Dr. Alice Leach
Data Engineer, Whatnot Inc.
“Transitioning to a career in data and analytics”
09.21.22 | 4pm | 134 Featheringill Hall
Abstract. Over the last 10 years, the data industry has exploded in size and a further 31% increase in the number of jobs is projected by 2030. With data professionals in high demand and alignment between business analytics and the scientific disciplines, transitioning from a PhD in STEM to a career in data is appealing to many. It can be daunting, however, to break into a field that is both popular and dynamically evolving. In this talk, I will speak about my journey from academia to data. I will discuss skills that translate from the lab to the data stack, share some great learning resources and describe how to rebuild a resume for a data role. Finally, I will consider the different career paths available in data and where different skill sets can fit into the data pipeline.
Bio. Alice Leach is a Data Engineer at Whatnot Inc., a live stream platform and marketplace that enables collectors and enthusiasts to connect, buy, and sell verified products. She began her career in science, obtaining an MChem in Chemistry from the University of Oxford (2012) and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Materials Science from Vanderbilt University (2017). She then spent four years as a Research Assistant Professor at the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. She transitioned from academia to data in 2021, working first as a data scientist then data engineer. Her current work at Whatnot focuses at the interface of data science and engineering building robust, efficient, and integrated data models for use in both business analytics and product features.