Embracing Data Science and Disruption

Yuri Balasanov talks about his MSIT course on data science for business intelligence and how students can leverage emerging technologies to differentiate themselves.

Yuri Balasanov is teaching Data Science for Business Intelligence in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) program for the first time this spring, and he's realistic about expectations for his students.   

Balasanov, who has taught similar courses in other programs and universities, is not looking to turn students into data scientists in one quarter. His goal is to help them understand the fundamentals of data science while being able to adjust to new technologies as they emerge.  

It's a challenge Balasanov faced himself as he organized the course syllabus.   

Yuri Balasanov“I find myself changing the content of the course every few months because the revolutionary transformation is exploding on us," said Balasanov, chief data officer of Quiet Light Securities, a proprietary trading business. “The world is changing so much and so quickly that students must prepare not only to use what they learn in the spring quarter of 2023, however modern it is now, but be able to continue following the new ideas that will appear in 2024, 2025, and years to come.” 

One of his main goals in teaching his new course is to help students differentiate themselves from the rest of those attempting to enter the job market and ultimately become industry leaders.   

“To distinguish ourselves, we need deep knowledge of fundamentals combined with imagination to understand practical use of these fundamentals and the ability to express the ideas in a way to pass the excitement to a potential employer,” he said. “If I am able to help my learners make at least a small step in that direction, I feel like I achieved my goal.”  

The course features lessons on technology even the brightest minds in Silicon Valley are learning for themselves right now.   

For example, Balasanov's curriculum now includes classes focused on ChatGPT, including how it can help students learn about Python and get more out of the course.  

“My goal is not limited to giving the students the vocabulary of the new concepts or some recipes,” he said. “We need to understand the new methods, where they are coming from, and how we can use them in our industries.”  

Balasanov will help students better understand the technology behind ChatGPT and work with them to learn how to write prompts that can aid in developing useful business proposals and outlines.   

The lessons for a career of fast-paced change don’t stop there. Balasanov said he’s focused on impressing upon his students exactly how rapidly technology is evolving and how important it will be for them to stay focused on continuing education throughout their careers if they want to survive — let alone find success.  

That acknowledgement should encourage his students to explore disruptive technologies — and motivate them to take Balasanov's course seriously, he said.  

“The new examples grow like mushrooms around us," he said. "Without trying to use these new tools that are disrupting every industry as we speak, we lose any chance to keep up with the changes. We live in a world where business empires may disappear if they don’t recognize and embrace the changes in time."

McCormick News Article