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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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 2022

    Christopher Alexander Master of Data Science Vancouver

    Christopher Alexander

    "The program is intensive. But by the end of the 10-months, you will be confident to face any challenge thrown at you in the real world."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Science from CMR Institute of Technology
    Prior Experience: Data Scientist – Marlabs Inc.  
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2022

    I was working as a data scientist in India for a software firm based in New Jersey for about 2 years. The ability It holds to provide actionable insight to the businesses. It also helps me explore various industries and see how data can be of vital importance in many sectors such as health and sports.

    About Christopher Alexander

    Christopher completed his Bachelor’s of Engineering in Computer Science degree from CMR Institute of Technology. Christopher thanks the MDS program for helping him understand the differences between prediction, inference and causal which the industry misinterprets at most times. He also credits the MDS program for providing him the right tools to develop solutions to the data science problems. It has helped him become a more organized data scientist. Outside MDS, Christopher plays table tennis and badminton professionally and his also a food blogger and loves to explore different eateries. Read Christopher’s story.

    Jacqueline Chong Master of Data Science Vancouver

    Jacqueline Chong

    "I believe this program has equipped me with the technical know-hows to embark on a project whenever I am called upon to do so, and be an effective conduit between data scientists / engineers and the project lead."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in International Relations from the London School of Economics
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2022

    Several summer internship stints in the public service in Singapore made me realize that I have a knowledge gap in terms of effectively dealing with large swaths of data. As such, I felt that it was necessary to arm myself with the technical knowledge to solve organizational pain points and drive innovation when I return back home.

    About Jacqueline Chong

    Before the MDS Vancouver program, Jacqueline received her undergraduate degree in International Relations from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). While studying about global politics through the lens of major theories, Jacqueline wondered why these major theories were not backed up quantitatively. Thus, the academic pursuit of data science was born for her. When not studying MDS, Jacqueline is an avid triathlete, where she spends her free time either in the pool, on the track/park, or exploring BC by bike. You will also find Jacqueline binging the latest Korean drama. Read Jacqueline’s story,
     

    Nihal D'Souza MDS Computational Linguistics

    Nihal D’Souza

    "The UBC MDS Computational Linguistics program was lucrative as it covered a breadth of topics from computer science, statistics, and linguistics within a relatively short time frame of 10 months, allowing me to go back into the industry as soon as possible."

    Previous Degree: Bachelors of Computer Science and Engineering from The National Institute of Engineering
    Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2022

    I was fascinated by the advancements in human-machine interaction through natural language and how this field was developing. Some of these advancements are the applications of machine translation, sentiment analysis, and computational morphology. To be able to understand these topics and be equipped to apply them in the real world, it made sense to pursue my higher education in this field. 

    About Nihal D’Souza

    Prior to joining the MDS Computational Linguistics program, Nihal completed his bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from The National Institute of Engineering. Nihal worked for almost three years as a Software Engineer at Cisco. Nihal applied to the MDS Computational Linguistics program because of UBC’s great reputation, its vast resources, and its incredible faculty. In his down time, Nihal enjoys running, swimming and the occasional hike as well as grabbing drinks with friends on the weekends. Read Nihal’s story.
     

    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.
     

    Saisree Gownipalli Ramanaiah Master of Data Science Okanagan

    Saisree Gownipalli Ramanaiah

    "Since data science was my goal, I was looking for a top university that either focused on data science or had a master of computer science program with a thesis option with a hope to research in data science."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering from St.Joseph’s College of Engineering, India
    Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2022

    Before the MDS Okanagan program, I was working as a Senior Systems Engineer with Infosys and saw firsthand how data driven decisions are impactful. This encouraged me to explore machine learning to optimize businesses. Getting a master’s degree in something that excited me felt like a good start. The University of British Columbia reputation as a top-ranked university with great research support led me to choose the Master of Data Science program and the university. There, I worked on a data science project as a researcher in addition to being a full-time student. Having now completed the program, I am looking forward to applying the knowledge I gained from the MDS program to pursue data scientist and machine learning engineer roles with an interest in data modeling that drive business decisions.

    About Saisree Gownipalli Ramanaiah

    Originally from India, Saisree obtained her Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering from St. Joseph’s College of Engineering. Following time as a Senior Systems Engineer with Infosys, Saisree decided to return to school in hopes of pursuing a career in data science. The world-class infrastructure and access to learning resources, along with UBC’s reputation as a top 40 university, convinced Saisree that UBCO was the right place for her. Having now completed the program, Saisree is excited to apply the expertise learned over the course of the program and is planning on pursuing data scientist and machine learning engineer roles in the future. Read Saisree’s story.
     

    Saffrin Granby, MDS Computational Linguistics

    Saffrin Granby

    "I felt that this program really combined my love for linguistics and my previous experience in computer science. I like using my technical skills and my ideal career involves me working with language data so I felt like the MDS Computational Linguistics program was a good match."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Systems from the University of British Columbia
    Program: MDS Computational Linguistics, Class of 2022

    I think data science is being used to solve a lot of really cool problems. Natural language data that can be used for really impactful applications such as improving health care or flighting climate change. It feels like a really important field right now. I knew I wanted to pursue a career in data science but a lot of the positions required or strongly preferred a Master’s level education. I liked that the program was only 10-months long and that I would be able to focus specially on state-of-the art NLP techniques.

    About Saffrin Granby

    Saffrin completed her Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Systems at UBC where she specialized in Computer Science. During her undergraduate degree, Saffrin worked at the CANARY lab at UBC where she worked on using linguistic features to detect the presence of Alzheimer’s disease. When not studying, Saffrin enjoys long bike rides and hanging out with friends by going on walks or trying restaurants together. Read Saffrin’s story.
     

    Gavin Grochowski Master of Data Science Okanagan

    Gavin Grochowski

    "The top benefit of the program has been my outstanding peers – I have made lifelong friends that I respect and admire. The network of connections this program offers to previous alumni brings with it a wealth of opportunities to apply for relevant jobs."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Music in Jazz Saxophone from Capilano University
    Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2022

    Before the MDS Okanagan program, I was working contract-to-contract as a cruise ship musician on international trips. Then, when the pandemic canceled my ongoing contracts, I got more and more curious about programming and data science fundamentals in an attempt to re-skill into a more sustainable and fulfilling career. The MDS Okanagan program is uniquely designed for students with technical abilities and interests, but not necessarily requiring a technical undergraduate degree – students exactly like me. 

    About Gavin Grochowski

    Originally from Vancouver, Gavin obtained his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Saxophone from Capilano University.  When his working situation changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gavin pivoted to re-skill into a more sustainable and fulfilling career. With a love for coding and problem solving, Gavin began looking for data science programs. UBCO’s reputation for quality of education, along with MDS Okanagan program is uniquely designed for students with technical abilities and interests, made it the right fit for Gavin. Having now completed the program, Gavin is excited to apply the technical skills learned over the course of the program to pursue employment as a Data Scientist or a Data Analyst in order to support key stakeholders in making key business decisions. Read Gavin’s story.
     

    Sara Hall Master of Data Science Okanagan

    Sara Hall

    "One of the best things about MDS is that it’s designed for people from pretty much any background, so you don’t need an undergraduate degree in computer science as you do for a lot of other programs."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science, Honours in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary
    Program: MDS Okanagan, Class of 2022

    During my undergrad, I found that the coursework I preferred was more analytical in nature. After taking a few computer science courses, I realized I wanted to learn how to apply computational methods to real-world problems. The structure of the program, designed for people from almost any educational background, along with the opportunity to learn in a small cohort, really tipped the scales in MDS-O’s favour. Now that I have come through the program, I have far more technical data science experience and the skills to continue learning on my own.

    About Sara Hall

    Sara obtained Bachelor of Science in in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary, before moving directly into the MDS Okanagan program. It was during her time completing her undergraduate degree where Sara fostered a desire to learn how to apply computational methods to real-world problems.  Situated in beautiful city of Kelowna, the MDS-O program, with its small cohort size and real-world experience through its capstone projects, caught Sara’s attention. Sara will look to apply the expertise taught in the MDS program on the Okanagan campus to pursue a career related to climate risk management. Read Sara's story.
     

    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.
     

    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.
     

    Class of 2020

    Reiko Okamoto

    Reiko Okamoto

    “The MDS program concisely covers a broad range of topics in data science [and] I appreciated how the capstone project guaranteed industry experience.”

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2020

    [During my Master’s of Science in Public Health], in one class, students were instructed to conduct a literature review on a topic related to public health. I don’t exactly remember why I decided to do this, but I chose to write about the challenges and opportunities in the implementation of data science techniques in healthcare. A few days after I submitted the assignment, I attended a Meetup event on the application of machine learning to biomedical imaging and diagnostics. As I sat in the audience listening to the keynote speaker, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in data science.

    About Reiko Okamoto

    After completing her Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of UBC, Reiko wanted to study diseases beyond the molecular level so she moved to Sweden to pursue a master’s degree in public health to learn more about the application of epidemiological methods to improve population health. However, it was during her time in Sweden that her interest in data science was sparked. Read Reiko's story.

    Class of 2019

    Carrie Cheung

    Carrie Cheung

    “The MDS program gave me the confidence to explain and reason through data-related decisions.”

    Previous Degree:  Bachelor of Arts, Double Major in Computer Science and Psychology, University of British Columbia
    Program:  MDS Vancouver, Class of 2019

    When I looked at the [MDS] curriculum, it was a really good range of relevant topics that I could tell was carefully designed and curated to fit within a ten-month window and also included a capstone project. That timeline really appealed to me as someone who was coming in as a working professional wanting to take that plunge but not wanting to do it for two or four year.

    About Carrie Cheung

    Prior to the MDS program, Carrie worked for Boeing Vancouver in various roles including one as a data scientist. While at Boeing, Carrie analyzed flight sensor data, which opened her eyes to a world where programming and math can be applied to data to solve business problems. Carrie holds a Bachelor of Arts, Double Major in Computer Science and Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Since graduating, Carrie is now a data scientist for NuData Security – A MasterCard company.
    Read Carrie's story.

    Ayla Pearson

    Ayla Pearson

    “The MDS program was exactly what I wanted to be able to do with data, which is to turn data into meaningful actions and be able to create decisions from them.”

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science, Chemistry – University of Victoria
    Prior Experience: Resource Clerk, Province of British Columbia
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2019

    I've been looking for data science master's programs for months. Nothing really clicked and as soon as I read the MDS program description, it was exactly what I wanted to do and that is being able to use already collected data to answer decisions to create solutions and to try and get new information out of it which was everything that I was trying to do in my work already but didn't really have the skills to do it or the confidence.

    About Ayla Pearson

    Hailing from Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Ayla initially wanted to pursue a master’s in biology but couldn’t find the right program. Ayla realized that she preferred to do the data analysis side of biology versus going out in the field and collecting the data but she didn’t think that she could. A conversation with her mother made Ayla realize that she could separate those careers. Ayla enjoyed the fast-paced environment of the MDS program and the small classes allowed her to engage with other students and faculty on a one-to-one basis. Ayla will be returning to her role as a resource clerk with the Ministry of Forests Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development but hopes to transition into a data science role within the organization in the near-future. Ayla holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry from the University of Victoria. Read Ayla's story.

    Birinder Singh

    Birinder Singh

    “[MDS’] extensive and comprehensive curriculum was not being covered at any of the other programs within this short span of ten months.”

    Previous Degree: Integrated MTech, Geophysical Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2019

    I was already curious and reading articles about the developments in machine learning and doing Kaggle competitions and some online courses. If I was only doing online courses, I would have missed a lot. MDS taught me what skills were important and how to connect the dots while providing guidance that is missing from online courses.

    About Birinder Singh

    Originally from Amritsar, India, Birinder worked for Schlumberger for almost 5 years as a Petro Technical Engineer. It was falling oil prices that prompted Birinder to find a way to better utilize available data to create value for its clients. Birinder holds an Integrated MTech, Geophysical Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. Since completing the program, Birinder is now a data scientist for Integra Data and Analytics Solutions, a Calgary-based company that provides data science solutions to the oil and gas industry.
    Read Birinder's story.

    Heather Van Tassel

    Heather Van Tassel

    “The years of knowledge and expertise that the MDS teachers have is priceless. Even if I did sit down and try to learn data science, I wouldn't know where to start or what to focus on.”

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science, Integrated Science: Biochemistry and Neuroscience, University of British Columbia
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2019

    Even though at first I was skeptical about whether the MDS program would be worth the investment, and also extremely nervous about the intensity of the program, given my limited coding skills, I could not be happier with the knowledge, experience and job opportunities I have gained through the program, and would recommend it to anyone looking to challenge themselves and help shape their career towards utilizing these exciting, powerful and innovative data science tools. I have learned so much in such a short amount of time and am inspired to continue adding diversity to the field as a woman in data science.

    About Heather Van Tassel

    As Heather was completing her biochemistry and neuroscience degree at the University of British Columbia, she took a biostatistics course which became her doorway into data science. A MDS alumna and UBC professor encouraged her to apply to the MDS program. What appealed to Heather the most about the MDS program was how inclusive it was in accepting students from all backgrounds who don’t necessarily have a strong background in computer science. Heather feels that the MDS program gave her the hands-on skills and knowledge to actually be able to help businesses find value and insights from their data for real-world impacts.
    Read Heather's story.

    Class of 2018

    Jordan Dubchak

    Jordan Dubchak

    “Having the support of a very dedicated team of instructors along with the environment of your fellow students who have all such different backgrounds is my favorite thing of the program because you're learning so much not only from your instructors and your TA’S but also the people around you because they have different specialized skills.”

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science - Biology, University of British Columbia
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2018

    I took my first computer science course in the last term of my undergraduate degree, which lead to a change in career path. The switch to data science began through self-learning, and my curiosity lead me to the MDS program. I was initially drawn to the program by the accelerated format and believed the structure of the fundamental data science materials would best set me up for success in my new field.  

    About Jordan Dubchak

    Between Jordan’s undergraduate and MDS degrees, Jordan worked as a preschool teacher. Since MDS graduation, Jordan has been working as a consultant for Slalom Consulting - Silicon Valley,  helping Fortune 100 companies solve their data problems. 

    Ted Haley

    Ted Haley

    "Coming from a Civil Engineering background, I was initially unsure if the MDS program would benefit me. My uncertainty was quickly put at ease seeing more and more industries leveraging the benefits of Data Science. There is tremendous opportunity to use the skills learned in the MDS program and apply them to solve hard problems in traditionally low-tech industries."

    Previous Degree: Bachelors of Applied Science in Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia
    Prior Experience: RJC Engineers
    Program:  MDS Vancouver, Class of 2018

    I came to the UBC MDS program because I knew that I wanted to learn as much about Data Science as I could and I wanted to broaden my skill set. The UBC MDS program accomplished this by supplying students with world-class educators and by providing engaging labs to apply this theoretical knowledge, in a hands-on environment. I learned a lot this way in the short 10-month program, but I also can attribute this to having helpful and knowledgeable peers, and thought-provoking work. This program attracts brilliant people from all over the globe, and I'm very pleased to have them as friends and potential future colleagues. 

    About Ted Haley

    Ted is a civil engineer with 6 years of experience in construction management and consulting industries. He has experience managing construction projects from minor renovations to multi-billion dollar design-build projects. He hopes to apply his skills from the MDS program in conjunction with his experience from the consulting industry to solve tough problems facing society and industry. Since graduating, Ted is now an applied software and materials engineer with the University of British Columbia where he has developed a data management platform for an automated robotics platform using Python.

    Class of 2017

    Rodrigo Coronado

    Rodrigo Coronado

    "MDS gave me a great insight into the data science value chain, and provided me with a deep understanding of algorithms, statistical models and development practices."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Management Information Systems, Technologico de Monterrey
    Prior Experience: Hewlett Packard, Microsoft
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2017

    With my background in business and global enterprises, combined with the data science experience I gained in MDS, I’m eager to pursue a strategic role translating the benefits of data science into business value. I’m passionate about how enterprises and society are leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning—from retailers using AI bots, warehouses powered on AI robots, utility companies forecasting energy demand, hospitals automating triage processes, and researchers predicting heart attacks. I get excited thinking about the possibilities of applying my skills to drive change in industry and in the world.

    About Rodrigo Coronado

    Prior to completing the UBC Master of Data Science program, Rodrigo earned a degree in management information systems. He has a wide range of experience leading delivery teams and international projects and has worked with Hewlett Packard and Microsoft for 18 years in a diverse set of positions in business development, project management, enterprise applications, and global enterprise architecture practices. Rodrigo currently works as the Director of Advanced Analytics for Avanade in Calgary, Alberta.

    Kai He, Data Scientist at BGC Engineering

    Kai He

    "My capstone project involved Natural Language Processing using topic modelling tools, where I learned about not only model and feature selection, but also collaboration, exploratory data analysis process, and much more."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science, University of British Columbia
    Prior Experience: University of British Columbia, Bioinformatics Laboratory
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2017

    I realized early on in my undergraduate studies that I also have a strong interest in mathematics and computer science. I took many math and algorithm electives while studying Life Sciences, and decided that I'd like to learn more about how to process large amount of raw data, build practical statistical models, and derive insightful and actionable solutions. That's exactly what I learned in this intense, accelerated program. I was trained in data wrangling, machine learning as well as communicating my ideas and insights as a data scientist.

    About Kai He

    Kai has worked in multiple Bioinformatics labs as a data analyst/research assistant. He is currently a Data Scientist at BGC Engineering, where he is applying machine learning techniques to real industrial problems in the field of geoengineering. He believes that this is a new domain with a large amount of data in all forms, such as time series, unstructured text, images, and even 50-year-old paper maps with coffee stains on them. He is learning more everyday and is very excited to find new ways of utilizing all the historical data.

    Nada Salem, MDS Class of 2017

    Nada Salem

    "My goal is to empower management to make better and more informed data driven decisions for the organization."

    Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Carnegie Mellon University
    Prior Experience: EY
    Program: MDS Vancouver, Class of 2017

    My background as a management consultant as well as my MDS degree have made me aware of the value a data scientist can drive from large amounts of information already present inside an institution. This program has allowed me to amass a large amount of skills that extend from data wrangling and visualization to training machine learning models and algorithms.

    About Nada Salem

    Nada has 2 years of experience as a management consultant and has worked on solving business problems through structured and data-based analyses to improve client performance. Prior to being a consultant, Nada completed a degree in business administration with a focus on marketing analytics. With a passion in Behavioral Economics, Nada’s thesis analyzed and classified consumer risk-taking behavior using a wide range of features collected from various data sources. After graduating from the MDS program, Nada worked as a data scientist with Microsoft and is now currently working as a data science with Spotify in New York City.