Cohort 7 Student Spotlight: Meet Phil
Phil Trinh joined the MSDS program after obtaining his BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Denver and gaining four years of work experience. Continue reading to learn more about his passion for sustainability, practicum placement, and love of ambient lighting!
What were you doing before joining the MSDS program?
Before joining the MSDS program, I was recovering from a cancellation of a different Master in Data Science program last year. I have been preparing for my Data Science education for over a year, going through any material I could find online. In the gap year, I also took time to travel, spend time with family before the big move from Colorado, and catch up with friends over scrumptious food.
Why did you choose the USF MSDS program?
I chose the USF MSDS program because I saw that it was well established, had a history of quality graduates that are now working in the tech industry, and it’s accelerated for one year. I was ready to dive into learning again after graduating from Undergrad in 2012 and wanted to put my full time into building up my skills.
What started your interest in Data Science?
In my last position, I dealt with a lot of manufacturing data that intrigued me to look at efficiencies in code, where making any amount of improvement affected either a large amount of money, quality in the product, or worker effort in the production line. Connecting how data made the decisions for the code base pushed me to find the growing field of Data Science.
How would you like to apply Data Science?
My aspirations would be to use Data Science for social impact or sustainability. With the ever-growing threat of survivability of the human race here on The Earth, there’s bigger fish to fry in the vat of oil we call The Universe. If we don’t find ways to progress our society to work together into the future, along with preserving our place on this planet, the countless wars, social progress, and technological advances will all be for naught. Data Science is what to be the tool for me to contribute to moving us forward.
Where were you placed for practicum? What are you excited to do there?
I got placed with Recology for my practicum. I am thrilled to deep dive and explore the ocean of data they have to improve safety when the trash, recycling, and compost are being collected in San Francisco. With the sheer size of the city and amount of people living here, there’s bound to be risk associated for both the drivers and people on the road. To be able to help mitigate that, with an informed decision with data, would be meaningful to everyone in the city.
What do you like about the MSDS Program?
I like the faculty and staff! All the professors, staff, and directors have been very welcoming to make the program feel like home. They put in their all to make the program run, which I’m sure is not an easy task. They want to see everyone succeed and don’t alienate themselves to their offices. It makes the MSDS Program more of a journey of joy than just another educational program.
What is your favorite thing to do in SF?
I enjoy exploring the city. Whenever I’m in a big city, I always see a lot of diversity in the people walking around, the small shops lining the sides of the streets, and the views that the city can offer that I can’t see anywhere else. So, going on a walk around the sinusoidal hills of SF has been an awesome adventure to open my eyes to new experiences.
What ways do you have fun or relax despite a heavy workload?
I like to take long moonlit walks on the beach, have candle-light dinners, and live a cliche-filled life that deals with ambient lighting. On occasion, I’ll even have low-lighting for gaming nights with friends. But of course, I will always give my time to have conversations with people to listen, share, and motivate…also in atmospheric illumination.
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