The Artists of Data Science

Software engineer turned machine learning engineer talks about the challenges of taking research into production, as well as what it means to be a leader in data science, the importance of staying humble, and how to handle scrum on data science teams. Join the FREE open Slack mastermind community where I'll answer questions and keep you posted on bi-weekly office hours: https://bit.ly/artistsofdatascience Follow the show in Twitter: @ArtistsOfData, on IG: @TheArtistsOfDataScience, on FB: facebook.com/TheArtistsOfDataScience, and on LinkedIn! [02:22] The introduction for our guest today [03:57] Amit talks to us about his journey from software engineering into data science and machine learning and touches on some of the challenges that he faced along the way and how he overcame them [08:18] He discusses some of the challenges he's seen freshers confront when taking something from proof of concept into production [10:54] How freshers can gain an intuition behind the data and the models they are building so that they can deliver business value [13:57] We talk about the challenges of monitoring model performance post-production [15:28] How agile methodology plays out on data science teams and the difference he's seen between its implementation in software enginerring and data teams [17:57] How to navigate the ambiguity of data science projects [19:56] What are some steps that someone can take to go from expiring data scientists to, to a data science or machine learning team lead? [22:38] The essential skills that are need that so individuals can be and remain successful as either a data scientist or a machine learning engineer [24:25] Some characteristics that he is looking for in a up and coming data [25:29] Apart from your stunning technical skills, what are some qualities you feel have contributed to your success a machine learning engineer? [26:31] The one thing that he wants people to learn from his story [26:48] Let's go ahead and jump into our lightning rounds. Python or R? [27:05] What's your favorite algorithm [27:39] What's a book that every data scientist or machine learning engineer should read? [27:51] His favorite question to ask an interviewee in a job interview [28:32] The stranges question he's been asked in a job interview [29:25] Amit lets us know how we can connect with him and where we can find him onlineSpecial Guest: Amit Jain.

On this episode of The Artists of Data Science, we get a chance to hear from Pooja Sund, a technology leader who has over two decades of global technology and financial experience delivering business and organizational impact across a variety of roles. Her contributions and expertise have led her to be a powerful leader and energizer, and she currently serves as the Director of Technology and Analytics at Microsoft. She gives insight into her journey into working for Microsoft, her tips to becoming more self-aware, and how she energizes her teams. Pooja shares with us his powerful journey from switching career paths and landing her dream job at Microsoft. This episode is packed with advice, wisdom, and tips about cultivating a growth mindset. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN [10:29] Desirable qualities of a data scientist [17:38] Why mindset is key [24:32] How to develop self-awareness Find Pooja Online LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pooja3p/ QUOTES [7:03] "You need to really look at the things that are in front of you and decide what are the things that excite you…" [12:42] …"Rather than jumping in, take time to understand the problem." [24:42] "I have seen people, including me, thinking that… I need to keep on learning…there's nothing wrong with it but at times you'll need to really look at the arsenal that you have created for yourself." SHOW NOTES [02:47] The introduction for our guest today [04:57] Pooja talks to us about the path she took from finance into data analytics and shares some tips for those making a similar transition [08:43] She shares some things that aren't taught in school about leadership, how to think outside the box so that you can align your team goals with the greater organizational goals, and tells us about the "mindshare mindset". [10:17] Pooja talks to us about the things we can do to cultivate the qualities of a good leader within ourselves, and what she is looking for when she's interviewing candidates. [11:54] She talks to us about her philisophy that insights aren't useful without understanding the key question to be answered and gives us tips for how we can cut through the BS to get to the heart of the question and find out the key question to be answered. [15:10] Pooja gives us her take on what it means to be a thought leader in data science and how one would be a thought leader even if they're operating out of an individual contributor role. [17:14] We talk about how to go from the "impossible" to the "i'm possible" mindset [20:55] We discuss the importance of the growth mindset, the nearly unlimited potential of human beings, and how the pursuit of skills is never time lost. [24:32] Pooja gives us her definition of executive presence and how important it is to be self-aware. [26:16] Pooja talks to us about servant leadership and why its so important. You're only a leader if people want to follow you, and everyone get's a bigger piece of the pie if we all work together to make the pie bigger. [27:24] Pooja talks to us about her experience being a women in tech, and that you need to be assertive and bring your ideas to the table. [27:45] The one thing Pooja wants all of us to learn from her story. [28:55] The lightning roundSpecial Guest: Pooja Sund.

One of LinkedIn's 2019 Top Voice's for Data Science shares why he thinks we're all doomed. Join the FREE open Slack mastermind community where I'll answer questions and keep you posted on bi-weekly office hours: https://bit.ly/artistsofdatascience Follow the show in Twitter: @ArtistsOfData, on IG: @TheArtistsOfDataScience, on FB: facebook.com/TheArtistsOfDataScience, and on LinkedIn! [02:29] The introduction for our guest today [03:58] How Vin first heard of data science and what drew him into the field [05:22] Why data science is doomed [07:44] What separates the great data scientists from the merely good ones [10:22] What role does being creative and curious play in being successful as a data scientist and how can someone who doesn't see themselves as creative be creative? [13:04] What are some soft skills that candidates are missing that are really going to separate them from their competition? [15:23] Why women are excelling in data science [18:18] Vin talks to us about the growth mindset, gives us his definition of it, and how it's important that data scientists embrace this type of mindset. [19:58] It's not a zero sum game: If you are of a growth mindset, you're not only will want to teach, you want to learn and those two pieces of communication are essential [20:38] Vin reflects back on his career and recounts the importance of diversity [22:23] How a up and coming data scientists can tie a particular ability or a particular requirements with a business need specifically in in cases where one doesn't have any work experience to speak of? [23:47] How up-and-coming data scientists are actually in a better place then those who have been working on the same team for a long time [24:58] Could you share some tips or words of encouragement for our listeners who've got a couple of decades, let's say 10 to 20 years of a traditional IT experience under the belt who are now trying to break into data science. What challenges do you foresee them facing and how can they overcome some of those challenges they built? [27:04] I ask Vin what advice or insight he could share with people breaking into the field who are looking at these job postings? Some that seemingly want the abilities of an entire team wrapped up in one person and they end up feeling dejected or even discouraged from applying. [30:48] What are some challenges that a notebook data scientists face when it comes time to productionalize a model. And do you have any tips for them to overcome those hurdles? [33:11] If you've already mastered Python, Vin tells you what programming languages you should learn next [34:31] We touch on the importance of writing good comments in your code [35:04] What cloud technology should people pick up prior to breaking into the field? Or is this something they should even focus on if they're just looking to land their first role? [36:04] The one thing Vin wants us to learn from his story [36:37] We jump into our lightning round: Python or R? [36:47] What's your data science super power? [37:29] What's your favorite algorithm for regression and your favorite algorithm for classification? [37:51] . So what's the number one book you would recommend our audience read and your most impactful takeaway from it? [38:13] I go off into a tirade about how much that book has changed my life. [39:05] Certifications vs self-study [40:00] What motivates you? [41:44] The societial impact that COVID-19 is going to have [43:45] Vin let's us know how we can connect with him and shares a message for smaller businesses going through rough times due to our current global pandemic situationSpecial Guest: Vin Vashishta.

Clips of one piece of advice that our guests want you to take away from their stories. Join the FREE open Slack mastermind community where I'll answer questions and keep you posted on bi-weekly office hours: https://bit.ly/artistsofdatascience