MS Data Science Students Present Program's First Capstone Projects
The inaugural Master’s in Data Science (MSDS) Capstone presentations took place on December 7, 2023. The event was held at the MSU Union’s Lake Huron room and featured teams of MSDS students who presented their Capstone findings to the general MSU public.
For their Capstone projects, students worked with prominent companies to apply data science skills to help their clients. Some of these companies included Kellogg’s, Steelcase, BEET, EGLE, Corewell Health, and Siemens. Students worked closely with their clients throughout the project, from initial meetings on scoping the project, working with the company to develop a working theory for their project, and ultimately presenting their findings.
The projects covered a wide breadth of problems in the area of data science, and the students did a fantastic job. Recent MSDS program graduate, Kundan Mahaseth, and his team collaborated with BEET. They developed a Design Defect Analysis program that is able to identify deficiencies in products and pinpoint where corrections can be made. Kundan’s experience with the Capstone was fulfilling.
In his own words: "Working on the capstone project was an enriching experience that allowed me to apply and deepen my skills in data science. Collaborating with a talented team, we successfully addressed complex challenges in manufacturing operations, culminating in the development of a predictive model with explainability features. Presenting our findings at the capstone event was a proud moment, showcasing the collective effort and innovative solutions we brought to the table. I am grateful for the opportunity and proud of the impactful work we accomplished together."
Another successful project was done by Patrick Govan and his team. They collaborated with Steelcase and formulated an Image Based Floorplan Classification system. This allows a client to see what furniture configurations will fit the space they are planning for. The classification system will take into account all of the parameters needed for the project and make recommendations based on those parameters. Patrick enjoyed the industrial side of the project that the Capstone course encourages.
He shared some thoughts on the Capstone course: “The way that I could sum up my experience throughout the capstone would be that it was an amazing industrial experience. Normally throughout school, we can only see the academic side of the work environment, but this gave us a true insight into what we'll actually be doing in the workforce. The presentations were incredible to see because even though we (students) have the same technical skills, we were able to apply them to vastly different fields.”
While the Master’s in Data Science program is still relatively new, the students successfully tackled diverse and engaging projects and are a great example for future classes to follow.
