Category Archives: Inspiration

From Complexity to Community: The Data Behind Board Game Greatness

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Woman holding a board game in front of a shelf of board games

What Makes a Board Game Great?  As a passionate board game enthusiast, I often wonder what truly makes a board game exceptional. Using comprehensive data from BoardGameGeek (BGG), the premier platform for board game ratings and reviews, I explored the numbers to uncover the key drivers behind top-rated games. Three Continue reading From Complexity to Community: The Data Behind Board Game Greatness→

From Animal Science to Analytics: Finding Strength in an Unconventional Path 

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Man in red shirt with three horses

My path to data analytics was anything but direct. With a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, most of my academic work centered on understanding the natural world. Entering the Institute for Advanced Analytics (IAA), I felt out of place. Surrounded by classmates with strong coding and statistical expertise, I Continue reading From Animal Science to Analytics: Finding Strength in an Unconventional Path →

Turning Presentations into Performances

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Group of four students dressed in business formal in front of a PowerPoint screen.

What’s an actor doing in an analytics program? A lot, actually, and there’s more overlap between the job requirements of these two careers than one might think.  On the surface, it’s difficult to imagine someone who prefers applause and a spotlight sitting in front of a computer beneath fluorescents. I Continue reading Turning Presentations into Performances→

Communication & Analytics: A Closer Look at the IAA’s Communication Week 

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Large group of students in business formal after finishing final presentations.

One unique aspect of the curriculum for the Master’s of Analytics program at the Institute for Advanced Analytics is the emphasis on soft skills, like communication, teamwork, and receiving feedback. For one week between the summer and fall semesters, MSA students learn what makes a strong communicator through individual and Continue reading Communication & Analytics: A Closer Look at the IAA’s Communication Week →