Suraj Karakulath

What aspects of the University captured your interest and convinced you to study here?

There were several aspects that captured my interest:

1. The reputation and prestige of the university. I was also impressed by the diversity – not just in terms of the background and experiences of the people at the university, but also in the courses that were offered and the faculty’s domain expertise.
2. My interest was in data science and I liked the fact that the Msc in Data Science also included an emphasis on applications in business and society. There is a good mix of experts from various disciplines including mathematics, computer science, economics, psychology and others, which promised an interdisciplinary learning experience.
3. The university campus seemed to be top class, with vast spaces and grounds, essential amenities, research labs and student accommodation. The university’s connections with industry, career development opportunities and German language training being part of the course curriculum, were also other factors that contributed to my decision.

Which aspects of your studies brought you the most joy and fulfilment in your learning journey?

I thoroughly enjoyed some of the more advanced data science classes such as Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing and Data Visualization. These were taught by excellent instructors and allowed us to apply the lessons to practical data science projects using real world data. Some of the coding projects also allowed me to work in teams with other students and helped me improve my collaboration and leadership skills.

I also enjoyed the fact that we were given the freedom to bring our own experience and interests to develop research topics, and that we were encouraged to use these to build our data science portfolios.

Campus life is a unique trait of the university experience: what role did that play in your development outside the classroom? What's your best memory?

My accommodation was arranged off-campus but I enjoyed attending the classes on campus. The campus is beautiful with vast open spaces, lots of greenery and grounds for games. All the essential facilities are provided on campus, including for sport, food, accommodation and socialising. As a graduate student, I was invited to take part in many events organised by the Graduate Student Association.

What is your career highlight thus far, and what are you most proud of as a young professional?

As a student I enjoyed working on some interesting projects in collaboration with some of the research staff. These projects allowed me to utilise real-world data and state of the art tools and I’m proud of the fact that I was able to leverage this experience and eventually land an internship with a tech company to progress further in my data science career.

What advice would you give to the current students at Constructor University?

On academic matters, I would suggest that students take the opportunity to absorb as much as they can through the coursework and interaction with the faculty and research teams. Check out as many classes that you find interesting, even if they are outside your main subject. You could attend the first week and see if you enjoy the teaching style and topics and either drop or audit them. And for those topics you find most enjoyable, make it a point to really dive into the theory, applications, current research and literature.

Outside of academics, I would say it helps massively to build bonds with researchers and faculty and even your fellow students. These could build long lasting relationships and you never know – they may even lead you on to more career opportunities.

Bremen is a beautiful place, so take time to go out and see as much of the city as possible during your breaks. If you have time and finances, maybe even get out to the surrounding cities and neighbouring countries in Europe as well. There are some wonderful places around here and you may have less time once you start working.