Industry Expert Interview

For this assignment, I interviewed Jesse Arzate. He works as a civilian data scientist for the Air Force under the Department of Defense. He’s been working in the field for about three years and has already done a lot with AI, machine learning, and statistics. I chose him because I’m currently studying computer science and he’s someone I admire both personally and professionally. His work is related to the kind of career I want to have, and I felt like this was a good chance to learn more about what the job is really like and what kind of steps lead to success in this industry.

Jesse started off by explaining how he got into his current position. After graduating with his degree in applied mathematics with 2 minors in computer science and statistics, he applied through a civilian program and was hired into the Air Force’s data science division. Since then, he’s worked on projects involving predictive maintenance, logistics optimization, and even some defense-related tools that use AI. He mentioned that a big part of his job is not just creating models but also making sure people understand what those models are doing. A lot of leadership doesn’t have technical backgrounds, so it’s important to break things down in a way that still shows value without using too much jargon.

One thing Jesse pointed out was how much slower things can move in a government job. There are a lot of rules and restrictions, especially when dealing with sensitive data. It can be frustrating at times, but he said knowing that the work impacts national security makes it worth it. He also said that the field is changing fast. AI is becoming more important in every area, and there’s a growing focus on making these systems explainable. It’s not enough to just make something accurate, people need to trust it and understand it too. He also talked about how important cybersecurity is becoming in data science, especially when working with confidential data.

Jesse gave some advice for being a student. He said to learn about statistics and machine learning as early as possible, and to start building a portfolio that shows real problem solving. He also said soft skills matter more than people think. Being able to communicate clearly and work well with others has helped him grow faster in his career. Right now he’s working on getting his master’s degree in computer science so he can eventually move into a private company where he hopes to take on a leadership role.

After the interview I felt really inspired. It made me realize how important it is to keep learning and improving. I want to get more comfortable explaining my code and my ideas. I also want to learn more about machine learning and may even participate in a competition. This experience helped me see how much opportunity there is in tech if you work hard and keep pushing forward. I feel more motivated and more prepared for what’s next in my journey.

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