Meet this years DSDP cohort

My journey into data science began during my undergraduate (CSE) degree in India, where I first encountered data projects that sparked my curiosity about the many ways data can be used to address real-world challenges. This interest in data science grew with projects and internships, eventually leading me to pursue an MSc in Data Science and Analytics from the University of Leeds. The course helped me deepen my technical knowledge, which further fuelled my interest in working on real world projects.

Joining LIDA is an exciting next step for me, as it offers the chance to work on impactful projects alongside partners and colleagues from diverse disciplines. I am particularly motivated by the Programme’s focus on data for public good, and I look forward to both contributing my skills and learning from the experiences of others in the cohort.

Outside of work, I enjoy exploring art in forms of graphics, music, and literature. I am also an avid follower of football, and when I’m not keeping up with the latest scores, I enjoy going on long walks to stay active.

I completed my BSc. in Physics in 2020 before joining the Teach First programme. At Teach First I earned my PGDE while also working full time as a computer science teacher in North West London. While working on my PGDE, I focused many of my assignments around gathering and analysing pedagogical data - particularly as it related to improving outcomes and inspiring students in my classroom. While teaching was hugely rewarding, I found I was immediately inspired by how the data science techniques I had learned as an undergraduate could be applied to real world applications, for real world good. After completing Teach First I decided to pursue this field further and enrolled in an MSc. programme studying artificial intelligence and data science.

Through teaching I developed excellent communication and presentation skills and I am particularly confident in my ability to articulate complex technical topics in clear and succinct ways; be that through visualisations, reports or presentations.

I am greatly looking forward to collaborating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and learning from their unique expertise, as well as the opportunity to apply my own skillset to important real-world problems.

In my spare time I’m always looking for little projects to be working on. Recently I’ve been getting into crochet and D&D but I’m often writing (rather middling quality) music, or trying to learn a new instrument.

My journey into data science has been more of a personal quest than a straight path. I studied Microbiology in my home country, Nigeria, before completing an MSc in Biotechnology in the UK, where I published a research paper advancing knowledge in cell biology. All the while, I was drawn to healthcare. Since I wasn’t on the path to becoming a doctor or working on the frontlines, I chose instead to contribute behind the scenes, using data to solve problems in healthcare. That determination led me to teach myself data science tools, including programming languages. Many late nights (which I still enjoy) were spent on online courses, virtual internships, and experimenting with real datasets, until I began to uncover the patterns and stories hidden in the numbers.

What excites me most about joining LIDA is the opportunity to build on that foundation in a collaborative environment. I’m particularly inspired by LIDA’s vision of using data for the public good, and I look forward to working on projects that improve lives while learning from experts across disciplines.
Outside work, I find joy in simple things: reading with a cup of coffee, writing, and exploring new adventures. I also love sharing knowledge, which inspired me to author a book to help postgraduates succeed.

I studied chemistry for my undergraduate degree, which gave me a foundation in quantitative methods. After the programme, I joined the National Information Technology Development Agency in my home country, Nigeria, where I supported population-level IT projects and gained exposure to information technology and data skills. My career took a different direction when I transitioned into healthcare; at Cedarcrest Hospitals, I worked with clinical and non-clinical teams to improve care efficiency and patient experience by providing insights from healthcare data. This motivated me towards data science in advancing health outcomes.

Recently, I completed an MSc in Data, Inequality and Society at the University of Edinburgh, which deepened my understanding of how data science is applied in addressing inequality, especially in healthcare. I am looking forward to building on this through the LIDA DSDP by contributing to real-world projects. I hope to collaborate with and learn from my colleagues, project stakeholders and the wider LIDA community to develop impactful solutions and strengthen my own data science skills.

I enjoy reading non-fiction, listening to classical music and visiting green spaces. I am excited to explore Leeds’s landmarks like the Lamberts Yard and Braham Park.

My journey into data science was not a straightforward one. Originally, I had no plans to pursue it until I chose the Quantitative Research Methods pathway in my final year during my undergraduate degree in Sociology at the University of Leeds. This decision sparked a love for data analysis, providing a way to combine it with my passion for addressing social issues. Building on this, I went on to complete an MSc in Urban Data Science and Analytics, which I have just finished. These things combined have given me a strong commitment to using data-driven approaches to better understand complex social challenges, while contributing to solutions that have a meaningful public impact.

I’m very excited to get stuck in as a data scientist with LIDA, to continue developing my technical skills and apply them to projects that will make a difference. I’m also excited to collaborate with other talented data scientists from a range of backgrounds, to expand my knowledge and learn.

Outside of data science, I love to read. I ran the university’s Book Club for two years, and will definitely be going back to join them this year! I also love to write poetry, play card games (and do card tricks), and charity shop.

I originally developed my interest in data science through a teaching placement during my undergraduate years, where I realised the power of data in uncovering hidden structural issues behind social phenomena. While studying urban planning at Nanjing University, I was drawn to spatial data analysis and came to believe that data-driven modelling is essential to future urban planning practice.

This led me to pursue internships in urban research and data journalism, including at China Business Network, where I worked on NLP-based enterprise classification and spatial analysis for policy applications. I recently completed an MSc in Geographic Data Science at the London School of Economics, where I continued to deepen my skills in geospatial modelling, machine learning, and urban analytics.

I have a strong interest in the allocation and optimisation of public service facilities, and I am especially experienced in spatial data processing and visualisation. I’m currently exploring advanced methods such as reinforcement learning and deep learning in spatial contexts.

In my free time, I enjoy brewing hand-poured coffee and playing strategic games like mahjong and poker, which help me stay sharp and relaxed outside of work.

My interest in data science began during my BSc, where I was introduced to ecological data analysis. This experience sparked my desire to apply data-driven approaches to tackle environmental issues, leading me to pursue a MSc in Environmental Data Science and Analytics.

During my time at University of Leeds, I particularly enjoyed leveraging data to develop sustainable solutions to socio-environmental challenges. I am especially drawn to projects helping communities adapt to climate change, such as enhancing the resilience of urban spaces or mitigating the risks of extreme weather events like floods and wildfires. These experiences reinforced my drive to use data science as a tool to create meaningful, real-world impacts that benefit both people and the planet.

I am excited to join LIDA to build on my existing skills and grow as a data scientist. I look forward to collaborating and learning from mentors and colleagues from diverse disciplines, while contributing to projects that deliver tangible benefits for society.

Outside of work, I enjoy travelling, hiking, and playing board games. I am also a film enthusiast and am currently teaching myself to play the harmonica.

My journey into data analysis began with a BSc in Discrete Mathematics (essentially, Maths and CompSci) at the University of Warwick. This was followed by an MMedSci/MSc in Health Informatics at Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Sweden, where I gained insight into the diverse applications and roles in Health Data Science (alongside a good dose of Swedish coffee and nature!)

I have since returned to my hometown Leeds to complete a PhD, exploring Artificial Intelligence for primary care risk prediction of oesophago-gastric cancer and addressing missing electronic health record data.

I am excited to join this programme at LIDA to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, and collaborate in the pursuit of using data for the public good. Some of my previous projects include mitigating racial bias in resource-allocation algorithms and evaluating socio-demographic disparities in cancer diagnosis: I hope for further opportunities to focus on harm reduction and equitable systems. I find myself continually inspired by others in the field and am looking forward to meeting new people.

Alongside my scientific pursuits, I love immersing myself in art, literature, and live music. I also enjoy hiking and travelling, and of course, scouting out good coffee shops wherever I go!