Data Science Fall 2023 Capstone Project Showcase
Capstone projects are the culmination of the MIDS students’ work in the School of Information’s Master of Information and Data Science program.
Over the course of their final semester, teams of students propose and select project ideas, conduct and communicate their work, receive and provide feedback, and deliver compelling presentations along with a web-based final deliverable.
Join us for an online presentation of these capstone projects. Six teams will present for twenty minutes each, including Q&A.
A panel of judges will select an outstanding project for the Hal R. Varian MIDS Capstone Award.
Judges
Chris Bennett
MIDS 2017
Chris Bennett is the chief data and analytics officer (CDAO) for the financial advisor services division at Vanguard, one of the world’s largest and most respected investment management companies, leading key data, analytics, and AI/ML initiatives that enable Vanguard’s mission to drive client success by being the “Advisor to the Advisors.” Before joining Vanguard in 2020, Chris led data and analytics for Intelisent, a marketing AI/ML firm he co-founded that focuses on customer acquisition in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Intelisent, Chris held the role of CTO for Data-Mail, where he was responsible for data processing technology and operations for approximately 1.5 billion personalized communications per annum for many of the US’s largest financial services and retail companies. Chris also held numerous roles at Acxiom, a global leader in audience and identity data, data enrichment services, and data management. Chris is originally from Arkansas where he earned his B.S. from the University of Arkansas – Little Rock, and his master’s degree in Information and Data Science from UC Berkeley in 2017. Chris was a winner of the Hal R. Varian Capstone Project award while studying at UC Berkeley.
Andi Morey Peterson
MIDS 2022
Andi Morey Peterson is the director of data science and process controls systems for Micron Technology’s tech development department. She is responsible for the oversight, strategy, and execution of data science projects which include developing machine learning algorithms and leading-edge process control solutions, providing insights to yield improvement, employing unique cost reductions, and developing generative AI solutions. She comes with over 15 years of semiconductor manufacturing experience along with a B.S. in electrical engineering, a masters in business administration, and a masters in information and data science from the University of California, Berkeley. She lives in Idaho with her three children, her husband, and a lazy goldendoodle where they enjoy the outdoors including snowboarding and hiking.
Zachary “Sam” Zaiss
MIDS 2015
Zachary “Sam” Zaiss is a seasoned data science leader with a unique background in psychology and user experience, reflecting a deep commitment to understanding and enhancing the human element in data-driven solutions. His passion is building multi-disciplinary insights partnerships across data science, UX and market research to drive stronger organizational decision-making. Since graduating from the UC Berkeley MIDS program in 2015, Sam has built and led successful data science and research teams at Microsoft and Google. He currently leads the data science and analytics practice at Textio, a company that builds AI models for talent acquisition and performance management leaders to help their companies hire and retain a diverse workforce.