Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Data Mining Lab -- Experience is Key

My name is Nathan Davis. I've been a member of the Data Mining Lab at BYU for 3 years now, and have had a wonderful experience. In fact, I've had a lot of great experiences, many of which have prepared me for future work and research.

With respect to work, I've had a chance to conduct real world data mining for large industry partners. In addition to learning, through experience, about the technical aspects of the data mining process, the lab has also given me an opportunity to learn about business aspects, by meeting face-to-face with industry partner representatives. Most recently we were able to meet with a Vice President of a large retail company to discuss several issues relevant to the research we conduct!

Further, the lab has provided me with great research experience. Dr. Giraud-Carrier is a tremendous academic, with a great deal of interest in his students and research assistants. Under his tutelage I've published academic papers and will soon be completing a Masters degree. I even had the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands to present at an academic conference.

Currently I'm conducting a software engineering internship with Google, and my experience in the lab is helping me to be successful. For anyone interested gaining experience that will help them succeed academically and professionally, I'd highly recommend dropping by the lab and finding out about the great experiences that await you.