Sometimes we forget the humans behind the tech in our ever busy world. DSF is fortunate enough to know some incredible tech leaders across the world and has the privilege of hearing them present at our events. That being said, our Speaker Spotlight sets the stage to get to know our speakers on a more personal level and connect them with our growing community. Read the mini interview below!

A bit about Shalvi:

I am Shalvi Mahajan working as Senior Data Scientist in SAP SE in Cloud ERP AI incubation team. I have been working as Data scientist since 2018 and have learned a lot about Machine learning including how this field evolved over the years. I love speaking in conferences such as Data science festival which really was a great platform to know some great AI leaders across the world! Apart from work, I am either on a trip or planning to go on one

How did you start out in your tech career?

I studied Computer Science & Engineering from National Institute of Technology Hamirpur, India. During my bachelors, I did summer research internship from Eurecom, Sophia Antipolis where I worked on identifying and analysing telephonic frauds in the dataset, France. It was my first experience with Data science and I really enjoyed it. After my bachelors, I worked at Samsung R&D Delhi as Software development engineer for about 1.5 years. In October 2018, I came back to Europe to pursue Masters in Data engineering and analytics that’s when I learned the most about data science. During my masters, I also worked at Allianz Technology SE as data scientist where I gained a lot of expertise in the field. I started working at SAP SE as Data Scientist in October 2020. Lot to learn and grow since day 1 and now I work as senior data scientist at SAP SE itself.

What are the signs of success in your field?

Success in the field of data science is marked by the ability to solve real-world problems through impactful insights derived from data. A strong portfolio of diverse and meaningful projects, coupled with expertise in machine learning, statistical analysis, and programming, showcases technical proficiency. Recognition from peers, contributions to conferences or publications, and leadership roles, such as mentoring others, further indicate success. Ultimately, successful data scientists balance technical expertise, business domain, and adaptability to drive innovation and make a tangible positive impact in their work.

What is the best and worst thing about your job role?

Best Things:

  1. Continuous Learning: The field of data science is constantly evolving, offering endless opportunities to learn new tools, techniques, and methodologies.
  2. Impactful Work: Data-driven insights often influence critical business decisions, which is impactful and rewarding.
  3. Creative Problem-Solving: Each project brings unique challenges that require innovative thinking and creative approaches to solve.
  4. Collaborations: Working with cross-functional teams provides exposure to diverse perspectives and enriches problem-solving strategies.
  5. AI-first: New project opportunities in the field to learn and grow.

Worst Things:

A significant portion of the time is spent cleaning, preprocessing, and organizing messy datasets, which can feel tedious. The work I do is not easily
measurable, it could be that you spend too much time in doing research and development to train best model with great insights but it takes significant time to see how your model affected the business in short term. Often, the problem statements are unclear, requiring additional effort to define objectives and expectations.

What can you advise someone just starting out to be successful?

Focus on mastering the fundamentals of programming, data structures, and algorithms, as they are critical for problem-solving in any tech role. The tech field evolves rapidly. Stay updated with the latest trends, tools, and technologies through online courses, tutorials, and industry news. Apply your skills to personal or open-source projects to gain practical experience and build a strong portfolio. Beyond technical skills, learn how technology solves business or real-world problems. This will make your contributions more impactful.

How do you switch off?

Going on trips and exploring the world is my way of breaking the routine and refreshing my mind, providing sense of adventure and relaxation. I love playing Table tennis, going to gym, exercise, watching movies/shows, cooking and definitely me-time is a must!

What is next for you?

Continue growing as a Senior Data Scientist, mentoring aspiring professionals, and contributing to impactful AI-driven projects.

Attending and speaking at more global conferences is also a priority. Leading strategic role in tech, combining my technical knowledge with business knowledge to drive innovation and bringing positive change in organizations.

What are your top 5 predictions in tech for the next 5 years?

  1. Gen AI Domination: Generative AI will become more integrated into business and personal applications, revolutionizing content creation,
    product design, and personalized experiences.
  2. Responsible AI: Focus will shift on explainability of AI models and making model least bias as they could be.
  3. AI Regulation Will Tighten: Governments and organizations will implement stricter policies and ethical frameworks to regulate AI development, focusing on bias, transparency, and privacy. I think now this is quite necessary as well.
  4. Sustainable Tech Innovation: Green technologies will become mainstream, with increased focus on energy-efficient computing, circular economy principles, and reducing the tech industry’s carbon footprint.
  5. Reshaping automation: Entire industries, from manufacturing to customer service, will undergo large-scale automation driven by AI, reshaping nature of jobs and workflows.

Watch Shalvi’s session at the Data Science Festival here.

Thank you to all our wonderful speakers for taking part in our Speaker Spotlight!

Want to become a DSF Speaker? Apply here!