Carpe Datum

(Bonus) Sara Kaufman: Proof in the Pudding

Winning Competitive Scholarships: Success is driven by strategic preparation, consistent personal growth, and long-term persistence through challenges.Student-Led Advocacy in STEM: Grassroots leadership can expand opportunities, visibility, and access to STEM programs through sustained student initiative.From Idea to Impact (Gold Award): Meaningful projects emerge from aligning personal passion with community need and executing through careful planning and follow-through.Technology in Biomedical Engineering & Cancer Support: Data science and technology enhance biomedical innovation while strengthening patient-centered support systems.Link to PARSE College: https://sites.google.com/view/hursau/home

S4E12 Joy Hopkins: Translating Data for Every Audience

Career Journey & Daily Work: What sparked their path into data science and what energizes their day-to-day problem-solving.Sustaining a Two-Decade Career: A growth mindset that supports adaptability, curiosity, and purpose across shifting missions.User Needs From the Ground Up: How real-world, hands-on experiences shape more empathetic, user-centered data tools and events.Guiding Real-World Student Projects: Helping students identify meaningful problems and what distinguishes a standout capstone.Communication Across Audiences: Tailoring language, tools, and teaching styles for executives versus classroom learners.

S4E11 Ann Hodgetts: Breaking the Science Stereotype

Influence of a Secondary School Teacher: Early encouragement can lead to long-term impact of belief and representation in STEM.Problem-Solving Approach: Complex challenges are tackled through structured thinking, practical questioning, and a focus on clarity over complexity.Making STEM Accessible: STEM is made approachable by connecting concepts to everyday life, encouraging curiosity, and removing barriers of intimidation.Shift to STEMAZING and Inclusion: Transition into education and inclusion stemmed from a recognition of systemic gaps and a drive to increase representation in STEM fields.Link to Stemazing: https://www.stemazing.co.uk/Link to mentioned TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S4ZWYofAdQ

S4E10 Daisy Wu: Turning Data Into Decisions

Mentoring at UofT: Helped students see hidden opportunities (like work-study programs), shaping a mentorship style grounded in practical guidance and empathy.Project Coordination at Canada Bread: Learned to simplify data communication by focusing on outcomes, not visuals but answering “So what?” for non-technical stakeholders.Adapting Across Projects: Staying curious and doing deep research into each domain helps turn unfamiliar territory into valuable insight.Taking a Career Break: Pausing my career to pursue an MBA at Yale was about growing into a strategist who connects data with business impact.

S4E9 Irene Jerry: Pliability, Flexibility, Bendability

Supporting Teams & Embracing Challenges at Aize: Data solutions through collaboration and adaptability, ensuring they’re intuitive and aligned with user needs.NHIF Internship & Interest in Data Analytics: NHIF spark to explore data’s role in healthcare, blending purpose with problem-solving.Teaching Diverse Learners in STEM: Adapting content with pliability, switching methods and tools based on each student’s exposure level.Mentorship Impact in STEM: Bridging the gap with coding and actively pursuing a CS path.