Aishwarya Batra

Aishwarya Batra

  • Hometown: Augusta, Georgia
  • Why did you choose your degree program? I was always, and especially during covid, intrigued with how data and information are crunched to give meaningful insights. How powerful the results must be that we are making important decisions based on results derived from just reading data.
  • What wisdom have you learned from your professor? One of the best pieces of advice I have received from my professor is don’t be afraid to make mistakes. I am using this piece of advice every day in my coding lessons where I am learning more by making mistakes. If I try to play it safe, I will not be able to learn as much I am doing now.
  • What have you found most beneficial about your program at AU?  The flexible format of the courses allow me to complete the lessons at my own speed. My program director Dr. Santu Ghosh has been extremely supportive and patient. He helped me choose the courses which are best aligned with my career goals. Dr. Chen has also been quite encouraging and helpful, especially with homework questions.
  • Please share words of advice for someone considering this program at AU? Come with an open mind and you will have so much to learn and experience.
  • Have you been involved in any AU activities? I attended the Office of Multicultural Engagement's advocacy and programming events on campus. Their events helped me to meet people and understand the diverse culture present at AU. 
  • What are your career goals? My short term goal is to learn as much as I can while in college and become technically sound. My long term goal is to land a job that I enjoy going to every day and play my part in solving bigger data problems of the world.
  • What have been some of your most rewarding moments while in your program? Being able to push my limits in terms of learning has been very rewarding for me.
  • What courses in your program's curriculum stand out as most helpful for your specific career goals? Statistical models and methods. This course is giving me hands-on experience in how to study and analyze data. The first homework was challenging and gave me a peek into how descriptive statistics and probability is being used in real-world problems.
  • What AU resources have been most helpful? The library, student tutoring and the flexibility to attend virtual events from anywhere.  I can get any book I want using the Galileo Interconnected Libraries Cooperative Borrowing.
  • What is your favorite AU memory? Interacting with my seniors and classmates is the best thing you can do. Our program offers this amazing service where seniors provide tutoring. Whenever I come across any difficult topic in my course, I reach out to my seniors for help. In addition, we also plan get-togethers where we spend time with each other and have fun.
  • What do you do for fun (hobbies etc)? I read books and watch movies.