“Big data must get smaller,” explained Stephen Yu, a world-class database marketer who recently talked about careers in data science and analytics with some of our students. “Companies that use massive amounts of data like Amazon or Google need easy and effective ways to store and use data. That’s where data scientists come in. They design tools that make large amounts of analytic data usable, understandable, and accessible.”
Mr. Yu’s presentation was the latest virtual event in the 2021 Roy ’99 Leadership Series organized by Storm King’s History & Social Sciences Department. During the one-hour session, he reviewed some of the basics of data science, what it takes to be a data scientist, and the various roles a data scientist can play in business.
Alex Neighbors ’22, who is interested in exploring the field of data science, asked what is required to break into the field. “First of all, you need desire, and you must work very hard to get an internship. Mathematics, statistics, statistical modeling, and data science are all fields of study than would benefit you. Also, learning to code one or more data analytics languages is very important,” Mr. Yu advised.
Another student who was interested in the work/life balance of data analysts learned the difference between working for a large company and as a consultant. “If you work for a big company, you will most likely get paid less, but you will have a slightly more structured lifestyle, even though they will still work you hard. A consultant requires some more experience, but you have more flexibility to choose your clients,” Mr. Yu continued.
According to History & Social Sciences Chair Tim Gillett, the hour-long presentation went well and all the students who attended were actively engaged in the subject at hand. Mr. Yu was also pleased with the discussion and impressed by the students’ questions. Many thanks go to Mr. Yu for sharing his more than 30 years of experience in this important career field.
About Stephen H. Yu
Originally from Korea, Mr. Yu is a world-class database marketer and the President and Chief Consultant at Willow Data Strategy. Previously, he served as Practice Head, Advanced Analytics & Insights for eClerx, and as Vice President, Data Strategy & Analytics at Infogroup, leading the analytical services and product development teams for both. He was also a co-founder and the principal technology architect of I-Behavior, a premiere co-op database company that was the first to fully incorporate SKU-level data into the targeting process. Along with his extensive database and consulting assignments, Mr. Yu actively speaks at prominent database marketing conferences and frequently contributes articles in industry publications on the subjects of target marketing, big data analytics, database design and best practices in database marketing.
The Roy Leadership Speaker Series
This series is named after Patrick Roy ’99, a Storm King alumnus who was killed while serving in the Navy during a terrorist attack on the USS Cole in Yemen less than a year and a half after graduating. He was only 19 years old at the time of his death. A leader by nature, Storm King commemorates the life of Roy each year on October 12– the day of his passing.
The Roy Leadership Series continues to feature virtual speakers, discussions, and presentations designed to develop a strong value for leadership in students’ daily lives. Students who attend at least three of the talks will receive SKS leadership pins.