First ‘home-grown’ data science graduates capped today

First ‘home-grown’ data science graduates capped today

New Zealand’s first home-grown data scientists graduate today – along with the lecturer who founded the programme they are graduating from.

New Zealand’s first home-grown data scientists graduate today – along with the lecturer who founded the programme they are graduating from.

Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Auckland, Sebastian Link, receives the Doctor of Science degree in recognition of his work to set up the Master of Professional Studies – Data Science programme, the first of its type in New Zealand.

“The programme responds to a global shortage of data scientists, named by the Harvard Review as the ‘sexiest job of the 21st Century,” Dr Link says. “So I’m especially proud to see our first graduates from what is a pioneering programme for New Zealand.”

MProfStuds Graduate Pieta Brown studied part time over two years to complete the degree while also working as a data analyst and analytics consultant full time.

“It was a challenge but the great thing about the course is that it’s flexible and it has developed my research abilities and challenged me to communicate more effectively, which is a big part of data science these days,” she says.

Pieta began her university studies with a conjoint statistics and law degree because she wasn’t sure which direction she wanted her career to go. She now works as an Insights Manager for a data mining company.

Most people are aware that, as they go about their lives shopping, driving, connecting with others and interacting online, data from their activities is generated, Pieta says. Using techniques from computer science and mathematics in particular, this data can be expertly analysed to produce knowledge about everything from traffic networks to healthcare.

“It’s an exciting time to be working in data science in New Zealand, the field is really developing and there are plenty of opportunities to be in at the beginning of some pretty interesting projects.”

ENDS

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