The third installment of the Spring 2024 Grace Series featured data scientist (and proud UT Dallas Computer Science alum) Dr. Maryam Imani, who spoke about “Navigating the Data Science Journey: Insights and Inspirations.”

Dr. Imani earned her PhD in Computer Science at UT Dallas in 2020. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Imani was primarily involved in the Big Data Analytics Lab, working with UT Dallas CS professors Latifur Khan and Bhavani Thuraisingham, focusing her research on areas such as natural language processing (NLP), applied machine learning, and big data.

As a data scientist, Dr. Imani navigates the intricate landscape of data, extracting insights, patterns, and solutions. Her work bridges the gap between raw information and actionable intelligence. Throughout her talk, Dr. Imani embodied the spirit of the Grace Series: Celebrating accomplishments, fostering community and amplifying diverse voices in technology.

Dr. Imani’s talk gave a user-friendly tour of her experiences in data science, from her student days doing her research to her current role tackling applied real-world problems. Her talk highlighted issues surrounding finding your path, learning as you go, and supporting each other in the tech world.

Dr. Imani’s journey exemplifies the intersection of data science, academia and industry. Throughout her talk, her ability to translate complex concepts into practical solutions inspired attendees. After completing her PhD, Dr. Imani transitioned into the industry and joined Walmart Lab, where she continued her work as a data scientist. In her current role, Dr. Imani has been involved in projects aimed at improving catalog contents and inventory placement.