School of Information Sciences

Get to know Ved Upadhyay, Senior Data Scientist

Ved Upadhyay

Ved Upadhyay (MS/IM '19) serves as a senior data scientist for Walmart Global Tech. He enjoys working with different teams at the company and "designing impactful data science solutions" for customers.

Where do you work, and what is your role?

At Walmart, I am part of the Digital Identity team that leads different initiatives, such as Walmart Plus, Walmart Connect, Data Venture, etc. My team's responsibility is to understand the business problem set and design a data science solution. My role also includes working with different teams inside Walmart and collaborating with various business stakeholders. My work involves building machine-learning models for various business use cases, putting them into production, and presenting results/recommendations to higher executives in Walmart.

What do you like best about your job?

I like working with different teams in Walmart and designing impactful data science solutions to serve customers in the best possible way.

Why did you decide to pursue a degree in IM?

UIUC is one of the most reputable institutions in the domains of computer science and data science. The MS/IM degree gives students the freedom to design their programs as they like, selecting from different electives inside and outside of the iSchool.

How did the iSchool help you get to where you are today?

The courses that I took helped me build my foundation in data science. I enrolled in a number of different courses related to machine learning and data science offered by the iSchool and other departments. My coursework, assignments, and projects not only helped me to understand theoretical concepts but also taught me how to apply what I learned in real-world problem sets.

What advice would you like to share with iSchool students?

Be bold, take tough courses, and build as strong a foundation as possible. Also, have fun and develop strong relationships with your classmates/friends.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy traveling, reading, and playing the piano.

Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Student Spotlight: Daria Meshcheriakova

BSIS student Daria Meshcheriakova came to the iSchool with intention. Originally from Russia, where she lived for 17 years, Meshcheriakova moved to Chicago and attended Harold Washington Community College before transferring to the University of Illinois. Among potential universities, Illinois proved to be the best fit.

Daria Meshcheriakova

Get to know Manas Godha, growth and strategy lead

Manas Godha (BSIS '24) learned how to connect "different contexts, people, and processes with data and technology" at the iSchool. He is putting those skills into practice in his work as the growth and strategy lead at Advaiya.

Manas Godha

Get to know Jade Carthans, BSIS student

Jade Carthans is interested in how human-centered design, machine learning, and data analytics can come together to solve critical problems that impact organizations and individuals. She gained firsthand experience in these areas through internships with Microsoft and State Farm.

Jade Carthans

AISLE awards to be presented to alumni, adjunct lecturer

Carolyn Kinsella (MSLIS '03), Beverly Frett (MSLIS '04), and Adjunct Lecturer Karen Egan have been selected to receive awards from the Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE). They will be honored at an awards banquet during the AISLE Annual Conference, which will be held from October 5–7 in Champaign, Illinois.

Get to know Simit Shah, MSIM student

Simit Shah worked as a consultant for Deloitte in India before enrolling in the MSIM program to strengthen his analytical and business skills. Over the summer, he applied the knowledge gained from his iSchool coursework during an internship as a technology risk consultant at EY.

Simit Shah

School of Information Sciences

501 E. Daniel St.

MC-493

Champaign, IL

61820-6211

Voice: (217) 333-3280

Fax: (217) 244-3302

Email: ischool@illinois.edu

Back to top