Q&A with May-Lyn Hu

UWA Data Science graduate (2020)

What aspects of working in data science do you most enjoy?

I enjoy solving complex problems with data and communicating the possible answers in a concise way. Numbers and how stories can be told with them are my passion. Numbers can be skewed but ensuring that I can communicate the answer with minimal ambiguity is something I really enjoy. It enables me to use the creative and scientific side of myself.

What's the most interesting aspect of your career?

Trying to predict what will happen in the future. This could be relating to human behaviour regarding products, understanding medical outcomes, to optimising use of products. The list is infinite. That's the beauty of data science, it can be applied to everything (provided there's adequate data).

Reflecting on your time at UWA, what experiences were most important for your development?

For me, it was being involved in student clubs and doing research. I co-founded the Data Science Club of UWA. This involved working closely with lecturers and the department to help engage students with one another and the industry. We did study sessions (especially for exams!), industry events, and social catchups. This allowed me to meet fellow students of whom I'm still friends with now after graduation. I also did research within my Master's, which not only provided me with technical guidance from my supervisors, but mentoring in how to conduct my ability to problem solve in the industry.