People / Students / Class of 2026
Eric Wu graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Business Administration from Northeastern University, where he concentrated in FinTech. His academic experience combined rigorous coursework in statistical modeling, machine learning, and data engineering with practical training in finance and business strategy. Throughout his studies, he developed strong technical skills in Python, SQL, and R, and worked extensively with tools such as Power BI, Alteryx, Docker, and Redis. Eric has been involved in every stage of the data workflow, from collecting and cleaning raw datasets to building models, visualizing insights, and delivering tools that support real-world decision-making.
At United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Eric developed and launched an interactive demographic dashboard powered by Python and MySQL, which automated the organization's reporting process. This reduced reporting time by 40% and improved data accuracy by 35%. The dashboard enabled program managers and policy staff to filter, analyze, and visualize community data in real time, helping the organization more effectively target resources and identify service gaps. He also established key performance indicators to measure outreach impact, which were later integrated into quarterly board updates. By working closely with internal teams, Eric ensured that the data infrastructure remained reliable, consistent, and aligned with strategic priorities. At Nomura Securities International, Eric joined the Business Intelligence and Change Management team, where he focused on improving visibility into high-level strategic initiatives. He built a Power BI dashboard that tracked over $20 million in project spending and performance metrics, using advanced DAX logic to create dynamic visual indicators for budget, timeline, and resource health. To support the dashboard, he automated data workflows using Alteryx, cutting report generation time in half and reducing manual handoffs. The tool was adopted by senior leadership to monitor transformation programs across the organization and quickly identify risks. In addition, Eric created standardized reporting templates for back and middle office teams, which improved consistency and reduced redundancies across multiple departments.
Beyond his co-ops, Eric has pursued independent projects to strengthen his technical expertise and explore new technologies. One of his most advanced projects involved building a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipeline that combines Redis, FAISS, and local large language models like LLaMA 3. The system enables semantic search over academic documents using HNSW indexing and modern embedding models such as MiniLM and MPNet. Now pursuing a Master’s in Machine Learning and Data Science at Northwestern University, Eric is focused on deepening his knowledge in areas like deep learning, distributed systems, and responsible AI. He is especially interested in developing solutions that are not only technically sound but also capable of making a meaningful difference across industries and communities.
