What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you?
What I love the most about my Master's in Data Science is the flexibility in choice of courses I received. I have always been interested in Speech and Language technology, and I was really excited to start the programme when I learned that we could choose courses that fit our interests from other faculties as well. It was of course quite different from how courses were taught in my home country. Here, I got to do more research work and gain in-depth understanding of the concepts.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
The atmosphere in the classroom has always been quite relaxed. The teachers have been really friendly and supportive. They were easy to reach out to! Further, the teachers made sure that we could always reach out to them outside of the classroom, using discord or email.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
It took me some time to get used to the new grading system here. At times, I would be confused about how my exam paper has been graded but soon enough, I got used to the system and everything worked out in the end.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
Yes, I just started my thesis with a researcher at CWI (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica). It's about Bias in Book Recommender Systems. I am working on understanding how books of specific themes/ bias are recommended more than others.
Why do you think it is important that there are people with this degree? What are your plans once you have received your Master's degree?
I think a degree in Data Science in today's age can equip you with necessary skills needed to build technology reduces human effort and enhances quality of life. Particularly, since 'AI' is the buzzword nowadays, being able to understand what goes behind the hood is really necessary.
Once I graduate, I plan to work in an AI-based company and put the skills I learned here to use. However, since I am an advocate for Responsible and Ethical AI, some day I can see myself doing something in this field on my own.