Never Underestimate the Scientist in Data Science

Michelle became aware of Omnium during the summer of 2020 when her planned internship with the Canadian Government was canceled due to Covid-19.  She ended up taking an online class that summer and then joined Omnium as an intern in the fall. Michelle liked Omnium so much she returned for a second term in the summer of 2021 and joined as a full time Data Scientist in January 2022 following her completion of a Bachelor’s in Statistics from the University of Waterloo.

Michelle has always been interested in math and was attracted to the Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics and co-op program – which enables students to kickstart their careers. She chose to major in statistics during her third year and her first internship in the field involved integrating statistical techniques for a manufacturer of radiation detection systems.

She was pleasantly surprised that as an Omnium intern she not only analyzed data and prepared strategic recommendations, but also got to present those findings directly to clients. During her first internship she worked on Delaware North and Juanitas and during her second internship she expanded her responsibilities to Clif Bar, Amy’s and Lundberg and helped onboard and train the new interns. Her most recent project was making the Omnium demand prediction model easier to use - which is especially important in light of today’s supply chain challenges. 

Michelle loves the flexible and open culture of Omnium and willingness to let team members experiment and learn on the job. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in statistics or economics in the next few years. While she is more focused on learning new skills than any particular industry, she is enjoying working in CPG because loves to cook all kinds of cuisine from around the world. In fact, she likens data science to cooking. While everyone is working with the same data (or ingredients), it is up to the scientist to pull out the most meaningful insights - just as the chef chooses exactly how to prepare the food. 

Michelle will be working from the Toronto office and initially supporting Lundberg and Oatly. 

We are also pleased to announce that Mia Rogers from our San Francisco office has been promoted to Senior Data Scientist and Keegan Morissey has been promoted to Data Science, Senior Manager. 

Please join us in congratulating Michelle, Mia and Keegan!