Most early career aspiring data scientists I speak to are worried about automation disrupting their jobs- yes, you heard that right! There are a couple of platforms like DataRobot and H2O.ai that makes Data Science and Machine Learning far more accessible to the "not-so-technical" person. This has led to junior data folks questioning whether their careers will stand the test of time.
On the other hand, most businesses I speak to seem to struggle to actually getting value out of data or their data science teams. And truth be told, I am not surprised because data science and suggesting business leaders to lean on to a data-driven culture is a relatively new ask. And let's not even begin to pretend that senior leaders are simultaneously visionaries and experts at problem formulation...
So, last weekend I sat down with my former colleague and author, Dr. Bipin Chadha, Chief Data Scientist at CSAA Insurance Group, on how he thinks about Data Science for business and the field as a career.
Dr. Bipin Chadha has over 25 years of experience in developing advanced analytics, AI, machine learning, simulation, and optimization models to solve challenging business problems for a broad range of industries. He also recently published Agile Machine Learning with Data Robot with my colleague Dr. Sylvester Juwe.
And the biggest advice Bipin has for business leaders and data scientists alike, is to become great consumers of data. While this sounds like an easy to acquire skill, it is a non-trivial problem. Often the devil is in the data detail. Tune into our podcast for a more detailed discussion.
What is your role in the industry?
As the VP of Data Science for CSAA Insurance Group oversee data science, advanced analytics, and data governance functions for the organization.
How did you get here?
I started off building analytical models for a broad range of problems for multiple industries and then started leading and mentoring data science teams leading up to my current role.
What technology are you most excited about in the next couple of years and what impact will it have on how we do business?
Technologies related to digital twins, causal modelling, and federated models.
What technology/business do you think won't survive the next decade?
Land phone lines
Your tips for someone who wants to get into this field
Start with the basics of being curious about problems, critical thinking, and mathematics. Focus on solving a problem, and then find the best tools/methods to solve the problem.
What's the "Not-so-Corporate" thing they do that makes them successful in corporate life?
Reading and Relationships (speaking of which, in the "not-so-corporate" style, we even had a 2-year old sleepwalk right into our podcast!)
Talk to us here on #notsocorporate
For more information on Dr. Bipin's work, visit https://bipinchadha.com/
And if you are looking for early and mid-career advice, check out theabundancpsyche.com.
Comments