Student Testimonials
Master of Data Science - Aastha Rawat
Aastha Rawat will complete her Master of Data Science at UniSA in 2020.
Enrolled from: United Kingdom
Q - Can you tell us how did you choose Data Science? What was your background?
A - I honestly never thought I would be enjoying studying Data Science to this extent! I did my Bachelors in Mathematical Physics from University of Central Lancashire. During my bachelors, I had the honour to attend 'Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics’ at Oxford University in 2017. That’s where I heard the term ‘Data Scientist’ from a lovely panellist I had the chance to interact with. She told me about this field, and I was amazed. I had already been doing data analysis in different forms during my bachelors but had never come across this profession. In my final semester, I started to look what could I do next. I didn’t feel like pursuing research ... I knew I wanted to study more and something that is more applied and requires analytical thinking. That’s how Data Science clicked. But, I had always been scared of coding before this, even though it is all about logical thinking. I contacted the woman (‘Data Scientist’) I met at the conference to feel more assured about my decision. She was very supportive and suggested me to pursue some online courses related to Python & R so I feel confident about coding. I did that and I enjoyed learning it. I have always had a curious mind since childhood and I am glad to admit that Data Science has not just kept my curiosity alive but honed it further.
Master of Data Science - Abishek Vinuth
Abishek Vinuth completed a Master of Data Science at UniSA in 2017 and is currently employed as a Business Analyst with ENZEN Australia.
Enrolled from: India
Q - Please tell us a little about your career since graduating UniSA.
A - I used to work as a Test Analyst in B1HUB Australia Pty Ltd where I was involved in writing technical papers on how data could change the way business works, focusing on energy and utilities in Australia. I then started working as a Business Data Consultant in ENZEN Australia Pty Ltd, for a NSW Government owned Distributed Network Service Provider client. In a span of 6 months I was promoted and now lead a small team of Business and Data Analysts.
Q - Why did you choose to study your degree at UniSA?
A - I wasn’t a programmer but I was and am a musician who loves working with data and wanted to understand the mechanics of dealing with data. UniSA was one of the first universities in Australia to offer Masters degree in Data Science ... it offered a program which explored data exercises with softwares and languages that could be used by anyone to play with, unlike Java. The most interesting and enjoyable part was how the professors allowed us to use the knowledge and skills acquired over time, to chose and apply on a topic of interest / passion, as part of the curriculum ... We were fortunate enough to have gained real life experience working with 2 fantastic clients. These projects exposed us to understand the real meaning of data science and how to approach a problem with constraints.
Master of Data Science - William Thong
William Thong studied online at UniSA and completed a Master of Data Science in 2019.
Enrolled from: New South Wales
Q - Please tell us a little about your career prior to studying with UniSA.
A - I have a B.Bus degree from the University of Technology Sydney ... I was with a large Telco for 12 years and managed a team of business intelligence specialists in my last role before returning to study. I actually did a number of online courses via MOOC platforms, like Coursera, eDX, Udacity and etc, see if I can manage my time between family, work and study.
Q - Why did you choose to study your degree at UniSA?
A - I am always intrigued how hidden insights and intelligence can be uncovered from data using data science, and the value it brings to organisation and individuals ... I am based in Sydney and at the time when I started the program, UniSA is the only university in Australia that offers the Master program in fully online delivery mode.
Q - What do you enjoy most about studying at UniSA?
A - It can feel isolated and difficult studying as a distance external student. However, the support from most of academic and teaching staff has been excellent and beyond expectations. They genuinely want you to do well in your studies and have gone way out to ensure that. For example, I once had a professor who reviewed the draft of my assignment paper 4 times; each time pushing me to think more critically and write better. The other thing I enjoyed is the collaboration with fellow students on group projects. Being an external student, I was apprehensive on how is this going to work but it worked well in the end through the use of technology.
Master of Data Science - Abhinava Barthakur
Abhinava Barthakur completed a Master of Data Science in 2019. He is currently enrolled in a PhD program at UniSA.
Enrolled from: Guwahati, India
Q - What influenced your decision to study Data Science?
A - My never ending love for mathematics and also the fact that Data Science is one of the most rapidly evolving fields of this century has influenced me to take up this degree.
Q - Why UniSA?
A - UniSA is a globally recognised university and ranked among the best in Australia for Engineering and Technology. It has some quality and experienced professors doing amazing work in their respective fields. But mainly because of the practical based learning experience along with the excellent research facilities that UniSA provides, it was the obvious choice I had to make.
Q - What advice would you give a student considering studying this program and at UniSA?
A - Data Science is an upcoming field that will still be relevant many years from now. A master’s degree in Data Science can open various career paths for the students. UniSA provides an excellent course structure for data science that provides a good stepping stone for students into different data science role across industries.