Student Profile: Andréia Sodré Nichols

Name: Andréia Sodré Nichols

Job Title: Data Scientist

Company: Microsoft

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I currently work as a Data Scientist at Microsoft. I’m originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I moved to the U.S. four years ago. I have bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Administration, focusing on behavior and decision making. I like using data to understand consumer behavior, so transitioning to Data Science felt very natural.

Why did you choose the M.S. in Data Science program at the UW?

I chose the MSDS program at the UW because it allows me to study while having a full-time job and it has a very strong curriculum in statistics, which is the area I’m most interested in improving my skills.

There is this concept of “antifragility” from Nassim Nicholas Taleb, which states that something is antifragile (the opposite of fragile) if it improves when exposed to shock or stressors. I believe this program will help increase my career antifragility.

You are halfway through your first quarter in the program. What has it been like so far?

Challenging and exciting! I’m currently taking Data556: Introduction to Statistics and Probability. We have covered a lot of topics already and homework requires a lot of work. I spend more time doing homework than in the classroom (the recommended 10-15 hours/week of self-study is an accurate estimate). We also have guest speakers every week and I have enjoyed learning from their experiences.

Can you talk about balancing grad school, a full-time job and your personal life as a part-time student?

Balance is hard! I struggled at the start of my first quarter but now I’m finding my balance. It’s all about setting priorities (which can shift from week to week) and taking care of your health. I use my weekends to get my life back on track and catch up. My personal life is the area that suffers the most, but I have a very supportive husband and I try to keep him involved as much as possible. I also try to make time to see my friends a few times a month. My main strategy right now is time-tracking, so I can get more insight into how I’m actually spending my time.

Do you have any tips for future part-time students?

Get good at time management, be kind to yourself, have a growth mindset and remember why you are doing this (actually write it down).

Summer Internship Profile: Prakhar Agarwal

Name: Prakhar Agarwal

Position: Machine Learning Intern

Company: Apple Inc.

Location: Cupertino, CA.

Congratulations on your summer internship! Tell us about the position.

I worked on Knowledge Extraction for the Maps team at Apple.

My internship involved natural language processing, feature extraction and building a context-aware human intent inference. I was involved in the entire pipeline, starting with data (purification, enrichment, and matching), defining the model evaluation metric, training the Deep Learning model and serving the model as an API for downstream consumption.

I also worked with other senior engineers and scientists on a wide spectrum of machine learning and data science approaches to improving the user’s search experience.

What resources did you utilize in your summer internship search?

In terms of resources, I used the following:

Data Science Career Fair – Submitting your resume to the recruiters at career fairs goes a long way
Employee referral – I reached out to my friends, cohort members, and previous colleagues with my resume to refer me for positions
Handshake online job and internship database
Networking at open houses

What skills from the MSDS program are you applying to the internship?

The Data 511: Data Visualization for Data Scientists course provided me with a set of tools to effectively communicate results.

My understanding of Kernel Methods from Data 558: Statistical Machine Learning for Data Science enabled me to add non-linearity to any linear model.

What tips do you have for incoming students who are thinking ahead about summer internships?

First and foremost, start early! Have a concise, well-written resume ready. Customize your resume for each role. You should have an updated LinkedIn. This will help you get noticed by companies.

Identify the gaps in your preparation and try to address them. If you think you lack strong coding skills, work on this problem, and fix it to the best of your ability. It is important to realize that there are no shortcuts to being prepared.

Incoming Student Profile: Meet Ruian Yang

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Ruian. I was born and raised in Zhengzhou, China. I moved to Seattle in 2012 and started my undergrad at UW majoring in Biochemistry. While working in a Biophysics lab during my third year, I developed interests in math and programming and decided to also pursue a minor in Applied Mathematics.

Tell us about your professional background to date.

I joined the Assay Development team at the Allen Institute for Cell Science after graduating from UW in 2016. The Allen Institute for Cell Science is a non-profit research institute, whose goal is to understand and predict cellular organization, behavior, and dynamics using human induced pluripotent stem cells. I started as a research associate mainly working on quality control and testing the gene-edited stem cell lines. The institute generates a large amount of imaging data. I was really attracted to the quantitative analyses one can perform with these data. I gradually transitioned my role in the team to the computational side and switched my title to scientific data engineer.

Currently my job at the institute mainly involves image processing, feature extraction and quantitively analyses for image-based assays of cell organization, dynamics, states, activities, and functions. I work with experimental biologists and image analysis experts to extract and interpret information from 3D fluorescent microscope images. We also work with other teams to build machine learning models to predict cellular structures and dynamics.

What made you decide to become a data scientist?

As a stem cell biology researcher, one the most exciting and challenging parts of my job is analyzing data quantitatively to decipher cellular organizations and behaviors. I would like to be able to identify important questions and apply data analytic tools to answer them. I would also like to be part of stem cell research community to help understanding fundamental questions in cell biology. In the future, I hope to use my knowledge as a data scientist to expand the research to other cell types and include more conditions to gain insights about how cells function as individuals as well as in groups. My dream is to then learn how the underlying mechanisms can be used to help people suffering from cellular diseases.

What attracted you to the Master of Science in Data Science program at the University of Washington?

I am intrigued by the multidisciplinary aspect of the program as well as the wide variety of courses available, both theoretical and applied. As my next step of training, I believe that this program will better equip me with the skills and resources needed to develop statistical methods to analyze data.

I also appreciate the evening classes, which allow me to work at the same time and apply what I learn in school directly to work.

What do you like most about living in Seattle?

I have been living in Seattle for seven years and I’m glad to be able to stay here. The Pacific Northwest is just so beautiful and is a great place to get outdoors. Seattle is also a dynamic and fun place to live. It has so many good coffeeshops, restaurants, and bars for you to explore. I love seeing how the city is growing and developing. I’m excited for more changes and opportunities.

Summer in Seattle

If you are an admitted student who is moving to the city, or a prospective student visiting for the first time, summer in Seattle is hard to beat. Contrary to popular belief, it does not always rain in Seattle. In fact, come summer, the skies are bright blue, the temperatures are in the 70s and 80s, and there are endless things do. Discover 10 must-do events in Seattle this summer, each within reach of public transit.

1. Walk Around Green Lake

Green Lake is one of Seattle’s most beloved parks. The 2.8-mile trail around the lake is perfect for walking, jogging, rollerblading, or biking.

2. Cheer on the Mariners

T-Mobile Park has a retractable roof and features some of the best food in the MLB. Fan favorites including dumplings from Din Tai Fung and roasted corn from Paseo.

3. Get Some Ice Cream

Head to Molly Moon’s for homemade ice cream. The flavors rotate monthly, but salted caramel, earl grey, cookie dough, and honey lavender are highlights.

4. Spend a Day at Gas Works Park

Gas Works Park is a classic part of Seattle. With picturesque views of the Seattle skyline across Lake Union, there is no better place to lounge on the grass or enjoy a picnic than this urban park.

5. Catch a Summer Concert

It wouldn’t be summer in Seattle without attending at least one outdoor concert. Local favorites include the Capital Hill Block Party (July 19-21) and Bumbershoot Festival (Aug 30-Sept 1).

6. Explore Fremont

Fremont is an especially fun Seattle neighborhood to wander around. The Fremont Troll makes for a great photo op. You can also book a tour at the Theo Chocolate Factory.

7. Wander Around the Seattle Waterfront

Take a ride on the Great Wheel, stop by the Pike Place Market, sample handcrafted yogurt from Ellenos, and check out the Olympic Sculpture Park.

8. Go to a Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s Markets abound in Seattle. Popular markets include the Ballard Sunday Farmer’s Market and the University District Farmer’s Market held every Saturday.

9. Hike a Trail at Discovery Park

Discovery Park is home to forests, prairies, beaches, coastal bluffs, and a lighthouse. The park may be in Seattle, but the trails you take will make you feel like you are far away from the city.

10. Try New Flavors of Locally Made Soda

Rachel’s Ginger Beer – a super popular Seattle spot for non-alcoholic brews – offers deliciously zany flavors of soda: blood orange, spicy pineapple, cucumber tarragon, black currant, and more!

The MSDS Program: 2018-2019 Year in Review

The end of the 2018-2019 academic year marks a threshold and invites a pause for reflection. It’s a great time to take stock of the year behind and look ahead.

It was an exciting year for the MSDS program! We received the largest number of applicants in our history, enrolled the biggest cohort to date, increased the percentage of women in the program, and placed alumni at leading companies. We are proud of our accomplishments, so we want to highlight everything the program achieved this year.

Admissions

First, the MSDS program received a record number of applicants. Nearly 900 students applied to join the MSDS program, reflecting an 18% increase in applicants from last year. With an acceptance rate of less than 12%, this year’s admissions cycle was the most selective ever. The MSDS program also enjoyed an unexpectedly high yield rate, with 58% of admission offers being accepted.

The incoming MSDS cohort is comprised of 62 bright students from across the country and around the world. The countries represented include Argentina, Chile, China, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

The incoming cohort also includes an increase in the number of women enrolled in the program. Fifty-eight percent of new students are women. The increase is a nod to the value the MSDS program places on diversity and inclusion.

Class of 2019

Dr. Adrian Dobra, the MSDS Program Chair, addresses the Class of 2019.

This year the MSDS program graduated its second class of alumni. The intimate ceremony was held on campus in the Intellectual House. Degrees were awarded to 41 MSDS students. Our graduates had much to celebrate. This year’s alumni have accepted job offers at leading companies, including Amazon, Boeing, eBay, Google, Facebook, Merck, Micron, Microsoft, Nordstrom, T-Mobile, Zillow, and more!

Based on a survey of this year’s alumni, the base salary range for MSDS graduates is $91,000 – $186,000, and the median base salary is $117,000. The most common job title for graduates of the full-time program is Data Scientist, while the most common job title for graduates of the part-time program is Senior Data Scientist.

Congratulations to the Class of 2019!

Summer Internships

Current MSDS students have much to celebrate, too! They secured summer internships at a record number of companies and not-for-profits throughout the Seattle area and beyond, including Allstate, Apple, Capitol One, Clobotics, Facebook, Fred Hutchinson, Google, Microsoft, Nike, Walmart, and more!

Faculty and staff look forward to hearing about students’ internship experiences when they return to campus in the fall.

Industry Advisory Board

Last, but not least, the MSDS program is excited about our new Industry Advisory Board. The board is comprised of esteemed data science experts from Amazon, Boeing, Google, HCL Technologies, Microsoft, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. They will help support program innovation and ensure that the MSDS degree remains cutting-edge and industry-relevant year after year.

Looking Ahead

As the program enters its fourth year, we look forward to achieving more milestones, and reaffirming our national reputation as a leading data science program. For a program that just finished its third year, we have built a flourishing student body and an impressive alumni community. We are committed to providing our students and alumni with the support they need to have rewarding and impactful careers in data science.

The U District

Seattle is a world-class city with more than 40 different neighborhoods, each with its own distinct charm. The University of Washington has called the U District neighborhood its home since 1893. An eclectic neighborhood of family-owned restaurants, as well as beautiful waterfront views and tree-lined streets, the U District is the neighborhood that many faculty and graduate students call home. Here are some of our favorite neighborhood spots:

The Ave

Located on University Way, “the Ave” is a popular gathering place, with lots of family-owned restaurants, indie eateries, and eclectic cafes. There are many wonderful spots to eat on the Ave, but local favorites include the Korean Tofu House, Café Solstice, and Little Thai.

U District Light Rail Station

The U District has a light rail station that runs from Husky Stadium through Capitol Hill and Downtown Seattle to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The light rail provides easy access to some of the most exciting and densely-populated neighborhoods in Seattle.

The Burke-Gilman Trail

The Burke-Gilman Trail is one of the most popular recreational trails in Seattle. This pathway stretches 19 miles through lots of neighborhoods, including the U District. If you take the trail, you will see an assortment of walkers, dog owners, runners, and cyclists enjoying views of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains.

Husky Stadium

Husky Stadium might be the most picturesque stadium in American sports. The stadium overlooks scenic Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains. Due to the stadium’s design, Husky Stadium has also been recognized as one of the loudest football stadiums in the country. The stadium’s metal roof and vertical stands project the crowd noise up and out for miles. Go Huskies!

University Village

Located just north of campus, the University Village is an open-air shopping center which offers a mix of trendy restaurants, clothing boutiques, ice cream shops, and more. It is a great place to grab lunch with friends and window shop.

Lake Washington

The University of Washington’s campus is located on Lake Washington. From fall through spring, students can use their Husky IDs to rent kayaks, canoes, and rowboats at a discounted rate. Paddle around the shores to view the area’s wildlife such as bald eagles, ospreys, herons, and other waterfowl.

Alumni Profile: Charles Duze

Part-Time Student, Class of 2019

Undergraduate: Syracuse University

Current Employer: Shopify

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born in Benin City, Nigeria. At about 11 years old, I left home for the first time to go to a boarding school four hours away. Although extremely challenging at first, they were some of the best character-forming years of my life. About six years later, I left Nigeria to attend Syracuse University in New York. I completed my B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science at Syracuse University before attending the M.S. in Data Science program at the UW.

Why did you choose the M.S. in Data Science program at the UW?

At some point in my career, I stumbled upon the field of data science, although I didn’t know it at the time. After tinkering around with my self-taught knowledge, I decided to explore and learn more about data science. I took the 9-month UW Data Science Certificate program. It confirmed for me that this was the direction I wanted to go and left me with a burning desire to go deeper. Luckily, the M.S. in Data Science program checked most of my boxes. I wanted a reputable program from a renowned university that I could do part-time and in-person.

What was your favorite class? Why?

It is tough to pick just one. But since I have to, I would say Applied Statistics and Experimental Design with Dr. Brian Leroux. This class was very applicable to day-to-day work. Dr. Leroux broke down complex fundamental statistics concepts with a gentle and patient introduction. The quizzes and homework helped reinforce what we learned. There were two things I really appreciated: The first was that he held office hours late in the evening via conference call to accommodate the schedules of those with full-time jobs. You could tell he really wanted to be present and help students learn. The second was that he created customized materials for the class. These materials were so valuable and easy to understand that they were my study materials when I was interviewing for jobs.

What was your cohort experience like?

My cohort experience was great. Two and a half years of attending classes, study groups, and team projects and just struggling with homework problems together creates a special bond. Of course, the happy hours, when I could make them, helped too.

During your time in the program, you changed jobs – what role did the M.S. in Data Science program play in this transition?

The M.S. in Data Science program gave me the knowledge and confidence to take the leap and change jobs. The classes gave me the breadth and depth to be proficient not just with my former company’s tools and processes but any in the industry.

How has the M.S. in Data Science program shaped your future goals?

The M.S. in Data Science program accelerated my goals. I was already where I had planned to be post-graduation. For the immediate future, I plan to contribute, grow, lead and make an impact at Zillow. (Note: Charles has since moved on to a Data Science Manager role at Shopify.)

Outside of work, you are the founder and CEO of a nonprofit called LittleDrops Orphanage Fund, and you have a young family. Can you talk about balancing grad school, a full-time job, non-profit work and your personal life as a part-time student?

Balancing my various responsibilities, without dropping too many balls, was one of my toughest challenges. I don’t claim to have done it perfectly, but I think I did it well. It took a village and I am grateful to them. For LittleDrops, I was lucky to find an amazing part-time staff member who always went above and beyond. At home, my wife was very supportive, and my kids were more forgiving and patient than they had to be. I tried to make it up and play catch-up whenever I could. Overall, it took a lot from me and them. It was a challenging journey, but it was definitely worth it.

A Rainy Day in Seattle

Seattle is known for many things – the Space Needle, coffee, evergreens, and rain in the winter. However, in a city that embraces its notorious weather, there are plenty of ways you can explore the city, even when it is a little wet outside. Here are our five favorite things to do on a rainy day in Seattle:

Experience the vibrant coffee scene. Seattle is a city of coffee lovers! Quaint coffee shops line the streets. A few local favorites include Lighthouse Roasters, Café Allegro, and Slate Coffee Roasters. Or you can have the ultimate coffee experience at one of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Rooms.
Tour the museums. Seattle has dozens of museums to choose from that suit just about all interests. The Seattle Art Museum and Chihuly Glass and Garden are excellent choices for art lovers. Or explore Seattle’s history at the Nordic Heritage Museum or the Museum of Flight. Looking for something more eclectic? The Museum of Pop Culture has an impressive collection of iconic music memorabilia.
Wander around Pike Place Market. Visit Pike Place Market and you can pass hours exploring local produce, seafood, baked goods, coffee, a record store, art, restaurants, and more. The mini doughnuts at Daily Dozen Doughnuts are a local favorite.
Sip a pint at a brewery. There are nearly 200 breweries in Seattle – the most of any city in the U.S. Some of our favorite breweries are Fremont Brewing, Elysian Brewing, Reuben’s Brews, and Georgetown Brewing Company.
Check out the gaming scene Seattle has a vibrant gaming culture, home to over 300+ game companies and the largest concentration of videogame developers in the country. Seattle hosts some of the largest gaming conventions in world, with over 70,000 gamers attending PAX West each year. Board gaming meetups and stores abound, including some like Mox Boardinghouse where customers can try board games for free while enjoying food in the cafe.

Advice on Financing Your Degree

If you are thinking about pursuing an M.S. in Data Science in the near future, chances are you are also exploring how to finance your studies. While the M.S. in Data Science degree is a great investment in your future, it may require some planning. The admissions team is here to offer information on what to expect and some additional options you may not have considered.

Research What Expenses to Expect. We suggest you start by looking at current tuition costs and fees at your target programs. Even if it is a year or two before you intend to enroll in a program, you can start by calculating an approximation of costs ahead of time. In addition to tuition and student fees, you should break down your cost of attendance to include estimates such as renting an apartment, buying a laptop, groceries, transportation, and health insurance. These are all expenses that most graduate students will have to consider.

Be Mindful of Cost-Saving Strategies. For example, if you can find a roommate, you can save a significant amount of money every month. Many students choose to leave their car behind and take advantage of Seattle’s public transportation. At the University of Washington, students have the advantage of living in a city that is more affordable than other major cities such as San Francisco, Boston or New York City.

Know Your Funding Options. In addition to applying for federal or private student loans, doing the research to learn about your funding options will pay off. Does your employer offer tuition benefits? Some companies may cover the full cost of tuition while others might cap tuition reimbursement at a certain amount each year. If you are a military service member or a veteran, you can learn more about your educational benefits by contacting the Veterans Benefits Officeat the University of Washington.

We also suggest researching the funding opportunities and resources available at your target programs. For example, the M.S. in Data Science program awards some partial scholarships to incoming and returning students on a competitive basis every year. These scholarships can help defray the cost of your master’s degree. Additionally, the Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program (GO-MAP) at the University of Washington offers $1.5 million in funding to graduate students every year.

Do you belong to any professional associations, academic honor societies, Greek life organizations, or religious institutions that offer scholarship support to members? If so, it may be in your best interest to tap into the resources they offer. You could also use a big scholarship database like fastweb.com to research funding opportunities. In addition, the Graduate Funding Information Service at the University of Washington offers guidance and resources for graduate students looking for funding opportunities. Personal or family savings are another source of funding that may be worth considering.

Apply for Internships. Internships for students in the M.S. in Data Science program are extremely important. In addition to gaining industry experience and increasing your chances of a full-time job offer after graduation, pursuing paid internships is one way to earn money that will help cover your living expenses and/or pay down some of your tuition. Students in the M.S. in Data Science program have the advantage of living in one of the largest tech hubs in the world and can experience the convenience of applying for internships at major tech giants and innovative startups in their own backyard. Additionally, the M.S. in Data Science courses meet in the evenings, which frees up your time during business hours to pursue an internship at one of the many tech companies in the area. Many students also hold full-time internships during the summer when classes are not in session. Students enrolled in the M.S in Data Science reported full-time summer internship salaries ranging from $5,000 to $8,850 monthly.

If you are an international applicant, please note that you can learn more about eligibility for internships by visiting the International Student Services website.

Consider Our Part-Time Program. For prospective students who currently work in industry in the Seattle area, you may want to consider enrolling in our part-time program. Our part-time program would allow you to spread the cost of the M.S. in Data Science degree over 2.5 years. If your employer caps tuition reimbursement at a certain amount each year, the part-time program would also enable you to maximize your education benefits. You could space your courses over 2.5 years so that your education benefits cover most or all of your degree.

Understand the Return on Investment. LinkedIn recently published a report naming the fastest growing jobs in the U.S. The top two spots were machine learning engineer and data scientist. According to a 2018 alumni survey, graduates of the M.S. in Data Science program reported a salary range of $90,000-$130,000. This may help set your mind at ease when it comes to understanding the value of a master’s degree in data science.

Application Advice Part 5: Transcripts

One of the questions we hear most often from applicants has to do with what the admissions committee wants to see on your transcripts. Which aspects are the most important? How are they evaluated? Your transcripts are a rich source of information. This is one of the reasons why they are so important in the admissions process.

We look for evidence of academic excellence and intellectual curiosity in several places on your transcripts:

Overall GPA
Major GPA
Upper-division coursework
Patterns of improvement
Academic honors
Senior thesis
Independent studies

In short, we like to see that you took a well-rounded, challenging course load in college. If you did not start out strong, but showed improvement over time, we interpret that as a sign of growth and maturity. We also look favorably upon upper-division coursework, a senior thesis, independent studies, and academic honors because they suggest that you would thrive in graduate school.

Extenuating circumstances: If you believe your transcripts do not reflect your true capabilities, you may wish to explain any unusual circumstances that impacted your academic performance in the Additional Information section of your application. Common reasons include illness, bereavement, mental health issues, disability, and working to pay for college. If there was an unusual circumstance you wish to address in your application, please explain it briefly and honestly; do not lay blame or complain.

International students: For international students, we understand that undergraduate education varies across countries, and we carefully evaluate international transcripts using the guidelines provided by your undergraduate institution. Please remember to upload the transcript legend (on the back page in most cases), so that we can accurately assess your academic performance.

Uploading transcripts: You must upload unofficial transcripts to the online application from every college or university where you earned a degree or completed prerequisites. It is important that your transcripts are legible and the pages in order. Please note that we receive a high-volume of applications, so you should make sure that your transcripts are easy to read (e.g., no blurry scans, no cell phone pictures, etc.).