I’m starting my Masters in Computer Science journey at Georgia Tech!

I’ve been accepted into Georgia Tech’s Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMS CS)!

I’m eager to learn at a top CS school and apply my new knowledge simultaneously at my job in Dell Tech.

Here are my essays I wrote for my application:

Essay 1: Background

Please describe your background (academic and extracurricular) and experience, including research, teaching, industry, and other relevant information (<=2000 characters).

My career goal is to build machine learning products that can transform people’s lives. To achieve my goal, I have been learning voraciously about Data Science such as Python programming, statistics, computer science for the past two years. My current job and past experiences have honed those skills tremendously. I believe I am ready to take my career to the next level by going for formal education in an esteemed CS programme at a world-class institution like Georgia Tech.

After college, I joined the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) as an analyst. At MCI, I used Python extensively to automate various analytics workflow and won an award for my contribution. I also built various Machine Learning models using logistics regression, LDA and time series modelling for numerous use cases centering on Singaporeans’ sentiments about core issues in the country.

I joined a three-month Data Science bootcamp called Metis after my role at MCI. At Metis, I implemented a range of machine learning projects. in the areas of regression, supervised and unsupervised learning, natural language processing, recommender system and more. One of my key projects is a recommender system built with Spark ALS model to improve e-commerce product recommendation. After twelve gruelling weeks, I successfully landed a job at Dell Technologies as a Data Scientist.

At Dell, I spearheaded the development of a multi-label classification model using BERT to triangulate feedback from the sales team and customers at Dell. My team’s effort was eventually recognized by Dell leaders at a global competition. In my free time, I also conducted a training session for my team to share how to build a scalable analysis workflow with Spark.

My journey to become a data scientist to build machine learning products has been quite successful yet rather arduous. While my knowledge in CS has improved a lot over the past two years through my work and various activities, I still believe that a formal postgraduate education in CS is a much-needed and invaluable opportunity to master advanced topics in CS that I would not have the chance to learn on the job.

Essay 2: Statement of Purpose

Please state why you wish to study in your chosen program at Georgia Tech. Your statement should describe your academic background, training, and professional experiences. You should also mention honors, memberships, and extracurricular activities. Be sure to discuss special areas of research or interest. Please be concise and specific in your response (<= 1000 words).

My career goal is to design and build innovative Machine Learning products that can transform people’s way of living. Think autonomous vehicles, smart home devices, and even more futuristic products. In order to achieve my goal, I have been dedicating time on weekday evenings and weekends to learn programming, Machine Learning, statistics and computer science for the past 2 years through a combination of MOOCs, Leetcode/Hackerrank and personal projects. I have further honed my programming and Data Science skills through an intensive full-time 3-months Data Science Bootcamp at Metis. I also have relevant technical working experiences at a Singapore ministry and more recently, Dell Technologies. My various technical experiences have prepared me well for OMSCS. On top of that, I believe that my grit and persistence to succeed would allow me to do well in OMSCS.

I graduated with an Honours degree in Psychology from the National University of Singapore (NUS). At NUS, I was trained in statistical modeling, research, and experimental design. I also learned about how people perceive, think, and behave, which helps me build customer-facing Machine Learning features in my work. In my undergraduate years, I was more interested in the statistical aspect of Psychology, and started honing my coding and Data Science skills by applying techniques I learned through online courses to my side projects and final year thesis. For my thesis, I used Python to preprocess my data, and applied regression analysis and discovered that academic motivation, parental involvement and personality traits such as consciousness are factors in predicting academic resilience among students. I also embarked on an internship at Urban Redevelopment Authority, where I assisted to build an ETL pipeline by preprocessing data using Python, which further developed my coding skills.

After college, I joined the Ministry of Communications and Information as a full-time Data Analyst. I spearheaded the first unsupervised segmentation model, using Singaporeans’ demographics data. Subsequently, I uncovered the corresponding sentiments for each segment which helped inform policymakers about different engagement strategies to employ with different citizen segments. I also automated various analytics workflows and reduced computation time by 90% which won an award at a ministry-wide competition. I yearned to deepen and accelerate my knowledge in Machine Learning and build personalized end-to-end systems that address clients’ and businesses’ needs. Hence, I embarked on Metis Data Science Bootcamp.

At Metis, I implemented five Machine Learning projects that address business challenges and enhance business value. One of them involved developing a recommender system using Spark ALS for individuals based on their customers lifetime value and product ratings to provide more targeted suggestions that improve user experience and ensure retention. With my heightened passion for Machine Learning, I embarked on the next phase of my career as a Data Scientist.

At Dell, I build systems to deepen businesses’ understanding of their clients and translate it to business growth and profitability. To triangulate feedback from the sales team and customers, I developed a Multi-Label Classification API using BERT with an F1 score of 87%, and deployed the Flask app on Dell’s server. The contextual model saved around 84 man-hours in tagging comments to their appropriate labels, and would potentially lead to revenue preservation of USD 2.7B by addressing key challenges impacting topline growth and customer retention. This project was recognized by Dell leaders at a global competition. In addition, I deployed Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Object Detection models with 98% accuracy on Flask using Docker to automate manufacturing defect detection for a Fortune 500 company as a Proof of Concept. I also developed and automated unit testing scripts such as pre-train tests to ensure correct implementation of the CNN and Object Detection model algorithms, and evaluation tests to ensure satisfactory model performance. During my free time, I also conducted a training session for my team to share how to build a scalable analysis workflow with Spark.

Why study computer science if I want to be a full-stack Data Scientist? My research and work experience revealed that an infrastructure able to store, ingest and process data and generate real-time predictions for business users or customers is equally or more important than developing a model using open-source tools. To develop scalable and high-performance end-to-end systems, I need to master the fundamentals of Machine Learning and advanced topics in computer science, such as Algorithms and High-Performance Computing

Thus far, I derive my computer science knowledge from self-learning and work experience, albeit facing some technical difficulties along the way as my CS knowledge fell short. Through a holistic and structured OMSCS program at Georgia Tech, with a specialization in Machine Learning, I believe I can accelerate my learning under the guidance of experienced and dedicated instructors, and engagement with fellow enthused learners.

At the same time, immersing myself in a rigorous learning experience like the OMSCS while working full-time in a rewarding job at Dell Technologies would be an excellent catalyst for my career goal. The synergy between applied technical knowledge and hands-on work experience would empower me to build scalable and high-performance systems in course projects and at work.

With my enhanced skill sets upon graduation, I intend to apply my acquired knowledge in Machine Learning algorithms, software development cycles and good architecture design, etc., to my work in Dell, share my knowledge with the team and improve their understanding and development of efficient Machine Learning systems. This would allow us to iterate more quickly and improve our ability to build scalable end-to-end systems for our customers. I aspire to become the Head of a data team some day where we develop innovative and practical Machine Learning systems that augments the intelligence of a hardware, like the personal cloud computer that Alibaba has created, which seeks to improve the convenience of people’s way of life.

What’s next?

I’ll be busy studying from Aug 2021 onwards. I’ll be writing reviews and tips of the courses I’ve taken, to share my experience, so my fellow coursemates can be better prepared when they take the same courses. If you’re also embarking on your journey at GT OMSCS too, feel free to drop me a message, looking forward to being classmates with you!