Data Science Senior Spotlight
featuring the newest Data Scientists, a cool visualization of the week, and upcoming internship and research opportunities
Data Science Senior Spotlight
This semester we will periodically feature Data Science majors who are graduating this spring. They will reflect on their time here at Augsburg, discuss future plans, and also provide a dose of advice or two. First up are Ly Xiong and Jacob Meiners. Enjoy!
Ly Xiong
What is your hometown?
Lak 52, Laos
What is your favorite data science or statistics task to work on?
My favorite data science task is exploring and analyzing the data we're given. This step allows me to learn and understand more about the data, including its features, patterns, and characteristics. I can ask questions about the data and find the answers within the dataset itself. Moreover, this step is crucial before applying any model because it enables me to identify outliers, missing values, and relationships that are essential for the modeling process. This exploration not only provides insights into the dataset but also allows me to build a model on a solid foundation, leading to more accurate and meaningful results.
Future plans after graduation (at this point in time)?
After I graduate, I plan to go straight into grad school for my master's degree in data science. I still enjoy learning and want to learn more about this field. I’m also very interested in machine learning and I hope to take more advanced machine learning courses during my grad studies.
Any advice for data science & statistics students?
I highly recommend doing both research and internships during your undergraduate studies, especially if you're uncertain about pursuing grad school or entering the industry directly. Research will be very important when it comes to grad school, as universities often look for students with a background in research studies. On the other hand, internships are invaluable for industry roles, as employers prefer candidates with practical work experience. Having both research and internship experiences can be highly beneficial.
Jacob Meiners
What is your hometown?
Owatonna, MN
What is your favorite data science or statistics task to work on?
Machine Learning for predictive modeling.
Future plans after graduation (at this point in time)?
Ideal Position: Baseball Research Analyst in Major League Baseball. Another possible route I may take is a LiDAR Specialist for Archaeological purposes
Any advice for data science & statistics students?
Make as many connections as you can while at Augsburg and use those connections to your advantage when it comes to finding future jobs.
Establishing good relationships with professors and classmates will always help in the long run, especially when you need help.
Learn to embrace Calculus if you haven't already.
Data visualization of the week
In the last newsletter we brought up the dataset of the week - which we will rotate with the data visualization of the week.
This visualization is a “scrolling” data visualization - it tells a data story as you scroll.
You should know about …
Internships with Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo is hiring interns right in Minneapolis!
Wells Fargo is currently seeking motivated and talented individuals to join our team as interns. This is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring professionals to gain valuable experience. Typically students with math and data science backgrounds are hired!
Here is the link:
MN Private Colleges’ Spring Job and Internship Fair
Date: Thursday February 22nd, 2024
Time: 9am-2pm
Location: Minneapolis Convention Center – 1301 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Who Should Attend: Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors
Opportunity to network with 200+ organizations who are interested in starting and maintaining employment relationships with Minnesota graduates!
Many of the organizations who will be present at the event will be actively recruiting for jobs and internships. Other organizations may anticipate hiring in the next six months.
To explore what employers will be at the fair, visit https://www.mnpcfair.org/organizations-at-the-fair
Registration on Handshake is STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. It will make your check-in time faster.
Any questions can be directed to the Strommen Center or careers@augsburg.edu.
original link in aMail
International Research Experience Opportunity in Machine Learning
Hello Undergraduate Students,
I am excited to announce a Call for Applications of our 2024 NSF REU program that offers a special research experience for undergraduate students in machine learning with an international experience component in Chile.
Selected participants will get involved in research related to big data analytics and machine learning. Participants will also gain an appreciation of the research field via software development and engineering activities and field trips.
Participants will receive a stipend (up to $6,000), room and board, funding for travel to and from NDSU (up to $700) as well as to and from NDSU to Santiago, Chile (up to $1,500).
The summer 2024 REU program will run from May 20 until July 26, 2024. Application review will begin from February 15, 2024 and continue until all positions have been filled.
Participating undergraduates must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are enrolled in undergraduate degree programs. Women and members of traditionally underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply. In addition, all participants must possess a valid passport for the travel to Chile.
More information can be found here: https://www.ndsu.edu/cs/current_students/research_experience_for_undergraduates_reu_program/
And you can apply here:
https://ndstate.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_25X6MyljASYBRK6