Tropical Data Science School at Universiti Sains Malaysia

I had the amazing opportunity to participate in the Tropical Data Science School hosted by Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, Malaysia.

During the intensive two-week program, we had the privilege of participating in hands-on lectures delivered by industry specialists, covering a wide range of topics including statistics for data science, data visualization techniques, understanding consumer behaviour, and text analytics. The insights gained from these sessions were invaluable, providing us with practical experience and a deeper understanding of data science. We also got the opportunity to visit the Intel Corporation office in Penang and work on a group project utilizing tools such as Tableau and PowerBI. At the end of the program, we were able to present our project and make recommendations to relevant stakeholders based on our data visualisations and analysis. The academic experience of this program was truly enriching and significantly improved my understanding and interest in data science, while still being beginner friendly.

Penang provided the perfect backdrop for this short program, with its vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality. I thoroughly enjoyed the cultural immersion activities such as Batik Chanting and Chinese Calligraphy as well as the day trip to Penang Hill, the guided tour of Georgetown and trying all the amazing food. Penang as a city is very easy to travel in and everyone is very friendly and ready to help. There are food options EVERYWHERE and everything is very cheap. As a group, we definitely took advantage of this and were able to try many different experiences, including food, activities and adventures!

One major highlight of the program was the buddies that volunteer from IMCC @ USM. They were genuinely the nicest and most welcoming people who had amazing organisation and coordination. They made our entire trip so smooth and fun, they are definitely one of the biggest reasons I would highly recommend this short program to everyone. Overall, the trip was very successful, and I am grateful for the unforgettable experiences, new friends, and dedicated mentors that made this journey truly exceptional.

Paridhi Agarwal
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Diploma in Professional Engineering Practice
Tropical Data Science School – Universiti Sains Malaysia
Global Short Programs Travel Scholarship

For more information about the UTS Global Short Program visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal