Reflections From September 2020

September was an apocalyptic month: the pandemic surged on, heatwaves became the norm, and wildfires messed up the air quality that on some days the sky looked like a filter from Instagram. A turbulent month, I dare say! Despite all the transitions it brought, it was not all bad. It had its magic as well.

After months of agonizing over the future, I decided it was time to hop off the academic train and transition to industry. With two works making their way through the publication process, I have decided to hang my pen for now. I am actively recruiting for full time industry roles. My job search strives to maximize more of an applied experience in using data to drive evidence-based decision-making in high-impact settings. 

It is a new academic year and I am now back to taking good old problem-set classes. One of the takeaways from my COVID-19 project was my desire to fill some gaps in my data science skills. To achieve this, I have enrolled in MS&E 212 (Combinatorial Optimization), MS&E 327 (Causal Inference), MS&E 454 (Decision Analysis Seminar), and STATS 202 (Data Mining and Analysis). I will admit, I had missed the thrill of solving a good Math problem. I am also grateful that I get to work with two of my favorite collaborators of all time, MC and CW, in these classes. 

Last month I shared that some of the questions at the top of my mind are: how have I adapted to the constant loss that has characterized my life for as long as I have lived? What have I gained and what have I lost as a result of that adaptation? September revealed to me that one of the ways I have maladapted to loss is through silencing my voice. This omission of my truths does not work well with my stubborn personality. September challenged me to explore further the delicate balance between collective interests and personal interests. It is my wish that someday I can master advancing collective utility without self-silencing, and honor my personal truths without perpetuating oppressive structures.

As seasons transition from summer to fall, I am getting settled into my new home. I offer some initial reflections on the apartment in an article [UPDATE TO HYPERLINK NEEDED] on my blog, The House Husband. There is not a shortage of changes and transitions, but I am learning to focus on placing one foot in front of another. With the pandemic still going strong, my beloved Botswana descending into irreversible chaos, and the world as I knew it flipped on its head, all a person can do is place one foot in front of another. I am still encouraged by the miracle of metamorphosis. I believe that a beautiful butterfly can emerge out of this chrysalis. Here is  to fall and the promise of a harvest. We have sowed the seeds, we have worked the soil, and now we await the harvest.