Meet Devin Nanayakkara: Master of Data Science

Through the Master of Data Science Devin was able to broaden his network across different science disciplines - one of the many reasons he knew pursuing further academic study would help him to achieve his long-term goals.

As an international student from Sri Lanka, Devin found the move to Melbourne to be a seamless experience. The pre-departure briefings made sure that he was well-informed about what he had to do when he arrived in Melbourne. He was also provided with a checklist to ensure that he was ready to commence his course.

Personally, the orientation week was the highlight. There were stalls all around campus, numerous activities, meeting new people from different walks of life, the sheer joy and excitement was why it was special and an experience that I will never forget.

Devin has a strong desire for problem-solving and analysing, which led him to the Master of Data Science. Revealing insights from data has been a great source of inspiration, as it challenges him to think in a streamlined way and allows him to articulate insights in a useful and audience-friendly manner.

"Another highlight [of the Master of Data Science] has been learning different programming languages throughout the course. These new languages have enabled me to explore and interact with different applications that are widely used across the data science industry. One such example was developing a dashboard for road accidents across Victoria using Tableau. Another fond memory was developing a cloud-based solution for a Twitter harvester," says Devin.

Upon reflection, Devin's new skills allowed him to further expand on a wide range of technical and digital capabilities. Going forward, he believes that upon completion of his degree, these newly acquired skills will match the industry’s exponentially growing demands.

"I would advise new students to be as open-minded and daring as possible during their short tenure at university. Do not hesitate at the chance of networking or embracing the myriads of challenges that come along with this rollercoaster ride pursuing a degree at UniMelb. Take every opportunity and network passionately with your cohort for this will be equally as important as your certificate upon completion," says Devin.

"Enjoy this tumultuous journey that you are about to embark upon."