An interview with Minu Beena Sisupal – Data Science Intern

At Analytics Engines we are fortunate to work with high-calibre people – experts who understand data and problem-solving. As her internship with Analytics Engines draws to a close, we talk to data scientist Minu Beena Sisupal about her time with the company, developing new skills and her aspirations for the future.

Minu tell us about your background?

I grew up in India in a state called Kerala, it is a beautiful place full of greenery. Before coming to Analytics Engines, I studied Electronic and Communications Engineering, I then went on to work for Infosys Ltd and RM Education for ten years as a Test Lead.  I decided that I wanted to study a MSc in Data Analytics, so I moved with my family to Belfast to study at Queen’s University.

What were aspirations for the internship, was there any particular reason you picked Analytics Engines?

I first joined Analytics Engines as a part-time employee in March, and I am now completing my internship here as part of my research project for my MSc. Before coming to Belfast, I was researching companies who specialise in data solutions. Analytics Engines was on the top of my list due to their innovation and I was eager to learn from those working here.  I have found Analytics Engines a very friendly environment to work in. Everyone who works here is highly technical. If you ever have any doubts about what you are doing, all you have to do is say your question aloud and someone will be able to answer. Everyone is very approachable and extremely hardworking.

How have you been able to put your studies into practice here at Analytics Engines?

Working on the research project at Analytics Engines has allowed me to gain skills that I never could have learned whilst studying. I have had a steep learning curve and I feel this has given me confidence in working in data analytics. I feel I have made good progress during my time at Analytics Engines and the staff have provided good guidance and have been supportive of my research.

What have you been working on during your internship?

I have been working on a research project for Queen’s University Belfast, it has involved analysing all of the online news in relation to food adulteration in order to provide useful insights. Previously this was a much more time-consuming task as it was being carried out manually. Researchers had to search and find all of the articles on food adulteration, they would then have to read each article and carry out an analysis. We have been focusing on data extraction and data pre-processing and are aiming to make this process easier through our machine learning techniques. We have used Webhose API which is able to extract all the news related to food adulteration.  This then will be passed through our machine learning models to retrieve relevant information from all of the news articles.  It is capable of highlighting which part of a country is affected by that particular news story and if this is related to food adulteration. The machine learning model can even identify what kind of food has been affected by the food adulteration.

What past experience do you have, for working in your position now?

I didn’t have any past working experience of data science but I have had experience of SQL queries and testing. I had previously worked in a software company for 10 years and I have also carried out a small text analytics project before working with Analytics Engines.

What are your plans for the future?

I have some work to complete before being able to graduate from my masters but in the long-term I am hoping to stay in Belfast and use the experience I have gained here at Analytics Engines to begin working in data analytics.