Lu Liu

Lu Liu graduated from the School of Mathematics where she studied her masters - Data Science and Analytics MSc.

Choosing Leeds

After completing her undergraduate degree in engineering Lu worked in the oil and gas industry where she developed an interest in Data Science and decided to switch career path to pursue a masters in this field. When asked the reason she chose Leeds, Lu said “The reason is quite simple, I fell in love with the campus the first time I saw the photos online, and it turns out I made the right decision.” She added “I had an amazing year studying at Leeds. Not to mention the high-quality teaching, I had plenty of opportunities to develop myself and to grow via various activities and events.”

I had an amazing year studying at Leeds. Not to mention the high-quality teaching, I had plenty of opportunities to develop myself and to grow via various activities and events.

Academic life

Studying at the School of Mathematics Lu said “I would say the best aspect of studying my course is the libraries on campus which provide a range of study environments with extensive computer facilities. The Edward Boyle Library is the one where I went almost every day while I was studying in Leeds. It has a rich collection of books / E-books that were required by my course.”

She continued “The best thing about the Edward library is that it has a dedicated floor for staff and postgraduates, including individual study rooms which can be easily booked online. Additionally, libraries also provide study booths that are suitable for group discussions.”

Building a career in computing

Lu joined Refinitiv as a Technology Graduate after finishing her studies. Refinitiv is a part of LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group), and it is one of the world’s largest providers of financial markets data and infrastructure. She is currently working as a Senior Software Engineer. Her role brings early-stage Machine Learning model prototypes into a production-ready state.

Whilst studying at the University of Leeds she said “I was very active in participating in career-related events and activities. I joined Leeds Data Science Society and was selected to join the Hiscox University Challenge with other four students. This challenge is a national competition for students to develop creative solutions for tackling challenges in the insurance industry with the help of statistics and data science.”

She added “This experience enabled me to work on the real-life problem and helped me gain hands-on experience.”

Life outside the classroom

During her time studying in Leeds, Lu was selected as an Intercultural Ambassador. The Intercultural Ambassadors Programme offers both UK and international students the opportunity to volunteer, bringing intercultural awareness to campus and community. She said, “I received weekly training sessions about intercultural awareness, and I had the opportunity to work on the Community Bistro project, which is focused on food waste issue with a multicultural team.”

Lu added “I had a great time with amazing people from different backgrounds. Participating in the Intercultural Ambassador Program is definitely an unforgettable experience for me.”

In her spare time, Lu also enjoyed the trips organised by the Get Out, Get Active (GOGA) program. She said “It is a fantastic programme of activity giving students the chance to explore the local countryside. I also volunteered as an assistant in my last term, I helped organise walking trips for students, and I met many amazing people from various backgrounds.”

Future students

In terms of the Data Science and Analytics MSc course, it combines the modules from a couple of different schools, and this collaboration will allow you to benefit from a range of data science perspectives and applications, allowing you to tailor the course to match your own career ambitions.

As a university of Leeds alumnus, Lu said “Firstly, I would say that Leeds is a lovely city and the university itself gives students an environment to explore their own horizons and understand different cultures.”

She added “In terms of the Data Science and Analytics MSc course, it combines the modules from a couple of different schools, and this collaboration will allow you to benefit from a range of data science perspectives and applications, allowing you to tailor the course to match your own career ambitions. There are multiple career paths in this field, whether you want to be a Data Scientist, enthusiastic about researching the latest Machine Learning techniques, or you want to build the ML-based applications and focus on the engineering side, or you are interested in the business aspect of Data Science, etc, you can all benefit from this course and build a solid foundation for your career in tech.”