People of Bakken & Bæck: Jerry
In our digital world, it’s still about the people. In these blog posts, we’ve gone behind the scenes and invited the people of B&B to share their personal stories.
Data Scientist Jeremiah Aizeboje is an avid foodie and salsa dancer who loves touring both the world and the realm of AI.
Why did you decide to become a Data Scientist and how did you go about it?
I find computers interesting and easy to understand. I like the endless possibilities you have as a programmer, being able to create something new out of nothing. I did a lot of programming in high school, and went on to get a Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering. After that, I got a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence with a special in Intelligent Robotics. Initially, I didn’t know I wanted to do machine learning, but when I learned about the available AI programs, I was like ‘wow!’
How did you get your job at Bakken & Bæck?
Five years ago, I did an internship in Trondheim, and I really took a liking to the Norwegian culture. After finishing my Master’s degree, I googled ‘machine learning programming jobs in Oslo’, and Bakken & Bæck was the first to pop up. I did a Skype interview with them and after they reviewed some of my work, I got offered a job. What intrigued me most about B&B was the company culture. They basically follow the saying: ‘If you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your business’.
I like the endless possibilities you have as a programmer, being able to create something new out of nothing
What does being a backend engineer at Bakken & Bæck entail?
I have meetings with my team and the client two times a week to get feedback on what I have been working on. Generally, during the first phase of a project, I do a lot of backend programming. In the second phase, when the front-end developers join in, I have to make sure that everything is connected between the mobile and web applications, and the backend. I mainly program in Python, but it all depends on the project. My favorite part of the day is the cooked lunch, and having no idea what you’re going to get. It’s like a daily surprise.
What are your projections for AI in the coming years?
Lately, I’ve seen that we employ a lot of machine learning people. I think the future will be fully about Artificial Intelligence and the blockchain technology. I expect something beautifully crazy to be born from these technologies.
What challenges do you face in your career?
Time is a challenge. I wish I could stop time so I could learn and do more. If I’m onto a cool machine learning project, the time I imagine having to spend on it, makes me question whether I have time to complete it at all. In Artificial Intelligence you need to collect a lot of data and then process it, which sometimes can be both time-consuming and tedious. And even after all that work, you’re still not sure if the project is actually going to work. That can be quite demotivating.
I think the future will be fully about Artificial Intelligence and the blockchain technology. I expect something beautifully crazy to be born from these technologies
You spent a week at the International Summer School on Deep Learning in Bilbao, Spain. Tell us everything.
It’s too deep! No, the Deep Learning Summer School program was really interesting. I traveled with Wolfgang and Isabella from the Bonn office. I think there were over 1300 people attending, ⅔ of which came from academia and the rest from industrial companies. We probably had over 50 hours of lectures in total, some on general DL research and some introducing new concepts. The whole week was really intense and mind-blowing, but it was really inspiring to see what people are doing, and what possibilities are available. My brain wanted to explode by the end of the week, both from the load of input and being in awe of the potential of the technology. All in all, it was a great learning experience.
We hear you’re quite the traveler, have you got any hot tips?
Yeah, I’ve probably visited 15–16 countries in total. My main tip is ‘when in doubt, travel!’ Any free weekend you have, just get out there and experience the world. If you want to relax, there’s a really nice island in Mexico called Isla Holbox. It’s basically just one big beach with white sand and golf cars driving around. It takes you about 15 minutes to walk across the island, and you’ll probably see the same person five times a day. The highlands in Scotland is great for hiking, and for partying I recommend Spain and France.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Besides traveling, I enjoy watching movies and going salsa dancing. I also watch Deep Learning videos and do a lot of random programming. And sleep. I love to sleep. I try to stay active, and went kayaking once with IAESTE in the ocean outside Grimstad. It was super scary, even though I never fell into the water. Probably because I kept all my muscles flexed through the entire ordeal. But I wouldn’t mind going kayaking again, but maybe someplace less scary than the ocean. Like a pool or something!
My main tip is ‘when in doubt — travel!’ Any free weekend you have, just get out there and experience the world
What is IAESTE, and what is your involvement?
IAESTE is an organization working with an exchange-oriented trainee program that offers science and engineer students work experience all over the world. While studying in Scotland, I worked for the organization as a local committee member and IT officer. One of my main functions was to show the international students coming to Edinburgh around. Now I work as an “IT minion” for the main organization, skyping in once a week. Throughout the year, our ambassadors locate jobs available for internships from their respective countries. At the annual conference in January, all the ambassadors swap lists to present the given job listings to the students in their home countries.
The individual national offices also arrange events throughout the year, inviting other international local committee members to join for workshops and social events.
If you were to choose another line of work, what would it be?
I think I would enjoy having a job where you get to travel around the world, like a foreign news correspondent or a travel journalist. Basically something involving traveling and meeting different people.
What would you advise your 18-year-old self?
«Start learning different languages, now.» Then the 25-year-old me could reap the benefits of being able to talk to the random people I meet around the world during my travels.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Probably retired on a beach in the Americas somewhere. I haven’t really thought that far ahead. But having a job that allows me to travel a lot would be perfect. And maybe owning a yacht.
9 quick ones
Hang-up: YouTube Machine Learning Videos
Hung-up: Not much playing of games anymore
…because? I could be programming and making an AI system that would take over the world instead
Latest stream: Into the Badlands
Work tools: VSCode, Golang, Python
Go-to song: “Why can’t we be friends” by War
Favorite emoji: The pelvic thrust gifing emoji [censored 🙈]
Fun fact of the week: Heart attacks are more likely to happen on a Monday
Personal fun fact: I think only one of my lungs is working properly
Comfort food of choice: I’m happy as long as I get some meat, like lamb or pork steak 🍗🍗🍗
