People / Students / Class of 2024
Yidan graduated from University of California, San Diego, with double majors in Applied Mathematics and Data Science. During her undergraduate studies, Yidan has demonstrated proficiency in Python, Java, SQL, and R. She pursued advanced coursework in machine learning, probability, and statistics to strengthen her technical expertise. Yidan applied the knowledge she acquired from the courses she took by actively participating in various research at UCSD and multiple internships. At UCSD, she joined Professor Roberts’ research team, focusing on automated analysis and assisting tasks on developing Python scripts that perform web scraping, data cleaning, and visualizations. She additionally participated in the WebVR research for developing a VR environment using A-Frame, visualizing graphs of molecules through the implementation of JavaScript, Python, and MATLAB. This interactive platform empowered users to manipulate input values effectively, facilitating a thorough examination of the obtained results and granting easy access to specific data points within the field of chemistry. She also took part in the Deloitte Mentorship Program with UCSD, where she facilitated case studies examining the impact of COVID-19 on the California job markets. During this program, she utilized machine learning algorithms, conducted data cleanup, and performed exploratory data analysis using Python to analyze the market data. Regarding the senior capstone project at UCSD, Yidan joined Professor Rahman’s team, working on the development of a compartment model to analyze aerosol concentration and flow in the presence of dynamic human syndrome events. She and her teammates employed Swift and Python to design a smartphone app that leverages built-in sensor data and machine learning techniques to generate different forecasts such as audio and images for determining the safety of indoor environment. While exploring various fields and implementing data science techniques in her research endeavors, Yidan challenged herself to expand her knowledge and venture beyond her comfort zone during internships. She worked as a data analytics intern at both Hongde Fund and StepStone Group, where she delved into the finance domain, encompassing public and private market funds respectively. Her primary responsibilities included extracting and analyzing data from financial statements of multiple financial institutions, developing track record models for the research team, and conducting ad-hoc analysis using proprietary and third-party databases to facilitate due diligence processes. She also built a visualization web application to display the results of the data and automated financial analysis using Python. Moreover, she was a data analytics intern for non-profit organization where she verified the accuracy of the database, reviewed the database for errors and deficiencies, and corrected them. She attempted to build a semi-automated process to streamline the sorting, analyzing, and updating of contact databases on her end to facilitate the overall workflow. In the future, Yidan aspires to become a data scientist dedicated to creating positive social impact within society. She believes that Northwestern University’s Machine Learning and Data Science program will equip her with knowledge and skills to effectively address real world issues through cutting-edge analytics methods and techniques.
