“The flexible curriculum requirements drew me, especially the option to do a practicum/thesis across disciplines.”
Contact Information: sallyhu@seas.upenn.edu
Degree(s) M.S.E. in Data Science, University of Pennsylvania
Hometown: Mays Landing, NJ
What field of Data Science are you interested in?
I’m most interested in machine learning (modeling in general) and data engineering.
What drew you to study Data Science at Penn?
The flexible curriculum requirements drew me, especially the option to do a practicum/thesis across disciplines. My undergraduate degrees are in Computer Science and Accounting, and I worked in consulting doing analytics for 4 years prior to coming to Penn.
What are some classes that you have particularly enjoyed and why?
I really enjoyed Big Data Analytics (CIS 545) due to its focus on application and exposure to a myriad of topics as well as Applied Machine Learning (CIS 519) because it’s prepared me for interviews and I got a really cool project out of it that I can talk about.
What internships have you had? If you know your post graduation plans, please include here.
In the summer of 2021, I had a data science / engineering rotational internship with Bloomberg.
What advice do you have for new students?
Relax and have fun! Enjoy your time at Penn. Most of your peers are very happy to help you, so if you do feel a little lost or overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to reach out for support or advice about anything (i.e. timelines for anything, classes, interviewing, job search, etc).
What classes have you taken?
CIS 545: Big Data Analytics CIS 519: Applied Machine Learning CIS 550: Databases & Information Systems ESE 542: Statistics for Data Science CIS 522: Deep Learning CIS 530: Computational Linguistics STAT 711: Forecasting Methods
Share a little bit about yourself.
I have undergraduate degrees in both computer science and accounting (I’m also a CPA). I worked in consulting for about 4 years doing analytics and wanted to pursue a more technical career so I decided to go back to school. I love traveling (55+ countries visited) and hiking (15+ national parks hiked), and I’m a big runner and swimmer. I love sports, especially the NFL and college football, and I love to read.