Equitech Scholar from Sudan awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship

By Anodya Mishra

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Mohammed Mohammed is a Sudanese Equitech Scholar of the Applied Data Institute, 2023. A recipient of the prestigious Chevening Scholarship, he will pursue his Master of Science in business analytics from Birmingham Business School, The University of Birmingham. Mohammed’s journey into data science began unexpectedly. Originally a petroleum engineering student at the Sudan University of Science and Technology, Mohammed was first exposed to the potential of data science during the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) in Saudi Arabia in 2019. “I saw how big petroleum companies like Aramco are using data in their decisions and fell in love with the field,” Mohammed recalls. This initial encounter sparked a passion that would guide his future career. Mohammed began exploring data analysis through short online courses, learning to work with CSV files and Excel. He soon found himself looking at business studies through the lens of data, leveraging it to make informed decisions.

Equitech Journey

In 2021, Mohammed secured a position as a data analyst at a business consulting firm in Sudan. “That was my actual start of practical learning in the field of data science,” he says. His curiosity led him deeper into AI and machine learning, despite initial anxieties about their complexity. “The more I dived in, the more I discovered,” Mohammed explains. His self-taught skills in Python eventually helped him gain acceptance into the Applied Data Institute at Equitech Futures in early 2023.

The rigorous application process for the Applied Data Institute confirmed the program’s quality. “I invested time and effort in the application, spent hours editing essays,” Mohammed notes. He also attended a helpful masterclass session by Thomas Murray for interview preparation. Once accepted, he found the program met his high expectations. “Equitech taught me how to use my technical expertise in different spheres, which was novel for me because knowing a formula or concept and knowing how to use that in real life cases is very different,” he explains. His favorite sessions were with Bhasi Nair, whose challenging yet engaging teaching style Mohammed appreciated.

Experience with Business Consultancy

Mohammed’s expertise caught the attention of Yalla Nabda Business (YNB), a firm focused on innovative business solutions. The founder reached out to Mohammed after seeing his social media posts on using data in business models. Mohammed’s transformative work at YNB earned him a co-founder position. “After I joined YNB, 80% of our business solutions were data-driven,” he states proudly.

YNB worked with startups in diverse fields, from food industry companies to delivery services. Mohammed’s data-driven solutions brought significant improvements to their clients. For instance, a client in the food industry faced challenges bridging the gap between the demand and supply of their products. By analyzing sales data to identify demand trends, Mohammed helped them reduce losses and maintain profits. 

Capstone Project and Current Work

“During the Applied Data Institute, for my Capstone project, I worked on a proposal creating an LLM agent that converts doctor-patient conversations into a knowledge graph. The idea was to develop a model that records and transcribes conversations, making them into a structured knowledge graph to save doctors' time.”

Currently, Mohammed is engaged in three projects at Equitech. “I started working with Equitech as a Research Fellow after the program.” He is working on a research paper measuring the Chat-GPT effect on student essays, using KL divergence to measure the impact on the quality and novelty of applications. Additionally, he is developing an interactive learning tool within Notion for the Applied Data Institute Program and building an AI agent for the Equitech venture, Measuring Carbon, to interact with data on Google Colab.

Advice to Aspiring Data Scientists

Mohammed highlights the significance of soft skills for data scientists. “Being a good data scientist isn’t just about technical prowess. Communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills are equally important,” he advises. For those entering Equitech Futures, he reassures them about the program’s supportive environment. “Don’t get intimidated and doubt your skills when you start the program. If you get accepted, it means that the faculty has confidence in your skills, so have faith in the process” he says.

He also extols the benefits of the Equitech Futures Alumni Network. “One of the biggest benefits someone could have after the program is the network,” Mohammed says. He has directly connected with other alumni, finding mutual support and collaboration.

Mohammed’s journey from a petroleum engineering student to a pioneering data scientist showcases the power of curiosity, perseverance, and continuous learning. His experiences at Equitech and YNB demonstrate his ability to apply technical knowledge to real-world problems, driving both business success and social impact. As he continues to innovate and inspire, Mohammed remains a testament to the transformative potential of data science.