David became a data scientist to connect the massive amount of data being created to insights which inform impactful decision making. As a management consultant, he most recently used data analysis to guide actions necessary to identify and reduce material deficits at a ship manufacturer, reducing material deficits by two thirds. Previously, as a scientist, he used experimental data and domain expertise to build a mechanistic model of the deformation behavior of high-strength steel, resulting in a highly-cited peer-reviewed journal publication. The interdisciplinary nature of data science and its premise of understanding the world to guide action that produces value compelled him to make a career change. David holds a PhD in Materials Science from RWTH Aachen University, one of the top technical universities in Germany. His final project was creates value for consumers by recommending restaurants based on multiple users’ preferences using machine learning and publicly available Yelp data.