From Classroom to Career: How One Student’s DSI Clinic Experience Shaped Her Path

Sophie Logan, a 2023 graduate of the University of Chicago with an MS in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP), was passionate about leveraging data science to address challenges in the renewable energy sector. Drawing on her background in climate finance and consulting, Sophie joined a Clinic project with Invenergy, a company dedicated to advancing cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy solutions. This experience not only deepened her technical skills but also opened doors to a full-time role at Invenergy.

Invenergy, a leader in the renewable energy sector, is a valued member of DSI’s Industry Affiliate Program. This program connects industry partners with cutting-edge data science research and emerging technologies, and creates natural opportunities to recruit some of the brightest minds in data science. Through its involvement, Invenergy actively participates in the Data Science Clinic, where students collaborate in teams to tackle real-world challenges as data scientists working with industry clients.

Nick Ross, Data Science Clinic Director and Associate Senior Instructional Professor at the DSI, highlighted the value of DSI’s partnership with Invenergy: “We are proud to count Invenergy as one of our Industry Affiliates. The team is passionate about partnering with students for impact and our work together has led to some truly groundbreaking opportunities. We’re grateful to have such supportive and creative partners like Invenergy powering our work at the DSI.”

Hands-On Experience with Real-World Data

When Sophie joined the clinic team as a student, she was drawn to the opportunity to work at the intersection of her interests, focusing on a computer vision project. “It was exactly where I wanted to be,” she said. “I’d done forecasting projects before, but this computer vision project was entirely new territory for me.”

The experience was a steep but rewarding learning curve. “Working with high-resolution climate data was unlike anything I’d done in the classroom,” Sophie explained. “In class, we’d covered computer vision abstractly, but handling vast datasets firsthand taught me so much more.”

But for Sophie, the most valuable aspect was building relationships. “I loved working with the Invenergy team. When a full-time position opened up after graduation, I already knew the team and how well we worked together. That made the decision to join an easy one.”

From Clinic to Career

Sophie credits her clinic experience with her ability to transition into the renewable energy industry. She had the real-world experience to know what questions to ask and how to stand out as she searched for the right role to utilize the skills and knowledge she gained from the MSCAPP program. Once she joined the Invenergy team, she in many ways picked up where she left off, collaborating with the same colleagues and expanding the original clinic project to its next natural iteration.

The project Sophie supported went on to win the 2024 Invenergy Innovation Award, a fantastic achievement for her and her colleagues on the data science team at Invenergy. The award recognized “outstanding contributions towards building a sustainable culture of innovation,” demonstrating the significant impact clinic projects can make both for a business and the broader ecosystem.

“In the clinic, we focused on the most technical aspects, but as an employee, I’ve gotten to work on the full scale of what it means to be a data scientist—everything from scoping projects to collaborating with subject matter experts like mechanical engineers,” Sophie shared.

She emphasized how impactful the clinic was as a complement to traditional coursework. “You can spend 10 weeks in class learning concepts, but 10 weeks solving a real-world problem gives you depth and knowledge you’ll be ready to apply.”

A Day in the Life of a Data Scientist

Today, Sophie’s role at Invenergy includes a mix of focused technical work and big-picture thinking. She spends much of her time refining the model she began in the clinic and has also been able to support organization-wide initiatives, like exploring new applications of generative AI.

She’s even come full circle, now mentoring a new Invenergy clinic project with current DSI students, focused on applications of generative AI to parse and analyze energy tariffs. “It’s been so fun to coach them and see how quickly they’ve made progress.”

Sophie has also passed on her wealth of experience to current students when she joined a group at the University this October to discuss her journey as a data scientist and offer valuable insights from her career.

Lessons Learned and Advice for Students

Reflecting on her journey, Sophie credits curiosity and relationship-building as the keys to her success. “Follow your genuine curiosity—it will lead you to interesting conversations and projects,” she advised.

She’s also a strong advocate for authentic networking. “It’s not about being transactional; it’s about building connections. You never know how those relationships might turn into opportunities, even years down the line.”

Sophie frequently shares one piece of advice from a mentor, Associate Professor of Computer Science and co-founder of the MSCAPP program, Anne Rogers: “Focus on ‘skills, not scores.’ Grades won’t get you a job, but the portfolio you build and the relationships you cultivate will.”

Looking Ahead

Sophie’s journey from data science student to data scientist underscores the value of hands-on learning. “I almost wish I’d done a second clinic project,” she said. “It’s such a unique chance to solve real-world problems while still in school.”

Now, Sophie is not only advancing the renewable energy industry with her work but also shaping the next generation of data scientists through her mentorship—proving that curiosity, hard work, and collaboration can truly power change.

More information: Data Science Clinic; Industry Affiliate Program; MSCAPP