Podcasts Technology Datacast Episode 20: Managing Data Scientists with Sunanda Parthasarathy

Episode 20: Managing Data Scientists with Sunanda Parthasarathy

Published: Sept. 26, 2019, 2:06 a.m.

Show Notes:

  • (02:05) Sunanda discussed her Master’s degree in Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
  • (03:05) Sunanda talked about her decision to go to the US to pursue a Ph.D. in Condensed Matter and Materials Physics at Purdue University.
  • (04:22) Sunanda went in-depth into her Ph.D. thesis that focused on spin transport.
  • (06:51) Sunanda accepted a Materials Science Postdoc Fellowship at Princeton University and worked there for 3 years on quantum insulators.
  • (10:05) Sunanda recalled the most valuable lessons she learned from her Postdoc time.
  • (11:49) Sunanda talked about her transition from physics to data science by getting a certificate of Professional Achievement in Data Science from Columbia University.
  • (18:42) Sunanda went over the best courses she took at Columbia that prepare her well for a career as a Data Scientist.
  • (21:13) Sunanda talked about the ease of learning Python and R from scratch given her programming experience in C++.
  • (22:29) Sunanda quickly mentioned her job search experience.
  • (24:32) Sunanda discussed her work as a Data Scientist for 3 years at DataXu (a Boston-based advertising startup), including advertising attributions measurements and marketing-mix modeling.
  • (28:35) Sunanda revealed the workflow of algorithmic conceptualization and experimental design in her work at DataXu.
  • (31:05) Sunanda talked about her career progress at DataXu.
  • (32:01) Sunanda discussed her move to Wayfair, a big e-commerce company that sells home goods.
  • (34:08) Sunanda went over her responsibilities as an Associate Director of Data Science at Wayfair.
  • (35:58) Sunanda gave her advice for people who want to make a transition from an individual contributor to a data science leader within an organization.
  • (38:17) Sunanda gave a quick overview of R&D work on recommendation systems at Wayfair.
  • (40:31) Sunanda commented on the differences between the two work environments at startup company versus at medium-sized company.
  • (41:48) Sunanda shared her thoughts on tech and data community in the Boston area.
  • (43:14) Closing segment.

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