Q+A Profile - Data and AI

Question 1.
What are you passionate about?

I really like to innovate. I have learned that to innovate you need to know a lot about a lot of disciplines, like physics, chemistry, biology, and human physiology, not just AI or Machine Learning. Bringing together all these different disciplines is where true innovation lies, as Archimedes once said: “Give me a lever long enough, and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.”

Question 2.
What drew you to MANTECH?

MANTECH provided me the opportunity to align my skills by connecting my background to the company’s needs, which can contribute to the company’s future. I like its dedicated focus on Data and AI. I work with people who allow me to be quite open in expressing my perspectives and opinions. That is important to me!

Question 3.
What do you like most about MANTECH?

I appreciate MANTECH’s approach to supporting innovation, fostering a culture of creativity and growth by leveraging open innovation, cross-functional collaboration, and dedicated resources to develop new products, services, and processes.

Question 4.
What is or has been the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

My role on the project I am working on is quite interesting because it blends challenging, puzzle-like problems with opportunities for professional growth and skill application, such as applying modern user interface design principles and leveraging expertise in advanced analytics. It offers chances for leadership, innovation, and direct impact on company goals, while allowing me to develop new skills and work in a collaborative environment.

Question 5.
What advice do you have for those looking to start a career in Data and AI?

AI is complex and, in many ways, still in very early stages of its evolution. In other words, AI is like a child still developing and figuring out what it’s going to be. Like dealing with young children, dealing with AI requires a lot of patience combined with high ethical standards which involve consistently applying principles like integrity, honesty, accountability, and respect to foster trust and fairness.

Question 6.
What’s the coolest thing you’re working on now?

One part of my project concerns communication and public relations. I am developing a tool for facilitating strategic communication that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations (my client) and the general public as well as Government stakeholders.

I find it really cool that I can drive the tool from the very beginning and shape its vision. I believe that once it is built and deployed it will change the life of so many people by simplifying their communication, supporting their decision making, reducing manual labor, and maintaining records.

Question 7.
What do you wish people understood about Data and AI?

Precision and accuracy are factors that people love. However, AI is more about imprecision and nebulousness which causes people discomfort. Working in AI is about being able to live in that imprecision and describe its boundaries. As Longfellow said, “It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong.” .

Question 8.
How do you balance career and home life?

Like developing new habits, achieving and maintaining a balance between work and family life requires time and dedication. You may sometimes commit more time to one thing than the other, but the goal is to find a healthy balance that works best for you. There are many different strategies for achieving a healthy work-life balance, but I would like to mention just two of them: a) limit nonessential activities, and b) learn when to say “no”. The first one is about prioritizing your time at work and the second is about when your answer is always “yes” to a task or project, you may start to feel overwhelmed by your increasing workload. The right answer is to find harmony in what you are doing.