Use of Data Science in Solar Desalination – that’s what I had in mind when I landed in the United States of America on July 27, 2018 to study Business Analytics. About 4 months into it, I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people, take a weekend trip to Austin, perform in a brilliant theatre production of Julius Caesar with a supremely talented cast and crew, and found a new organization, Travelytics, at the University of Texas at Dallas. These have been heartwarming experiences and I will write more about them in separate, dedicated blog posts.
My data science journey so far has involved learning Statistics, the R programming language, and SQL as part of Database foundations. I have also been doing online courses on Python and Machine Learning to get well-versed with the basics of data science. It has all been a bit overwhelming but I think I am slowly finding my bearings here.
For entertainment, I have been binge-watching Aaraon Sorkin’s political drama, The West Wing. One of its episodes titled 365 days has made me think that it would be helpful if I keep count of the number of days I have left in my Masters program. It may be a good way of keeping myself focused and reminding myself of the goals I wish to achieve in my time as a Grad student. So, here we are, at 616 days to go. For some inspiration and perspective, I started with this article on How Big Data is Changing the Future of Renewable Energy Sector:
How Big Data is Changing the Future of Renewable Energy Sector
There is still so much to do. A good strategy would be to first become an expert in data mining, visualization, Big Data Analytics, predictive analytics and Machine Learning techniques while keeping an eye on the business side of things in the solar sector. I should also follow major journals and websites related to both renewable energy and data science (something I should have started already but haven’t). In my second semester, I am taking courses in IT Audit and Risk Management and IT security in order to broaden my horizons. Over the next few weeks, I will be aiming at finishing the Fall semester with as much knowledge retention from my courses as possible, efficient application of techniques in my R and Database projects, and completion of my online courses on Python and Machine learning.
I also have ambitious plans for our new club Travelytics for which I have had the privilege of getting together an excellent team of bright and young students.
616 days to go. Time to turn up the heat!