Albert Diaz
Can you tell us about your educational and work experience background before you enrolled in this program?
Before enrolling in this program, I had approximately 8 years of overall experience, with 6 of those years spent as an analytics translator in the financial sector. In this role, I acted as an intermediary between business areas and technical areas such as data science and machine learning. My primary objective was to ensure that analytical projects were implemented effectively and generated value for the organization.
What initially drew you to this program?
What initially drew me to this program was my desire to deepen my technical knowledge. Although I already had an MBA and considerable experience in project management, I felt that enhancing my technical skills would enable me to become a better analytics translator. This would allow me to provide more informed technical recommendations to my team on how to solve problems effectively.
Can you tell us how the MS-DS program fits into your life?
The MS-DS program fits into my life seamlessly due to its flexibility. This allows me to balance work, studies, and personal life effectively. It's my first time studying with this online methodology, and I have found it to be excellent.
What are your favorite parts of the program?
Without a doubt, my favorite parts of the program were the three courses in the statistics pathway. These were the first courses I took, and right from the start, I found them to be excellent. Although they were technically complex, the practical examples and exercises made everything much easier to understand.
What do you hope to do with your MS-DS degree?
With this new knowledge, I hope to have more opportunities to conduct comprehensive end-to-end consulting projects. Not only will I be able to define the problem and propose a solution, but I can now develop a model based on machine learning algorithms to solve the identified problem.
Would you recommend this program to others? Why or why not?
I would definitely recommend this program, but I believe it isn't for everyone. You need to be consistent to meet deadlines for all assignments and exams. Some people might find this a bit challenging, so other type of programs might be a better fit for their learning style.
What is one tip you have for students who are starting this program?
I have two tips for students starting this program. First, be fair in peer reviews give what you would like to receive. Second, take full advantage of all the resources provided by the program and the university, such as attending office hours, being part of Slack groups, using the Handshake platform, and more.
Is there a specific project you have worked on that stands out to you?
An interesting project I am currently working on involves developing an image classification model for Peruvian ceramics to determine the specific culture they belong to. This type of model can help archaeologists identify such discoveries much more quickly.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I just want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to study this program. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to receive such high-quality education from a top university in the world while being in Peru.
