Graduation from Harvard

It was almost exactly two years ago today that I arrived at Perkins Hall to begin my studies at Harvard. Back then, I had only a vague idea of the incredible experience I was about to enjoy during my master’s in data science at Harvard.

Over the last two years I have benefited greatly from meeting and working with incredible professors, instructors, researchers, and fellow students. I started this program with a desire to rigorously develop fundamentals in data science (from statistics and machine learning to differential privacy and data ethics), and I could not have asked for better preparation than I received at Harvard. I expect that data science will be central to applications in industry and academia for quite some time, and feel extremely well prepared for this future.

I am particularly glad that I decided to stay for an extra semester to pursue a substantial research project and complete a thesis. It was one of the best learning experiences of my life as I got to meet weekly with seasoned researchers (mostly physicists) to discuss and develop research projects (not only my own, but also those of the rest of the group). These intellectual conversations fostered a new level of critical thinking within me, and I find it difficult to overstate its impact on my thinking and work.

As I begin the next chapter, I think back to how much I have grown intellectually and personally over the last two years. I am enormously grateful to my family and friends for supporting me through this adventure, and I look forward to what lies ahead.