Cohort 8 Student Spotlight: Meet Kevin
Kevin Loftis joined the MSDS program after working as a research assistant in a biomedical engineering lab. Continue reading to learn more about his path from biology to data science, and what he’s working on at his practicum with Reddit!
What were you doing before the program?
Prior to starting the program, I was a research assistant in a biomedical engineering lab for 2 years supporting the development of microscope image analysis pipelines.
What led you from Biology to Data Science?
In the summer between my junior and senior year of college, I had the opportunity to intern in a medical informatics lab. During this experience, I redesigned a dashboard that allowed clinics to track quality metrics relating to their cardiovascular care. At the core of the project, I was using data to help primary care practices make more informed decisions by improving access to their performance data. This was a truly rewarding experience that solidified my resolve to pursue data science as a career.
What do you like the most about the USF MSDS program?
What I love most about the program are the people and the tight-knit community that develops between fellow cohort members and the professors. My classmates are all from different backgrounds, and I have learned so much from them. Additionally, the professors really care about your success as a student and are always happy to engage with students.
How do you want to apply Data Science after the program?
One thing that I love about Data Science is that it can be applied anywhere where data exists, which in 2019 means pretty much everywhere. While I have a background in the biomedical sector, and there are so many interesting problems to be solved in that space, I am also open to exploring data science in other industries as well.
Where were you placed for practicum? What are you excited to do there?
I just started my practicum at Reddit, where I am currently working on a project aimed at improving subreddit discoverability. What I am most excited about is the opportunity to learn how to build a data science product from end to end in an industry setting. By this, I mean starting with an idea, working with the project managers, engineers, analysts, and other data scientists to design a solution, and then deploying the product into production.
Favorite thing to do in SF? OR anything you’d like to share about your hobbies, what you do to relax on the weekends etc.
SF and the surrounding Bay Area offer some beautiful hiking trails. One notable trail that I hiked recently was just north of the city at Point Reyes National Seashore featuring a coastal trail through redwoods with stunning views of the California coastline and a beautiful waterfall flowing into the ocean!
