Student Spotlight: Mike Van Ness
September 12, 2022
Meet Mike Van Ness
Incoming PhD student
HOMETOWN
Connecticut
WHERE I LIVED PRIOR TO STANFORD
Ithaca, New York
ALMAE MATRES
Cornell University
Lafayette College
DEGREES & MAJORS
Master's, Statistics
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics and Computer Science
Academic and work experience
My undergraduate work in math and computer science led me to data science, which I saw as a perfect utilization of math and computing skills with promising impact. My statistics work at Cornell further enhanced my love for data science theory and methodology, but lacked real-world application. I hope to continue my passion for data science during my PhD in MS&E by working on important and impactful data science problems.
Impact I hope to have in my field and the world
I hope to develop new methodologies and continue pushing the applications of data science during my PhD. I would love to be able to use my PhD to promote data science for positive social impact in industry, and/or to teach the next generation of data scientists through academia.
Interests and hobbies
Lots! Playing sports, particularly golf and ultimate frisbee; Watching sports, including NBA, NFL, MLB, golf, soccer, etc.; Outdoor activities like hiking, running, swimming; Playing music—mostly guitar, saxophone, and piano.