get to work with a lot of people with different backgrounds, in terms of the fields they come from, and who tend to approach the same question from different angles.”

Previous Degree: Master of Science in Computational Finance, DePaul University
Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2020

With MDS CL, the data science courses are very essential to becoming a computational linguist. The program gives us a solid foundation for us to use our linguistics skills and put them into practice.

About Aaron Tian

Originally from China, Aaron has a Master of Science in Computational Finance from DePaul University. Coming from the finance industry, Aaron noticed that a lot of people were using Natural Language Processing tools to measure sentiment of the market to make better investment strategies. Seeing this, Aaron saw that the MDS Computational Linguistics program would give him the skills in sentiment analysis that he can apply to the finance industry.