Sole Galli’s Journey From Research to Data Science

At Analytics Vidhya, we are thrilled to dedicate March to honoring women in data science. Join us as we showcase the incredible journey of Sole, a pioneer in the field. Get ready for her inspiring story and more empowering narratives all month long!

Let’s look at her story of inspiration! 

Sole Galli’s Story in her own Words

Hey! I am Sole, the leading instructor at Train in Data, where we teach intermediate and advanced machine learning courses to those of you who want to boost your skills and excel in data science. But that’s not where the story starts. So, let’s start from the beginning!

Discovering Data Science

Nine years ago, I was a research scientist at a prestigious university in London. In fact, I’d worked as a researcher for 14 years! And I thought that was the only thing I was good at.

However, despite my passion for research, the routine of laboratory work began to feel monotonous, and the lack of career progression was very frustrating. But what else could I do? 

I always had a fondness for mathematics, statistics, and data analysis, yet I wasn’t sure how to leverage these interests outside of the academic sphere. Plus, my background was in biology. Would anyone consider a biologist to work on stats?

It was during this period of uncertainty that I stumbled upon the burgeoning field of data science, thanks to LinkedIn. The buzz surrounding data science piqued my curiosity, offering a glimmer of hope and a potential pathway towards a new and exciting career journey.

First Steps into the World of Data Science

To work as a data scientist, LinkedIn told me that I needed knowledge of math (check), problem solving (check), programming in R or Python, Git, SQL, machine learning (uhh?). That left me quite puzzled.

So how should I start? I had no clue. Randomly, I discovered former scientists who had transitioned into data science roles. Great! They surely had a secret recipe. I reached out to them to understand more about what they did as data scientists, and how they managed to make that transition. Their advice was quite unanimous: start with online courses.

Seriously? I had dedicated five years to university and completed a four-year PhD. Do people really change careers thanks to online courses? Spoiler alert; yes, they do. But I was very skeptical. Nevertheless, I decided to take the plunge and enroll in online courses to kickstart my journey into data science. I mean, what else could I do, right?

Lessons Learned

The beginning was challenging. My knowledge of programming was borderline zero. So, for example, I spent 1 hour trying to work out an if/else loop in R. I am not kidding! But slowly, in fact, very slowly, it got easier and easier.

I was told that I had to put my recently acquired knowledge into practice using public datasets or through data science competitions. So I did that, and it turns out that was the most valuable thing I’ve done towards transitioning into data science.

Now the time has come. Learning about data science was fun. But convincing someone that I could be a data scientist, given that my experience in the field was just six months, seemed ludicrous. Nevertheless, I put together a CV and started making applications.

I sent dozens of applications. I got no reply from most of them. But 2 or 3 did. I couldn’t stress more how valuable it was to have hands-on experience by working on some projects. The online courses gave me theoretical knowledge. The projects helped me cement those learnings and confronted me with challenges that I would face in the role and at the interview! So I was prepared!

Eventually, I was offered a role as a data scientist. I couldn’t believe it. I was over the moon. In just six months, I went from science to data science, in what at the beginning seemed an insurmountable odyssey.

Throughout these months, I learned that at the beginning, it always seems harder than it actually is, practice is key, and I should not be discouraged if things don’t always go as I wish.

Navigating the Field with Skepticism and Curiosity

Despite grappling with imposter syndrome, I persevered on my journey into data science. Colleagues began to address me as an expert, though I barely considered myself one. 

When I was asked to speak at PyData, I was taken aback. Seriously? I’d been analyzing data for less than a year. What could I possibly say? Nevertheless, I gave the talk. To my surprise, people loved it. Attendees asked numerous questions, and the talk garnered significant attention on YouTube in the years to come

This experience prompted a shift in perspective for me. In the scientific community, we often deem ourselves experts only after many years of experience. In tech, we’re all in the same boat. We constantly learn from each other. Everyone brings something valuable to the table. 

This realization motivated me to create my first online course, initially as a hobby and experiment. If I had earned from people like you and me, who had transformed my life, couldn’t support others in their journey?

Work in Progress: Growing Stronger Everyday

Fast forward a few years, and we now offer several online courses, some taught alongside my former colleagues, with enrollment reaching 55k+ people worldwide. The positive feedback has been overwhelming. 

But that’s not all. As part of my course curriculum, I developed an open-source Python library for feature engineering that supplements scikit-learn with additional methods. Feature-engine has gained significant traction, currently with 150k monthly downloads and 1.7k stars on GitHub, and many contributors adding new functionality.

Reflecting on my journey, I never imagined I would end up here when I first embarked on data science. From struggling with a simple if/else loop to maintaining an open-source library, it’s like, wow, how was that even possible?

It’s been an incredible journey. And it goes to show that, with determination, a lot is possible. Good luck with your career – I am cheering for you!

About Sole Galli

Sole Galli, the leading instructor at Train in Data, embarked on a remarkable journey from a research scientist in London to a thriving data scientist and educator. With a background in biology, Sole discovered a passion for mathematics, statistics, and data analysis, leading to a transition into data science. Starting with online courses and hands-on projects, Sole honed their skills, eventually landing a role as a data scientist within just six months. Now, with several online courses and an open-source Python library for feature engineering under their belt, Sole continues to inspire and empower aspiring data scientists worldwide.

Click on her LinkedIn profile here.

Summing-up

Sole Galli’s journey shows the transformative power of determination and learning. From struggling with programming basics to creating impactful online courses and an open-source library, Sole’s story inspires us to embrace challenges and persevere in the pursuit of our passions.

You can also share your story or nominate someone who has inspired you by filling out this form. 

Let’s continue to uplift and empower each other in the journey towards a more inclusive and innovative future.