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Tag: Brandeis GPS (page 3 of 22)

Faculty Spotlight: Keishalee Shaw

February 24, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Meet Keishalee Shaw

Program: Strategic Analytics

Spring Course: Business Intelligence

Bio: Keishalee Shaw, MS, MSc, MA has over ten years in the healthcare field. Currently, she is a Business Information Architect in the health insurance field working on projects around enterprise Integration strategies, enterprise target state along with focusing on data governance from an initiative perspective. Previously, Keishalee worked for New York State’s Bureau of Medicaid Statistics and Program Analysis and the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy.

She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in English and Literature with a minor in Political Science from the University of Maryland College Park; a Master’s of Science in Healthcare Administration Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus; a Masters in International Healthcare Management, Economics and Policy from Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy; a Masters in Strategic Analytics from Brandeis University and a Certificate in Public Sector Management from Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations in Albany, New York.

Why is this course important or valuable to a Strategic Analytics student?

When it comes to decision making, data and analytics leaders play a big role in creating the organization’s strategic objectives. Today business leaders must treat data and analytics as a business asset. Through understanding your organization’s data you’re able to accelerate a company’s growth, pivot and change direction that best fits the organization’s needs and build/develop/or partner with 3rd parties that push your organization to deliver consistent business value.

Why do you enjoy teaching this course?

I love teaching this course because I can see the growth in the students’ understanding when it comes to BI and importance in the role they currently hold in their organizations or how they’d like to apply what they are learning to the projects they are working on. It’s amazing to see when things start to click, or when a student is able to identify what they study in class and bring it back to the workplace.

Anything else you would like to share with a prospective student?

The market’s appetite for tools that help companies visualize and interpret data is not slowing down. Teams that have a strong data-driven culture will continue to use business intelligence to integrate artificial intelligence and business analytics. Gartner says, “the analytics and business intelligence platform market is predicted to double in size by 2025 to $33 billion and will experience double-digit growth and a 16% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through that time” (Quinn, 2022). Making sense of your organization’s data to provide insight will always be vital

For more information on the Strategic Analytics program or other online master’s degrees available at GPS, please visit brandeis.edu/gps.

References: Quinn, e. (2022, February 10). Analytics and Business Intelligence Vendors Are Acquiring Augmented Analytics Vendors. Retrieved from Gartner.com: https://www.gartner.com/document/4011253?ref=solrAll&refval=316488282

Faculty Spotlight: Jing Qi

February 21, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Meet Jing Qi

Program: Learning Experience Design 

Spring Course: RIDT 180 Learning Analytics

Expertise: Text Mining, Data visualization, Statistical analysis, Application development and Evidence-centered design

Education: University of Vermont, Ed.D.

Bio: Jing Qi, Ed.D, is the Learning Analytic Lead and LMS Specialist at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, where she works with the Research ITC team, and applies technologies employed in advanced scientific research and web application development to support the core effort of ‘Learning Data Research.’ Combining her solid knowledge in computer science, extensive experience in data mining, and strong passion in data visualization, she integrates the core elements of data analysis and visualization in the exploration of Learning Analytics.

Learn more about the course-

Why is this course important or valuable to a Learning Experience Design student?

The fundamental principle of Learning Experience Design is learner-centered and goal-oriented to effectively engage students in learning. While Learning Analytics leverages student digital footprints and artifacts to provide insights about student learning processes, which is essential to make informed LED decisions.

Why do you enjoy teaching this course?

This course is designed to give students first-hand experience of applying LA theories into LED practices. For instance, I employed social network analysis and text mining techniques to analyze student online interaction data and the semantics of discussion threads, then provide students with rich timely feedback in the form of visualization. The visualizations help students understand their cognitive behaviors, which in retrospect, enhances the learning experience.

Anything else you would like to share with a prospective student.

The students enrolled in this program are usually highly self-motivated and have a rather diverse professional background, which fosters an enriched learning community.

For more information on the Learning Experience Design program or other online master’s degrees available at GPS, please visit brandeis.edu/gps.

Brandeis GPS Student Spotlight

February 15, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Portrait of Adriana Dianderas.Student Spotlight

Adriana Dianderas ‘21

Wallington, New Jersey

Senior Designer, Healthfirst

Program: MS in Digital Marketing and Design

In her spare time, Adriana enjoys running long distance races, checking out new Broadway shows, traveling, and trying food from new places.

Get to know Adriana Dianderas! 

Why did you choose Brandeis GPS?

From my first touch-point with Brandeis GPS, they were, and still are, extremely proactive in responding to my questions and inquiries promptly. I also felt that the course curriculum was a good mix between marketing strategies and user experience design which was what I was looking for in my Master’s program. I also like that they were flexible with full-time employees and provided different options to complete your degree at your own pace.

What inspired you to choose your field of study?

There were two factors that inspired me to pursue a degree in Digital Marketing and Design. When I graduated college with a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design, the industry was still driven by print advertising. Nowadays, the industry is driven by multichannel digital platforms. I decided to invest in my education and learn digital strategies and design principles to stay relevant in my field. The second factor was to expand my current design knowledge and combine it with strategic thinking. I believe that this combination of marketing & design will help me in future leadership roles. 

How have you enjoyed your experience at Brandeis thus far? 

It’s been great so far! Professors are easy to get in touch with and are very knowledgeable about their fields. You definitely get to cover key aspects of the digital advertising business, such as researching and implementing user experience principles, budget planning, tracking leads and conversions, writing for digital, personalizing and optimizing content for web, and managing cross-channel strategies to support your company’s goals.

What are your hopes and aspirations for the rest of your time at Brandeis? 

For me, every semester is always an opportunity to learn something new! I have two more electives to take, for those in particular, I hope to focus on improving my project management and leadership skills.

What are your plans for after graduation?

I hope that after gaining in-depth knowledge of digital marketing and design at Brandeis, l  will end up in an upper management role where I could make decisions from a creative and strategic point of view. 

What advice would you give to incoming students?

To reserve time in the week to focus on school work. It is doable to go to school and work at the same time, but it requires time management and planning. I will also fully encourage incoming students to participate in the discussion forum and take advantage of all the assigned and recommended readings. There are tons of helpful tips and relevant information in those! 

What has been your favorite class to-date?

That’s a tough one! I would say Writing for Digital Environments and Digital Marketing Strategy.

Brandeis GPS Student Spotlight

January 28, 2022 / / 0 Comments

 

Portrait of Adam Burkin.Student Spotlight

Adam Burkin ‘21

Houston, Texas

Markets Reporter/ICIS; Principal/Burkin Analytics

Program: MS in Strategic Analytics

In his spare time, Adam enjoys reading, networking, working on a non-profit, dining with friends, walking my dog, going to concerts, and working out (rowing/weight lifting).

Get to know Adam Burkin! 

Why did you choose Brandeis GPS?

The Strategic Analytics program curriculum offered much potential for both my career and personal knowledge ambitions.

What inspired you to choose your field of study?

I have worked as an analyst/consultant for most of my career, so I wanted to further my education as it aligned to increasing demands around data analytics in a largely business analytics framework.

How have you enjoyed your experience at Brandeis thus far? 

The experience has been very rewarding in terms of the course instructors’ guidance and material presented. Oftentimes instructors were able to establish valuable connections between topics discussed and how they fit into today’s business environment.

What are your hopes and aspirations for the rest of your time at Brandeis? 

I hope to learn as much as I can within the scope of the remaining course materials, but more importantly offer something of value back to the program if possible.

What are your plans for after graduation?

After graduation, I plan to apply much of what I have learned in a professional capacity, in addition to analytics freelancing and my non-profit dedicated to analytics education.

What advice would you give to incoming students?

Learn to organize one’s schedule with already established personal commitments as better time management is both a critical part of the program and one of the byproducts of the experience, to which I can definitely attest. Also, explore taking courses that do not completely align to one’s expectations in the program as these are the classes that will help expand one’s purview of the program altogether.

What has been your favorite class to-date?

So hard to choose as really all of them were great to participate in, though I did enjoy the predictive analytics and machine learning course as it was highly applicable to my career.

Brandeis GPS Student Spotlight

December 17, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Student Spotlight

Portrait of Lauren Fox.

Lauren Fox ‘23

New Orleans, Louisiana

Social Media Strategist, PETERMAYER

Program: MS in Digital Marketing and Design

In her spare time, Lauren enjoys dancing, trying new restaurants, reading, and listening to new music. 

Get to know Lauren Fox! 

Why did you choose Brandeis GPS?

I chose Brandeis GPS because of the international student body, curriculum, reputation, and costs. 

What inspired you to choose your field of study?

I wanted to build a marketing portfolio that expanded beyond communications. Since I matriculated, I’ve learned about e-commerce, data, go-to-market strategies and ethics. I also wanted to learn more about user-experience/interface designs.  

How have you enjoyed your experience at Brandeis thus far? 

I enjoy the curriculum the most. It’s so important to learn about budgeting if you’re in the media/marketing industries. My classmates are experts in their fields and learning about their experiences have clued me into what other businesses are doing in our field. I have a support system at Brandeis and feel championed in my academics/career planning.

What are your hopes and aspirations for the rest of your time at Brandeis? 

I plan on graduating with honors, receiving potential awards, or career opportunities through alumni networking. 

What are your plans for after graduation?

I am really excited to become an adjunct professor. I would love to teach courses that review how pop culture impacts marketing. 

What advice would you give to incoming students?

Keep an open mind and utilize all the opportunities Brandeis gives to you! Reach out to your classmates; they will give you the support you need when you need help with classwork. 

What has been your favorite class to-date?

Any class taught by Meredith Fortney and Marketing and Customer Analytics taught by Ross Morrone. I have used what I learned in their classes in my career. Impactful courses for anyone who works with ecommerce and data. 

 

Brandeis GPS Student Spotlight

November 12, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Student Spotlight

Portrait of Dominic Lombardi

Dominic Lombardi ‘22

Worcester, MA

Senior Manager, Security Risk and Trust, Klaviyo

Program: MS in Information Security Leadership

In his spare time, Dominic enjoys hiking, camping and exploring the outdoors with his wife and two daughters. 

Get to know Dominic Lombardi! 

Why did you choose Brandeis GPS?

I chose Brandeis GPS because it was built for working professionals. GPS’s online-first approach allows me to learn from and alongside a global group with industry leaders. 

What inspired you to choose your field of study?

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue an MBA or an MS in Information Security Leadership, but when I spoke with a program curriculum advisor and mentor Sandy Silk, she had nothing but great things to say about the program, the faculty, and the students. I knew that an MS in Information Security Leadership would distinguish me from other professionals as I continue to advance myself and build my professional brand. 

How have you enjoyed your experience at Brandeis thus far? 

The program has met all my expectations so far; the courses are challenging and I’ve been able to dive deeper into concepts and theories that I’ve experienced throughout my career. In several of the courses, I’ve been able to apply my academic work directly to my profession and company after workshopping ideas and gaining helpful feedback from my classmates and professors alike. I could not ask for more transferable coursework that I’ve experienced at Brandeis!  

What are your hopes and aspirations for the rest of your time at Brandeis? 

I know the program will continue to challenge me to think differently about the concepts and areas we study. I hope that my peers and professors continue to provide critical feedback that requires me to dive deeper into subject areas and to continually apply what we’re studying to my company. 

What are your plans for after graduation?

Klaviyo is truly a growth rocket ship – having reached unicorn status this past year with a $4.5 billion valuation. I plan to continue to advance the risk managing program at Klaviyo to help our leaders make more risk informed decisions as we tackle new challenges and take over new markets.  

What advice would you give to incoming students?

The GPS program is what YOU make it out to be. The reading and assignments are manageable, but you can truly revolutionize your career by taking a few extra hours to go beyond the assignments and to think about how your program translates to your profession and company. 

What has been your favorite class to-date?

Computer Incident Response by far! I’ve been on incident response teams and led investigations over the course of my career, but I’ve never taken an academic approach to this domain before; all of my learning in their domain has been experiential, and often, your company culture influences the type of incident response program you build. By approaching it from an academic stance, I was able to examine an incident program holistically and then think critically about what I needed to bring to my company and our program to help mature our response efforts. 

Engineers Meeting in Robotic Research Laboratory: Engineers, Scientists and Developers Gathered Around Illuminated Conference Table, Talking, Using Tablet and Analysing Design of Industrial Robot Arm.

Robotic Software Engineering

November 5, 2021 / / 0 Comments

The Robotics sector is growing rapidly. According to a Pew Research Center report, robotics is expected to permeate nearly all industries impacting daily life by 2025, including healthcare, transportation and logistics, customer service and home maintenance. More and more, companies are hiring software engineers with a unique set of robotics technology skills.

The MS in Robotic Software Engineering at Brandeis GPS is designed to help professionals in robotics build advanced skills in various robotic software engineering technologies and develop hands-on experience with the technology stack. Upon degree completion, students are equipped to:

  • Design and code end-to-end software solutions that power autonomous robots.
  • Develop advanced skills in ROS, Gazebo, Modern C++ and other robotic software engineering technologies.
  • Gain hands-on experience with the technology stack to build an autonomous robot, including sensing, perception, planning, manipulation, execution and feedback control.

When we asked Gerald LeMelle, a MS in Robotic Software Engineering student, about the program, this is what he said,

“At Brandeis GPS, I feel like I’m being exposed to a lot of ideas that I never would’ve seen on my own and the community is really nice! The opportunity to take classes remotely is perfect for my schedule, and I plan to take the technologies I learned and apply them to my future work projects at Microsoft.”

The GPS community extends beyond our online classrooms. Students have the opportunity to expand their professional circles and build meaningful connections with our faculty, program chairs, and advisory board members. In addition, our programs are designed to help students balance a graduate education with a full-time job and other professional, academic, or personal commitments.

For more information on the Robotic Software Engineering program or other online master’s degrees available at GPS, please visit brandeis.edu/gps.

A man looking through a virtual reality headset.

Learning Experience Design

October 1, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Learning experience design is the new frontier in instructional design. Designers take a holistic and learner-centered approach to designing educational experiences, one that considers learning outcomes, motivation and learning environment efficacy. 

The MS in Learning Experience Design at GPS provides students with a hands-on experience utilizing the User-Experience (UX), User Interface (UI) and Instructional Design (ID) principles and techniques needed to advance in the field. Upon degree completion, students are equipped to:

  • Design and curate learning resources that enhance learner retention and application while aligning to principles of universal design for learning and accessibility standards.
  • Create and deliver high-quality programs and interactive learning experiences in a variety of industry and educational settings.
  • Use data analytics, learner and contextual analysis and interface design assessment to evaluate learning experience and resolve educational challenges.

When we asked Dharini Parthasarathy, an MS in Learning Experience Design student, about the program, she said,

“Brandeis GPS aligned perfectly with my needs and goals. In addition, the Brandeis GPS Learning Experience Design program connects directly to my current work and future professional goals.

I’ve been able to take many courses with the same set of students, developing a sense of community. My advisor has been an amazing resource and support, working with my idea of an academic plan. The professors and courses have been extraordinary, with plenty of application- and project-oriented experiences.”

The GPS community extends beyond our online classrooms. Students have the opportunity to expand their professional circles and build meaningful connections with our faculty, program chairs, and advisory board members. In addition, our programs are designed to help students balance a graduate education with a full-time job and other professional, academic, or personal commitments.

For more information about the Learning Experience Design program or other online master’s degrees available at GPS, please visit brandeis.edu/gps.

Portrait of Rachel McAllister.

Defining My Career Goals with Brandeis GPS

September 10, 2021 / / 0 Comments 
Contributed by: Rachel McAllister, MS in Digital Marketing and Design Candidate (2022)

During my time as an undergraduate at Brandeis, I majored in Film, TV and Interactive Media. Through that major, I became exposed to the technical aspects of film and became interested in visual storytelling. As I looked into options for a post-grad program, I steered my search into the Brandeis GPS programs.

The Rabb school was offering seniors the option of taking two GPS courses during their senior year to accelerate their path to a potential master’s degree. Excited about this opportunity, I decided to take two courses in the MS in Digital Marketing and Design program. Digital marketing is a large part of today’s social and business climates, as it uses digital technologies for storytelling, communication and to market products and services. So, the program appealed to me as both a creator and a soon-to-be Brandeis alum.

It was then that it became clear to me that the Digital Marketing and Design Program was the best fit for my needs. Not only was I able to complete two of the required courses as an undergrad, but I also had schedule autonomy as the program is fully online. Due to the acceleration options I was offered as a Brandeis undergrad, I have the opportunity to complete the program in just three, 10-week sessions.

As a Brandeis student who went straight from undergrad to the master’s program, I advise all students who are looking to do the same or who are just interested in trying out new classes, to take advantage of this unique opportunity! My career goals to work in digital marketing for media have been more clearly defined since taking my first two GPS courses.

____

Rachel McAllister is a candidate for her Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Design (2022) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film, TV and Interactive Media from Brandeis (2021).

Group of computer programmers working in the office. Focus is on blond woman showing something to her colleague on PC.

Designing, Developing and Maintaining Software Systems

August 27, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Software engineers enjoy profound flexibility in the global job market. There are ample opportunities in banking, health care, insurance, defense, finance, education and countless other industries that use computing technology in its endeavors. As companies experience the rapid expansion of technology and the impact on all aspects of their businesses, software engineers with a unique set of technology skills are in high demand.

The Master of Software Engineering at Brandeis GPS is designed to help professionals in robotics build advanced skills in various robotic software engineering technologies and develop hands-on experience with the technology stack. Upon degree completion, students are equipped to:

  • Apply software engineering best practices to design, develop, operate and maintain software systems.
  • Build software solutions using different technologies, architects and life-cycle approaches in the context of different organizational structures, with demonstrated programming expertise in Java.
  • Collaborate and communicate with team members and other stakeholders to achieve software development project goals.

When we asked Joshua, a Master of Software Engineering Graduate, about the program, this is what he said,

“Many of the courses in the program provided me with incredible skills that would have been difficult to learn on my own. I was able to learn multiple different programming languages and apply them through required projects and assignments. In doing so, I feel I have improved my marketability and my value to my company and provided me with opportunities going forward in my life.”

The GPS community extends beyond our online classrooms. Students have the opportunity to expand their professional circles and build meaningful connections with our faculty, program chairs, and advisory board members. In addition, our programs are designed to help students balance a graduate education with a full-time job and other professional, academic, or personal commitments.

For more information on the Software Engineering program or other online master’s degrees available at GPS, please visit brandeis.edu/gps.

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