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With digital technology developing in leaps and bounds, modern day research has become increasingly data intensive. Constant innovation has become the need of the hour if one is to keep pace with day to day technological advanced. The field of analytics is no exception to this demand. In fact, with data and technology becoming inseparable, the role on analysts is continuously evolving. I consider attending the Master of Science in Analytics program at McCormick Nothwestern Engineering as the next phase in my evolution.
“Problems were not the actual ‘problem’, it is thinking of problems as problematic that is the problem” someone once told me. I had found the statement to be funny, honest and thoughtful all at the same time. I had discovered very early in my life that I naturally took a very logically and analytical approach towards problem solving. Whenever I was faced with an issue, whether it was at a personal level or in academics, I always sought to first evaluate the situation, seeking out the causes of my predicaments and then taking a good look around to find a way out. Once I knew the way out, all I needed to do was connect the dots that would lead me out.
Over time, I developed a taste for solving problems through analysis. I proved to be exceptionally good in the field of mathematics, being able to find solutions to questions that others found perplexing. Personally, I loved the challenge of finding the answer to a tough question. It gave me a sense of achievement. Another aspect of mathematics that I found to be very interesting is that, while every problem presented a unique challenge, it could be solved using a common set of knowledge and analytical approach. It was in pursuit of my love for mathematics that I completed my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Missouri Kansas City in the year 2004. I attained a high GPA of 3.9/4.0 in my major, with an overall GPA of 3.5/4.0. I saw my high GPA as further proof of my mathematical and statistical problem solving abilities.
As the time to choose a career path drew near, the field of analytics seemed to be the obvious choice for me. I like to call it ‘natural selection’. While I knew that the field of analytics would be ideal for me, I did not fully anticipate just how thrillingly versatile the role of an analyst could be. It came as a present surprise to me when, over the course of my education and work experience, I realized that I could fit into any industry and use my skills to drive growth and efficiencies in business. Just the thought of the plethora of unique challenges that each industry and business could pose is tremendously exciting to me. Every company, with its many departments, each department having a variety of functions, presents an analyst with a multitude of opportunities to drive efficiencies. The ability to bring about positive change from the process level to corporate strategizing is another aspect of analytics that I found to be extremely attractive.
Beginning my career as a Senior Account Receivable Analyst to being the primary Energy Analyst to the Vice President of HIS Purvin & Gertz, the 9 years that I have worked as an analyist have been extremely fruitful and proved to be a continuous journey of learning, growth and development. However, as the realm of business grows and technological advances bring changes to the field of analytics, it is crucial for analysts to ‘upgrade’ themselves too. I personally do not believe in stagnation at any level and would like to keep myself in a perpetual state of learning and knowledge acquisition. I believe that attaining a Masters Degree with a focus on Analytics will allow me to further hone my skills and will prove to be a major boon to my professional growth.
What primarily drew me to McCormick Northwestern’s M.Sc. in Analytics programs is the fact that the program takes a holistic approach towards student education and development. The three core areas of data analysis - predictive (forecasting), descriptive (business intelligence and data mining), and prescriptive (optimization and simulation) – are covered under the program. This will give me a well rounded, in-depth academic understanding focused on analytics. While I have a B.Sc. Degree in Mathematics and Statistics, my analytics specific knowledge has mainly been derived from experience. I believe, in order to acquire sharp comprehension, sound knowledge, and effective skills, academic qualification is a crucial factor. I would like to develop this aspect of my professional profile through this course. Further, the program has a focus on training students in a host of industry tools, wherein students get training directly from vendors. I am looking forward to updating my technological competency as this is crucial for effectively mining and reporting data. Finally, I am looking forward to learning from the one of the best analytics faculty in the nation as well as industry experts and instructors from other prominent schools such as the Kellogg School of Management. I believe this will allow me to develop a fresh, comprehensive perspective towards the integration of the realms of business, technology and analytics.
With the massive growth in databases, I believe Big Data Analytics and Management will be the major influence in the field of business and analytics. Data volumes that analysts today have to deal with are nearly incomprehensible. Data is derived from a host of sources that may be disparate and managing to draw sensible analytical data will be the challenge over the next five years. In order to ‘tame the beast’, there have already been several key developments. The Discovery Platform has become commonly used to provide analysts with a stable workstation from where they can explore data and perform experiments within a fraction of the time taken using traditional methods. Big Data applications will also see a major boom as businesses seek to harness mobile and web technologies to tap into big data insights. I believe that this will be the sphere in which businesses will be able to attain a competitive edge through early adaptation. That is exactly what I intend to do through the M.Sc. in Analytics program at McCormick Northwestern University – adapt early. I believe this program will prepare me for the technological changes expected in the near future and the impact that they will have on the field of analytics. By taking this step towards the next stage in my career path, I will be able to work towards higher competencies in assisting senior management to make effective business decisions and strategies and preparing them to adopt the new world of analytics.
