How to Excel As a Data Science Student
Our latest Scholar Launch webinar, “How to Excel As a Data Science Student,” was the perfect opportunity for STEM scholars to get a peak behind the curtain of this rapidly growing industry. We invited Dr. Cosimo Arnesano–an Assistant Professor of Clinical Data Sciences and Operations at USC Marshall School of Business–to offer attendees insight on how they can combine their interests in statistics, mathematics, artificial intelligence, and computer science as they progress in their education and careers.
Our conversation, led by our Director of Education, Dr. Christopher Brown, was comprehensive and covered critical topics like:
The latest trends in data science & business analytics
The qualities data science professors seek in their students
Pro tips on conducting data science research as a high school student
Check out this quick recap of what webinar attendees learned during the live event.
Scholar Launch Webinar Recap
How to Be an Exceptional Data Science Scholar and Professional
The theme at the heart of our conversation with Dr. Arnesano was curiosity, a valuable trait that any professor seeks in their students. His own curiosity has been the driving force throughout his time at USC, where he’s progressed from student to researcher to faculty member over the past decade. He spent the bulk of his student life immersed in biomedical research but pivoted to business administration after recognizing the value of being an effective laboratory manager. He even left academia for a time to work as a Strategy Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific. His journey reminds our students that they don’t have to commit to one field of study or choose between academia and industry to be effective in their careers.
Dr. Arnesano’s curiosity and passion for discovery and research underpin the most important purpose of the hard sciences: to make the world a better place. When asked how he approaches that lofty responsibility, he pointed back to his passion for medicine.
“Even now, on the business side of things,” he said, “my business research focuses on healthcare. Machine learning, healthcare analytics, how to apply artificial intelligence tools to improve healthcare outcomes and be more efficient and effective.” He spoke at length about the value of a multidisciplinary approach and how the diversity in his classes–some students have a humanities background while others specialize in business or engineering–encourages students to challenge their perspectives by tackling issues from different viewpoints.
This type of intellectual flexibility, which comes from multidisciplinary learning, fortifies any scholar who hopes to be successful in undergrad and beyond.
Trends in Data Science
USC programs are seeing an explosion of data science applications, including advancements in generative AI and machine learning that inform finance, healthcare, trading, and more. Dr. Arnesano talked about how these recent innovations, commonly manifested as everyday tools like ChatGPT, GPS, and “intelligent automation,” raise questions of the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence. We also must question how these tools can help further our sustainability goals worldwide.
Regardless of how we approach the subject, though, Dr. Arnesano says, “Data science is really, really at the core of all of these developments. AI, machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI…they share similarities. And data science is really the way in which we use and apply these tools in everyday applications.” According to him, incoming students of data and computer science have much to be excited about because the potential for the field is limitless.
Additionally, when asked where he thought the most important place to be for the data science renaissance would be in the next 5 to 15 years, two places came to mind: California and Florida. “These two states are experiencing an explosion of technology-based company income…it’s easier to start [businesses] there, and it’s less demanding from a legislative point of view.” Overall, our speaker declared the United States–regardless of state nuances–as the best place in the world to be for the next generation of data scientists.
Dr. Arnesano spent the rest of the webinar delving into the many trends springing up in his industry as we get deeper and deeper into this 21st-century technological revolution. He also dedicated significant time to offering high school students advice on how to pursue data and computer science research ahead of college, stating, “I wish I was a student now because there are so many tools and support systems that can really help students jumpstart their journey into data science.” Khan Academy, Coursera, and Codecademy were among some of the resources he mentioned, but the options for self-directed learning abound these days.
To hear the rest of the conversation and access more advice and insights from an industry expert, you can watch a replay of “How to Excel As a Data Science Student” at your own pace, on your own time.
About the Guest Speaker
Dr. Cosimo Arnesano’s exemplary resume made him the ideal candidate for the guest speaker role at this virtual event. He holds Ph.D.s in Energy and Environmental Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. He also earned an MBA with dual concentrations in business analytics and operations and supply chain optimization.
At present, Dr. Arnesano teaches multiple undergraduate and graduate courses covering popular subjects like business analytics, project and operations management, and machine learning/artificial intelligence applied to business processes.
His contribution to our webinar was rooted in his multidisciplinary knowledge that incorporates biology, biochemistry, physics and optics, statistics and data science, electronics, biomedical imaging, and business. We’re beyond grateful to him for sharing his expertise with event attendees. In the coming weeks and months, we can’t wait to offer Scholar Launch students more informative webinars to encourage their journey into higher education.
