DataTalks.Club
Build a Strong Career in Data - Lavanya Gupta
May 9, 2025
Lavanya Gupta, a Sr. AI/ML Applied Associate at JPMorgan Chase and CMU alumna, shares her journey from software engineering to an AI researcher. She discusses how hackathons ignited her passion for machine learning and her current work benchmarking large language models in finance. Lavanya emphasizes the importance of mentorship and networking for career growth in data science. She explores the evolving roles in the industry, the impact of continuous learning, and the balance between luck and strategy in achieving success.
51:59
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Quick takeaways
- Lavanya Gupta emphasizes the importance of building skills in tools like SQL and participating in mentorship to enhance visibility in data careers.
- She highlights her journey from software engineer to AI researcher, illustrating how hackathons fueled her passion for machine learning and NLP.
Deep dives
Career Journey and Early Interests
The speaker shares their journey into data, starting with an undergraduate degree in India and working as a software engineer before transitioning into artificial intelligence and machine learning. It was during a hackathon that their interest in machine learning peaked, particularly through participation in various projects focused on vision models. Notably, they developed an OCR model that automated the extraction of complex organizational structures from charts, which later became a product within their bank. This experience solidified their passion for machine learning, leading them to pursue a master's degree in the US and take on a role at JPMorgan Chase.
