MS BAnDS students crowned national champions at Data 4 Good competition

MS BAnDS students crowned national champions at Data 4 Good competition

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Media Contact: Terry Tush | Director, Marketing and Communications | 405-744-2703 | [email protected]

A team of Oklahoma State University business analytics graduate students started fall break with a national championship.

Srikaran Anand, Edgar Castillo Garza, Bennett Frohock and Josias Hernandez Perez secured a $5,000 cash prize in the Data 4 Good Case Competition finals Nov. 23 at Purdue University. The students in the Spears School of Business master's in business analytics and data science (MS BAnDS) program outperformed 243 teams from universities nationwide, showcasing exceptional talent to win the graduate division.

Teams worked with data from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, which serves families whose loved ones died in military service. The students' innovative methodology can help TAPS advance its mission of providing for grieving survivors.

"Participating in this competition was an invaluable experience that connected classroom learning with real-world problem solving," Castillo Garza said. "We were able to take the data science techniques we'd learned and apply them hands-on to a challenge with real-world implications, aiming to make a difference in the lives of military families. We had to quickly analyze new information, overcome unexpected obstacles and continuously refine our approach as we gained a deeper understanding of the survivor journey."

Frohock, who has a background in psychology and theatre, said he acquired numerous skills during the competition.

"From my first attempt at scripting, to understanding the powerful suite of AI tools and their uses offered by Microsoft Azure, Data 4 Good has taught me confidence in learning new technical skills," Frohock said. "However, the most important lesson learned was that I have a place in this field. Anyone with enough passion and drive can make it in data."

To qualify for the finals, the OSU team first won its regional by designing an accurate artificial intelligence-powered approach to categorizing the data. In the finals, competitors analyzed the synthesized data and delivered in-person presentations at Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana.

"This is an outstanding achievement by a group of first-year MS BAnDS students who were crowned the national champion in the graduate division at this prestigious competition," said Dr. Goutam Chakraborty, MS BAnDS program director. "I can't wait to see what they can achieve in their second year."

To learn more about the award-winning MS BAnDS program, visit the program's webpage.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.