Coffee With a Data Scientist: Lillian Pierson (aka Big Data Gal)

In the third issue of DZone’s Coffee With a Data Scientist, we speak with Lillian Pierson, aka Big Data Gal. She heads up Data-Mania, a site dedicated to providing Big Data resources with an active blog and several books under her belt, and services like live training sessions and 1-1 coaching. Lillian is constantly on the move but was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule and share a bit about her experience with DZone.

For those of you new to Coffee With a Data Scientist, our goal is to interview various data scientists and professionals in the field working on projects in machine learning, deep learning, data analytics, and/or big data in an effort to learn more about data science from the people who know it best. Oh yeah, and the coffee aspect of it all… we always like to offer our interviewees a coffee. So, if you’re a data scientist who would like to share your thoughts on the subject and you’d enjoy a cuppa on us, please get in touch.

Lillian sips a freshly brewed coffee from a tiny DZone mug we reserve especially for those working in the field of Big Data.

DZone: Can you start off by telling us a bit about yourself—particularly something that your many followers might not already know about you? That is, if you can think of anything! 🙂

Lillian: I got my degree and license in the Environmental section of Engineering, so my coding is all self-taught. I love traveling, so after college, I thought it might be fun to become an international patent attorney. I went so far as completing my first year in law school and getting a job in the field… when I figured out what the profession is like in practice, I decided to drop the idea and stay close to the STEM that I know and love.

You’ve become a well-known face in the industry with your Big Data Gal brand and Data-Mania website. However, your initial education was in Environmental Science and Law, correct? Can you talk a bit about what influenced your decision to learn more about data science and big data? And, when did you decide to make data science your primary focus?

First, I must inform you… like I wrote up above, I have a degree and professional license in Environmental Engineering — not science. I have never taken an Environmental Science class in my life. I actually started out my college career in Chemistry and spent two summers doing chemistry research in a computation biology lab, and using NMR analytics to reverse engineer my way into deuterating Hydrogen atoms in nucleic acids… but that is another story. Anyway, I have always had a proclivity for data… working as an engineer, I was the person who was using data to model systems. At a certain point, I got a job with local government and that role took me straight into data analytics, which quickly led me to data science — and I’ve been stuck like glue ever since.

What’s your day-to-day work look like with Data-Mania and what do you find to be the most challenging aspect of what you do? Can you tell us about some of the training and resources you offer, books you’ve written, etc.? Want to offer us a glimpse into what’s included in the member’s area?

Lately, I have been working on a deep learning course to follow-up my Python for Data Science course on LinkedIn Learning. I go on about 1 international work-related trip per month. I am also working on putting some bells and whistles on a high-level Big Data and Data Analytics course that I am scheduled to teach for 1-week in Kuala Lumpur. That’s a five-day, 25-hour course — so preparing and delivering it is always intense. I have written two small books and one full-length book — that’s called Data Science for Dummies. Wiley has been a great client for a long time, I must say. I am also working on getting my R Programming for Data Science course back up online, as well as putting up my Python Crash Course, and the Big Data and Data Analytics Course.