Intern of the Week: Neha Dave for Data Science!

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 09:33:49 -0500
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Name: Neha Dave

Internship, Co-op, or Research Site: Exelon (BGE)

Position Title: Data Science co-op

Major or Program: Data Science

Current Class Level: Master's Student

Work Term: Fall 2021

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I started my Co-op with Exelon (BGE) in Aug 2021. Exelon is the nation's leading competitive energy provider. My daily tasks as a co-op revolve around data, which is no surprise given the job title. As a Data scientist, I spend much of my time gathering, analysing, merging, shaping & looking for patterns or trends in data but in many ways and for many different reasons. I am also involved in developing and testing machine learning models & building interactive dashboards that provide real-time insight into key metrics by allowing end users to visualise, filter, and dig deeper into their data.

I try to seek to determine the questions that need answers, and then come up with different approaches to try and solve the problem. Another important aspect of my role is communicating with stakeholders and audiences who sometimes are not data experts.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

At UMBC, opportunities can present themselves anywhere; Be vigilant.

I received an email announcement from the UMBC Career Center regarding the fall co-op opportunity at Exelon (BGE). I applied, heard back from the company after 3 weeks and was invited for a virtual interview. A committee interviewed me, asking technical questions to assess my knowledge and approach to data science.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

My favourite part about this position was the learning experience and the opportunity to join a team of highly skilled people in undertaking the project. It was an eye opening experience into the Energy domain. I got a chance to interact with diverse people and make strong connections. The culture at Exelon (BGE) is really impressive where they prioritize safety, diversity and inclusion. I get a chance to connect with managers & supervisors on a regular basis to ask questions and seek feedback. From day one, they made me feel welcomed by being accessible and making it clear that interns/co-ops are an important part of the organization.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I've been working on a variety of Data Science use cases and presented the results to the stakeholders through interactive dashboards. The stakeholders utilize these results regularly in their daily, monthly and quarterly planning activities.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Work hard! Make a plan, start applying early and apply to as many opportunities as you can. Get your resume reviewed as soon as possible and keep it up to date always. Do not allow rejections to let you down. You learn from your experiences and the more interviews you appear for, the better you become at interviewing. I would also advise students seeking employment to network! Networking helps a lot. Be sure to make those connections and communicate with others. Also, the Career Center is a great tool to help jump start your career, so take advantage of those resources. Attending the Career Center events and workshops definitely helps.

Please provide a short reflection or quote about what you liked most about your position / earning internship credit / working with the Career Center.

The Career Center has been really supportive. I've reached out to them for resume review, interview tips and career advice and they've always helped with best suggestions and ideas. Great job, Career Center! Thank you.

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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Monday!