Congrats Fall 2024 SDS Graduates!
Soon-to-be-alumni, scholars Alex Wang, Daisy Ding, Ross Dahlke, Tianyuan Huang, and Xiao Cui reflect on their transformative journeys through the Stanford Data Science (SDS) program, each sharing personal stories that highlight the program's profound impact on their academic and personal growth. From cherished memories of collaborative projects and inspiring mentors to the way SDS has shaped their perspectives and future aspirations, their experiences showcase the vibrant, innovative spirit of the Stanford community. They delve into the meaningful projects that became milestones in their learning, illustrating the program's power to connect data-driven insights with real-world challenges. These reflections paint a vivid picture of how SDS fosters not only technical mastery but also a sense of purpose and belonging.
Alex Wang
"The SDS program completely changed how I think about data science. Working alongside scholars and fellows from all different backgrounds, I saw how the same basic tools of data and computation could connect wildly different fields."
Fondest Memory
Alex's fondest memory from SDS was hiking with John Chambers and a small group of fellow SDS students. "As the inventor of S (the predecessor to R) and a Bell Labs veteran, John has been a pioneer in data science longer than I've been alive," remarks Alex. During the hike, Alex had the incredible opportunity to ask John anything, learning firsthand about his time at Bell Labs—the legendary institution behind so many of this century's scientific and engineering breakthroughs—and hearing the origin story of the S programming language. "The experience was deeply inspiring; through John's stories, I felt connected to the very roots of data science, and I was struck by the remarkable gift I'd been given: not only to live in an era of abundant data and computing but to have the opportunity to learn to harness these tools at Stanford," recalls Alex.
SDS Impact on Growth
"The SDS program completely changed how I think about data science," says Alex. "Working alongside scholars and fellows from all different backgrounds, I saw how the same basic tools of data and computation could connect wildly different fields. I discovered these tools being used in ways I'd never imagined—from studying melting glaciers to building better batteries." Alex admits coming into the program with his narrow view of what data science meant, but SDS opened his eyes to just how versatile these methods are. What struck him most was seeing how even the biggest challenges we face today could often be tackled using surprisingly simple, yet thoughtfully applied, data science approaches.
Favorite Project
Alex's favorite project at Stanford is his current work on improving memory systems for neural networks. This topic resonates with him personally, as he has always been fascinated by human memory and ways to enhance it. Memory is a fundamental yet often overlooked capability. It's essential not just for routine tasks, but for learning itself, as we constantly relate new information to our existing knowledge. An agent that can remember better will be able to learn faster. Better memory systems could open up exciting new possibilities in AI. Beyond helping AI models maintain consistent behavior over longer timeframes, enhanced memory capabilities could transform how we model longitudinal healthcare data, where maintaining accurate historical summaries is crucial for predicting patterns in metrics like heart rate and blood glucose levels.
Looking Ahead
Alex has another quarter at Stanford before graduating in the spring and embarking on new exciting adventures.
Daisy Ding
"I believe that innovation often emerges when we look at familiar challenges through new lenses and that some of the most fascinating discoveries happen at the boundaries between disciplines."
Fondest Memory
The SDS program has created a wonderful platform to meet scholars and faculty mentors across disciplines, all united by their passion for data science. These interactions span weekly meetings, structured seminars, and spontaneous discussions. One of Daisy's most treasured memories was a small-group afternoon coffee chat with Dr. Aviv Regev before Dr. Regev's Distinguished Lecture. Dr. Regev generously shared her journey and perspectives, creating an atmosphere of genuine connection and inspiration. Her candid insights into navigating the intersection of data science and biomedicine left a lasting impression on Daisy. This experience reflects what makes SDS special—creating spaces where valuable mentorship and authentic scientific discussion naturally emerge beyond traditional academic settings.
SDS Impact on Growth
The interdisciplinary nature of the SDS program has influenced Daisy's approach to scientific thinking. What makes the program truly special is its commitment to cross-disciplinary research and the vibrant community of researchers from diverse fields who actively share their perspectives and knowledge. "I believe that innovation often emerges when we look at familiar challenges through new lenses, and that some of the most fascinating discoveries happen at the boundaries between disciplines," shares Daisy. "The program serves as a catalyst for this kind of interdisciplinary exchange. Through regular interactions with other scholars, I have learned to think about research questions through multiple perspectives and make connections across disciplines."
Favorite Project
Daisy's research aims to advance precision medicine by developing machine learning models to leverage diverse biomedical data modalities, including genomics, proteomics, and imaging data. These data modalities capture different dimensions of biological variation, and their integration offers unprecedented opportunities to understand complex biological systems and disease mechanisms more holistically. By integrating multiple data types, our models have enhanced the ability to predict individual patient disease trajectories and guide personalized treatment decisions, with the potential to advance precision medicine.
Looking Ahead
Daisy will not be far from Stanford Data Science. She will be staying at Stanford for a postdoc focusing on using AI to study brain aging and neurodegeneration.
Ross Dahlke
"SDS has impacted my growth by immersing me in cross-disciplinary data science discussions that have helped inform the ways that I can use data science in my own substantive research."
Fondest Memory
Ross's fondest memory is volunteering as a scholar at the Stanford Data Science Conference. "After having a poster session the year before, it was so gratifying to help out behind the scenes," recalls Ross.
SDS Impact on Growth
"SDS has impacted my growth by immersing me in cross-disciplinary data science discussions that have helped inform the ways that I can use data science in my own substantive research."
Favorite Project
Ross's favorite project at Stanford has been his dissertation, which he described way back in his SDS application. A lot of academic work has examined political communication on the open web, for example, on social media. However, less academic work studies the information and interpersonal discussions that people receive in personal messaging applications, such as text messaging, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. Studying these platforms is challenging due to data collection. To collect these data, Ross developed an application that participants have to download. With informed consent, the application collects all the messages that participants receive across 12 different personal messaging platforms, anonymizes the data, and transmits the data back to my database in real-time. This work not only allows Ross to quantify the messages that my 350 participants from a national sample of American adults received, but it also allows him to examine how real-world events, such as the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, impact interpersonal discussions and the content that people receive in these private channels.
Looking Ahead
Join us in congratulating Ross as he embarks on his next adventure as an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication in January 2025.
Tianyuan Huang
"The vibrant, collaborative community at SDS has been a game-changer for my growth. It’s incredible to see how data science bridges disciplines, from unraveling the mysteries of astrophysics to tackling public health challenges."
Fondest Memory
What’s better than a coffee break filled with research inspiration and delicious donuts? For Tianyuan, these moments were more than just snacks—they were opportunities to spark ideas from the brilliant work of his fellow researchers. Plus, who doesn’t love a good fruit-and-donut combo?
SDS Impact on Growth
"The vibrant, collaborative community at SDS has been a game-changer for my growth," admits Tianyuan. "It’s incredible to see how data science bridges disciplines, from unraveling the mysteries of astrophysics to tackling public health challenges." As a sustainability researcher, Tianyuan believes he gained so much from learning cutting-edge data science methods from other fields. "What truly amazed me, though, was discovering how many shared challenges we face across disciplines—and how creatively we all solve them."
Favorite Project
One project stands out as Tianyuan's absolute favorite: measuring climate recovery using street view time-series data. "Watching how cities respond to a changing climate and recover from extreme weather events is fascinating—especially as these events grow more frequent," shares Tianyuan. By combining data science and machine learning, he and his team were able to track household recovery patterns and even highlight stark disparities between higher-income and lower-income communities. These insights, down to the building level, can empower policymakers to create financial aid programs that prioritize equitable, human-centric disaster recovery.
Looking Ahead
Next up, Tianyuan be joining Waymo as a member of the technical staff in their perception team. "I can’t wait to dive into the exciting world of semantic understanding of urban scenes—here’s to shaping the future of cities with data and innovation!"
Xiao Cui
Fondest Memory
Xiao had an amazing time connecting with everyone in the data science community. She found John Chambers' passion, curiosity, and open-minded approach to science incredibly inspiring—not to mention his uplifting energy! Plus, the terrarium-building event was an absolute blast.
SDS Impact on Growth
Through SDS talks and meetings, not only has Xiao learned new technical skills and tools but also developed a crucial skill: communicating complex research to a broad audience.
Favorite Project
Xiao's work focuses on advancing sustainable energy solutions by improving the efficiency and quality of battery manufacturing. Using a combination of electrochemical cycling experiments, data-driven methods, and physics-based simulations, she studies the complex and costly "battery formation process." Her findings show that by optimizing this process, we can significantly accelerate battery production, reduce costs, and enhance battery performance—leading to longer cycle life and greater energy density.
Looking Ahead
Xiao is also staying at Stanford for another quarter before her graduation.
